WHO: No. 15 Iowa (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) at Michigan (5-1, 1-1 Big Ten).

WHERE: Michigan Stadium.

WHEN: 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

ODDS: Iowa is favored by 3 1/2 points, according to sportsbook.com.

SERIES RECORD: Michigan leads, 40-11-4.

LAST MEETING: Iowa 30, Michigan 28 on Oct. 10, 2009. (AnnArbor.com coverage)

BROADCAST INFORMATION: TV: ABC/ESPN (coverage map); Radio: Michigan Sports Network (local affiliates), Sirius Ch. 125, XM Ch. 102.

MICHIGAN: Team Stats | Team Rankings | Roster

IOWA: Team Stats | Team Rankings | Roster

RUNDOWN: There's been a lot of talk about the defensive unit Iowa brings into Michigan Stadium on Saturday. Everybody is touting its nation-best 10.2 points allowed per game, but many overlook an important part of that equation.

As the old saying goes, statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.

What Iowa's points-per-game total doesn't take into account: Arizona scored 14 of its points on interception and kickoff returns in a 34-27 win over the Hawkeyes last month.

So, yes, the Iowa defense is actually better than that nation-best stat -- is it possible to be better than the best? -- of 10.2 points per game. Opposing offenses have scored 37 points in five games, or 7.4 points per game. And it's the only defense in the country that hasn't allowed a rushing TD.

Of course, Iowa's four wins have come against teams with a combined 8-16 record. And none of them has come against an offense as effective as Michigan's.

Something must give as Iowa, the second-best FBS team defending the run, attempts to contain Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, the second-leading rusher in the nation.

Iowa allows an average of 63 rushing yards per game. Tack on 102 yards, and you have Robinson's average. Michigan averages 297 as a team.

AnnArbor.com reporters have been looking at that angle, and plenty of others, in the week leading up to the game. Here's a rundown of everything you can find on our site, and more:

FRIDAY

• Jeff Arnold breaks down the aforementioned matchup a little further in his story, "Hard-nosed Iowa defense faces a different challenge in shutting down Denard Robinson."

• Mike Rothstein catches up to Marc Morehouse of the Cedar Rapids Gazette for our "Beat Writer Breakdown." Morehouse looks at Saturday's matchup from Iowa's perspective.

• In his MGoBlue.com video, coach Rich Rodriguez says the Wolverines have to be great on special teams against Iowa.

THURSDAY
• Michigan currently has the No. 3 offense in the country and the No. 112 defense. Can you win like that? Mike Rothstein takes a historical look at teams with good offenses and bad defenses.

• Michigan defenders are ignoring the constant questions and focusing on finding answers.

• And true freshmen (seven of them have seen time on defense) are continuing to learn on the fly.

• Pete Bigelow and Rothstein preview the game -- and make predictions -- in this video.

• Rothstein hosted this week's lunchtime live chat, talking a lot of U-M vs. Iowa, but throwing in some Michigan basketball talk, too.

• And, although it's not Michigan-Iowa related, let's throw this in: U-M and Alabama make rumored 2012 game official.

WEDNESDAY
• In our Q&A, running back Vincent Smith talks about sharing a backfield with Denard Robinson, battling back from a knee injury and what he expects from Iowa.

• Rich Rodriguez discusses -- as much as he's allowed by NCAA rules -- Michigan's class of 2011 recruiting efforts.

• Our Michigan notebook looks at the team's injury situation and examines why sophomore defensive lineman Will Campbell hasn't seen more action.

TUESDAY
• Denard Robinson gave a passionate locker room speech following last week's loss to Michigan State. Rich Rodriguez wasn't surprised the underclassmen took on such a leadership role.

• Michigan players discuss the dropped passes, interceptions and special teams miscues that cost the Wolverines against MSU.

• In our regular "Catching Up With ... " feature, we talk to former Michigan wide receiver Marcus Knight who is now coaching and pursuing a Master's degree at Valparaiso.

• The university is considering a plan to close Main Street near Michigan Stadium on game days.

MONDAY
• Short-term fixes on defense are really not an option for Rich Rodriguez and Michigan.

• Our Monday notebook looks at the long-term injury to Martavious Odoms while the team's tight ends have started to get involved with the offense.

• Rodriguez and several players talk about putting MSU behind them and looking ahead to Iowa in this video report.

• We provided live updates from Monday's press conference.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PREVIEW
Still haven't gotten your fill? Here's a preview capsule from the Associated Press:

WHAT'S AT STAKE
Michigan was ratted by rival Michigan State, failing its first true test of the season. The next one might be tougher. Rich Rodriguez needs this win — a lot. After a bye week, the Hawkeyes want to earn a victory — for the 20th time in their last 23 games — to stay among the Big Ten teams with unblemished conference records.

KEY MATCHUP
Michigan QB Denard Robinson vs. Iowa's front four. Michigan State proved Robinson could be slowed down, clogging running lanes and mixing coverages while adding pressure to rattle him into making mistakes. Iowa's senior-laden defensive line leads a unit that ranks second in the country against the run, giving up just 63.2 yards a game, and is the only major college team that hasn't given up a rushing touchdown this year.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Michigan: WR Kelvin Grady will likely have a chance to contribute more because Martavious Odoms is out with a broken foot. Grady is a former scholarship basketball player.

Iowa: DE Adrian Clayborn had 10 tackles in his last game, earning Big Ten defensive player of the week honors for helping the Hawkeyes shut down Penn State in a 24-3 win.

FACTS & FIGURES
In last year's win over Michigan, Iowa forced five turnovers and Stanzi threw for 284 yards and two TDs. ... Iowa is ranked higher than the Wolverines, who just fell out of this week's poll, in the matchup for just the second time since 1985, when the top-ranked Hawkeyes beat No. 2 Michigan 12-10. ... Iowa is giving up a nation-low 10.2 points and ranks fourth in total defense, allowing 242.2 yards per game. ... Iowa WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos is 66 yards shy of Tim Dwight's school-record 2,271 yards receiving.

AROUND THE BIG TEN
Our colleagues at The Grand Rapids Press preview the Michigan State-Illinois game, which kicks off at noon in East Lansing, on MLive.com.

That game and the rest of the Big Ten schedule, listed below, is previewed on BigTen.org:

Minnesota (1-5, 0-2) at Purdue (3-2, 1-0), noon.
Arkansas State (2-4) at Indiana (3-2, 0-2), noon.
Ohio State (6-0, 2-0) at Wisconsin (5-1, 1-1), 7 p.m.

AROUND THE NATION
Check out previews of all games involving top 25 teams.