The Michigan Insider

Michigan and Minnesota will play for the Little Brown Jug on Saturday, October 3, 2026, marking the 100th time the two programs have competed for the historic trophy.
The Golden Gophers have a quarterback with NFL upside, a defense that can create havoc, special teams that can win them games, and a coach who is willing to smear blood across his face. Do they have enough firepower to beat Michigan at home for the first time since 1977?
Ryan Burns of the Gopher Gazette on 247Sports joins the show to give us an inside look at PJ Fleck's program and offers his predictions for the game.

Michigan let one get away against Iowa — and the frustrating part is Bryce Underwood may have taken his biggest step forward yet. In his second week as The Michigan Insider’s Monday Morning Quarterback, former Michigan QB Shea Patterson joins Sam Webb to break down the Wolverines’ stunning 20-19 loss and the mistakes that turned a winnable game into a painful defeat. Patterson details Underwood’s improved footwork, pocket presence and growing command of the offense, plus why Michigan’s game plan finally appeared to fully tap into its young quarterback’s strengths. But the progress was overshadowed by eight penalties for 75 yards, costly personal fouls, red-zone failures and an alarming lack of discipline that ultimately helped sink the Wolverines. Webb and Patterson also tackle the decisions sure to fuel debate: Should Michigan have put the ball in Underwood’s hands with a chance to close the game? Did the Wolverines get too conservative late? And what went wrong defensively on Iowa’s decisive 91-yard touchdown drive? It’s a deep dive into an encouraging performance from Underwood, a crushing Michigan loss, and the correctable mistakes they must fix before they cost the Wolverines again.

(00:00) – Shea Patterson Reacts to Michigan's Painful Iowa Loss
(06:11) – Shea Says Michigan Should Have Trusted Bryce on the Final Drive
(11:13) – Shea Likes Bryce's Competitive Fire With the Coaches
(17:21) – Shea Calls the Iowa Game Bryce Underwood's Best Yet
(19:10) – Bryce Is Learning to Keep His Eyes Downfield
(22:29) – Shea Explains Four-Minute Offense and Why Michigan Needed More Aggression
(25:15) – Shea Explains How Michigan Must Respond to a Loss Like Iowa
(34:23) – Shea Wants More Drop-Back Passing Against Minnesota
(40:38) – Shea Says Michigan Has to Stay Together After Iowa
(47:08) – Shea Explains How Bryce Is Adjusting to the Speed of the Game
(54:57) – Overtime Returns to Michigan's Penalty Problem
(1:03:34) – Shea and Sam Defend Michigan's Running Game Against Iowa
(1:18:07) – Finishing Drives Becomes Michigan's Next Offensive Priority
(1:25:32) – End of Show

In this episode, Zach Shaw and Steve Lorenz break down what went wrong for the Michigan football team in its last-second, 20-19 loss to Iowa, and what it means for the Wolverines moving forward.
They open with a look at Michigan's disastrous fourth quarter, including its 3-and-out with a chance to close out the game and allowing Iowa to go on a 91-yard drive to win the game. They discuss the series of events that led to the unlikely loss for the Wolverines, and debate what percentage of the loss is Michigan's mistakes, vs. the Hawkeyes' execution. They also sift through the Wolverines' shortcomings, and dissect which ones are the biggest concerns for Michigan moving forward.
In the second half of the episode, they look at other takeaways for Michigan's offense and defense in the game, and what to make of the Wolverines' performance prior to the collapse.

Michigan had been flirting with disaster for weeks. Against Iowa, it finally caught up with the Wolverines. In the latest Michigan Insider Postgame Recap, Sam Webb Josh Newkirk dissect a gut-wrenching 20-19 loss in which penalties, missed opportunities, and an inability to finish overwhelmed some of Michigan's most encouraging football of the season. Bryce Underwood delivered arguably his best performance yet; the offensive line moved Iowa's highly regarded defense for much of the game — but eight penalties, a costly special-teams breakdown, and squandered chances kept the Hawkeyes alive. Then Michigan failed to put the game away late and watched its defense surrender a stunning 91-yard game-winning drive. The TMI crew breaks down the mistakes that turned a winnable game into a crushing loss, the progress they can build on, and the discipline problems that will keep it from happening if they aren't corrected soon.
(00:00) Michigan Lets a Winnable Game Slip Away Against Iowa
(04:11) Penalties and Missed Opportunities Keep Iowa Alive
(07:09) Michigan Leaves Too Many Game-Changing Plays on the Field
(09:41) Michigan's Defense Fails Its Biggest Test but the Run Game Shows Progress
(12:30) Michigan's Defense Does Not Finish Like an Elite Unit
(13:55) Michigan's Leaders Publicly Demand More Accountability
(16:12) Bryce and Michigan's Offense Show Their Most Encouraging Signs Yet
(17:50) Michigan Cannot Let the Iowa Loss Snowball
(19:57) Every Phase of Michigan Contributed to the Loss
(21:18) Michigan's Next Goal Is Simply to Play a Clean Football Game
(23:00) Sam Says Penalties Were the Difference Against Iowa
(23:52) Michigan Has to Reset and Respond Against Minnesota
(25:38) End of Show

In this episode, Zach Shaw and Steve Lorenz break down the Michigan football team's upcoming matchup against Iowa, as both teams open Big Ten play, and discuss the keys for the Wolverines in the contest.
The begin with a look at Michigan's offense, and how the Wolverines can shake the Hawkeyes' defense loose and put players in conflict. They also look at Bryce Underwood's next step, offensive players who need to step up, what needs to work in the run game and more.
In the second half of the episode, they look at Michigan's defensive keys. They discuss the importance of the Wolverines providing pressure, the value of a four-quarter game plan, the physicality and discipline needed and other factors. They close with final thoughts on the matchup, and predictions for the game.