Can Iowa Create Turnovers? The Hawkeyes' Biggest Defensive Question vs Michigan

The Iowa Hawkeyes have made a living off forcing turnovers during the era of Phil Parker as Kirk Ferentz's defensive coordinator. That storyline looks to play a big part in the Hawkeyes' Big Ten opener on the road against the Michigan Wolverines.

Iowa is a slight underdog looking to make a statement in Big Ten play, and that statement needs to have a portion of it defined by the Hawkeyes' defense playing up to the level it has shown through three games.

To win these games, where the Iowa offense is likely to get bogged down at times, extra possessions and short fields created by turnovers can be the difference.

Iowa has to win the turnover margin against Michigan

Iowa's offense has looked strong, even explosive at times, to start the season, but Michigan's defense presents another test. The Wolverines are going to win some matchups, stonewall some series, and get off the field.

The Hawkeyes can flip the script in this game by creating turnovers. Through three games, Iowa has a plus-three turnover margin, with only one giveaway. That has to happen against Michigan.

Iowa's defense has forced just one fumble, but through three games, the Hawkeyes have reeled in three interceptions. Against Bryce Underwood, who has shown he will turn the ball over, Iowa needs to force the issue.

Through three games, the Wolverines are down by two in the turnover margin. Against Western Michigan, the Wolverines fumbled the ball twice and threw an interception. In Week 2, the Wolverines fumbled twice again. This year, Michigan has four fumbles in three games, which is an area Iowa needs to exploit.

Where do the turnovers come from?

The turnovers can come from two avenues. The first avenue is really straightforward and something Iowa tried to do at times against Northern Iowa. That is punching the ball out of ball carriers' possession.

Multiple times, Iowa was close to forcing a fumble, with a focus on generating turnovers. With Michigan's offense being reliant on the ground game, the opportunities for this are going to be present.

The other avenue of turnovers for Iowa's defense is Jayden Montgomery and Cam Buffington stonewalling the ground game, which would put Michigan into 2nd-and-long or 3rd-and-long passing situations.

We saw it against Northern Iowa. When the Hawkeyes' secondary can sit on the pass, they turn the aggression up. They are willing to jump routes and take more risks. Forcing Bryce Underwood to throw on obvious passing downs due to early-down run game success benefits Iowa greatly.

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