Michigan's Jim Harbaugh claims 'top-five teams go to die' at Iowa

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Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh is familiar with what can happen to a top-five ranked opponent heading into at matchup at Iowa.

"As they say, (where) top-five teams go to die," Harbaugh said this week as the No. 4 Wolverines (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) prepared for Saturday’s game against the Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium.

The numbers back up Harbaugh's concerns.

In Iowa's most recent six home game against top-five teams, the Hawkeyes have come out on top five times. 

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Fans cheer before a game between Iowa and North Texas at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, Sept. 16, 2017. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

Harbaugh also knows from personal experience what it's like to lose at Iowa. In 2016, Iowa took down a Harbaugh-led Michigan team, ranked No. 2 in the nation at the time, in a 14-13 thriller.

Overall, Michigan leads the series 43-15-4, but Iowa has won five of the last eight meetings.

"They just get so good at what they’re doing, they beat you with the execution," Harbaugh said. "They just out-fundamental you. They out-technique you."

Meanwhile, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz expects the sellout crowd to give his team a boost but knows the Hawkeyes will have to bring their best Saturday.

The matchup will feature a high-powered offense and a pesky defense that doesn't give up a lot of points.

Iowa's defense is allowing just 5.75 points per game, good for the best in the country. But Michigan's offense is the second-highest scoring in the nation with an average of 50 points per game. Michigan is only giving up 11 points per game, but Iowa's sluggish offense continues to be the worst in the Bowl