We've almost reached the end of our preview of the Iowa angle ahead of its Big Ten opener at No. 18 Michigan on Saturday (2:30 CT, CBS), so now it's time to talk about the Wolverines. 

You've already read our film review of Michigan's win over Oklahoma to get a glimpse of some of the top Wolverines to watch on Saturday, but here's the complete list of Michigan players you need to keep an eye on this weekend. 

Even the most casual Big Ten football fan has heard of Underwood, and that's simply because he's usually the first name that comes to mind when people think of Michigan football. The former five-star prospect already had high expectations placed on him when he flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan, but the results haven't been what Wolverine fans have hoped so far. 

An up-and-down 2025 campaign under Sherrone Moore was expected, but Michigan hoped Underwood would take a step forward under the new regime. Though Underwood went 19-for-25 (76%) against UTEP last weekend, he barely completed 50% of his passes against Western Michigan and Oklahoma. 

There's still plenty of time for the sophomore to put things together, and his rushing ability makes him very dangerous. 

Though he doesn't lead the Wolverines in receiving yards (we'll get to that name in a second), Underwood's top target in this one is likely going to be fellow sophomore wideout Andrew Marsh. Marsh took a few games to get going, but everything came together against UTEP, where he tallied 10 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. 

The 6-foot-1, 192-pound Marsh has the explosiveness to be a playmaker against Iowa, and the Hawkeyes will have to know where he is at all times. 

If there's another man Underwood will try and get the ball to, it's probably JJ Buchanan. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 218 pounds, Buchanan is the perfect threat to catch 50/50 balls, with a great example being his 47-yard Hail Mary catch to beat Western Michigan. Buchanan leads Michigan with 266 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 15 receptions. 

Though Michigan's offense has struggled so far, the sophomore has plenty of experience in offensive coordinator Jason Beck's system, having followed Beck and head coach Kyle Whittingham from Utah when they moved to Ann Arbor. 

If Iowa struggles to run the football on Saturday, then John Henry Daley is likely going to be the reason why. Whittingham secured a big early win when the first-team All-American followed him from Utah, and the results have been just as impressive in the maize and blue so far. 

Wherever the ball carrier is, Daley is usually right there to make a play. He's tallied 14 tackles and 2.5 sacks this season, including eight tackles and 1.5 sacks in a victory over then-No. 11 Oklahoma in Week 2. 

At the centerpiece of Michigan's 4-2-5 defensive scheme is linebacker Troy Bowles. He leads the Wolverines with 25 tackles, and you'll often see him line up on the line of scrimmage and then drop back into coverage. That could be something to watch if Iowa tries to get the ball out quick, but no matter how this one unfolds, Bowles is absolutely a name to keep an eye on. 

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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]