Site: Indianapolis, Ind. (Lucas Oil Stadium)
Score: #2 Michigan 26, #18 Iowa 0
Records: U-M (13-0), Iowa (10-3)
Attendance: 67,842
Next U-M Event: Monday, Jan. 1 -- at College Football Playoff (Location, Time, TV TBD)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Defensive back Mike Sainristil forced a pair of fumbles and the defense pitched a shutout as the No. 2-ranked University of Michigan football team defeated No. 18 Iowa 26-0 in front of a record-setting crowd of 67,842 at Lucas Oil Stadium in the Big Ten Championship game on Saturday night (Dec. 2). The win was the program-record third straight outright Big Ten Championship crown.

Sainristil shined in the victory, forcing the first two fumbles of his career and recording a sack on his way to being named the Grange-Griffin Most Valuable Player of the game. Pairing with Sainristil was a strong showing from the U-M defensive line, combining for three sacks, four quarterback hits, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble of its own.

The Michigan defense allowed a season low 155 total yards (120 passing and 35 rushing) and held the Hawkeyes to completing just four-of-18 third and fourth-down tries. Additionally, the defense forced three turnover on downs in the second shutout in the history of the Big Ten Championship game.

On offense, running back Blake Corum starred once again, rushing 16 times for 52 yards and two touchdowns to tie the U-M program record of 55 rushing touchdowns set by Anthony Thomas in 2000.

On Corum's historic day, the passing game kept pace, as quarterback J.J. McCarthy completed 22-of-30 passes for 147 yards. Wide receiver Cornelius Johnson set a career mark in receptions with nine, while adding 64 yards.

Michigan sped past Iowa early in Indy with drives of 7:35 and 39 seconds resulting in points and a 10-0 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. The first drive, a methodical march, resulted in a 35-yard field goal for kicker James Turner. U-M converted on both third and fourth down on the drive on receptions by AJ Barner (13 yards) and Johnson (10 yards), respectively.

The Maize and Blue offense needed only two plays to go five yards and add the 23rd Corum touchdown of the season on a two-yard scamper. Preparing the short field was Semaj Morgan, sidestepping defenders and using his speed to return the ball 87 yards on an Iowa punt. The return was the longest in Big Ten Championship Game history and the longest for U-M since 1991, when Heisman winner Desmond Howard famously returned a punt for a 93-yard touchdown against Ohio State.

The Wolverines and Hawkeyes traded eight total punts in a scoreless second quarter. A key moment in the half came when Iowa was given opportune field position at the U-M 38-yard line on a punt with six minutes remaining. The Michigan defenders prevented Iowa from scoring, though, when Sainristil forced his first fumble of the game at the 29-yard line. The loose ball was recovered by defensive lineman Kris Jenkins, a career first.

On Iowa's opening drive of the second half, backed up to their own six-yard line, the Hawkeyes turned the ball over on a second Sainristil forced fumble. First ruled an incomplete pass, the play was reviewed and overturned to a strip-sack recovered by defensive back Josh Wallace -- the third of his career. Corum found the end zone again one play later, a six-yard rushing score, increasing the U-M lead to 17-0 six minutes into the second half.

After Turner added a 46-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining in the third quarter and the teams traded punts again, the U-M defense came up with another fumble recovery. Their third of the game, the fumble was forced by edge rusher Braiden McGregor and recovered by defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, career firsts for both. This led to Turner's third field goal, a 36-yarder, with nine minutes remaining in the contest.

The game closed with another Turner field goal, tying his career long of 50 yards, and secured a Michigan shutout to secure the Big Ten Championship for a third straight season.

Michigan now awaits its bid as part of the College Football Playoff semifinal, set to be announced Sunday (Dec. 3) at noon on ESPN. Both semifinal games will be played on New Year's Day (Jan. 1), with U-M expected to play in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., or Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, La.