W     28 - 5 

Michigan was the 1898 Western Conference champions. The game drew 5,000 persons at Bennett Park, the largest crowd to watch a football game in Detroit to that time. In the hours before the game began, large numbers of Michigan fans arrived in Detroit and paraded through the city streets behind their band, wearing ribbons, blowing horns, and singing songs. However, the large and boisterous Michigan crowd had no impact on Iowa.

The Wolverines had sent scouts to watch the Iowa-Chicago game and prepare for Michigan's first ever meeting with Iowa. Coach Alden Knipe had the Hawkeye players gather at Lake St. Clair outside Detroit. Knipe taught his Hawkeye team 75 new plays in one week. He completely changed his offense, which had been one of power inside running, to exploit Iowa's speed advantage running outside the tackles. The Hawkeyes led 28–0 before Michigan managed a field goal to prevent the shutout, the first points scored on Iowa in 1900. But the Hawkeyes dominated the Wolverines and won, 28–5.

Michigan's student newspaper described the Iowa attack as follows: "Iowa has developed team work that is little short of wonderful. Their tandem plays and shell-like formations sent the man with the ball for an almost sure gain in every scrimmage." Everett Sweeley accounted for Michigan's only points on a field goal from place kick (field goals were worth five points under 1900 rules) from the thirty-five yard line just before the end of the second half. The game was played in 35-minute halves.