Michigan
2-3 , 0-1
Minnesota
4-1 , 1-0
Michigan Relinquishes Little Brown Jug to Gophers
9/27/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Event: Battle for the Little Brown Jug
Score: Minnesota 30, Michigan 14
Records: U-M (2-3, 0-1 Big Ten), MINN (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten)
Attendance: 102,926
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 4 -- at Rutgers (Piscataway, N.J.), 7 p.m.
• Postgame Feature: Wolverine Offense Looking to Get On Same Page
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Despite taking an early lead, the University of Michigan football team could not hold back Minnesota -- which answered with 30 straight points -- dropping a 30-14 decision in the Battle for the Little Brown Jug on Saturday (Sept. 27) inside Michigan Stadium. It is the Wolverines' first loss in the rivalry since 2005.
After a scoreless first quarter in which neither team managed to get anything going offensively, Michigan played field position to its advantage. To start the second quarter, fifth-year senior Will Hagerup (Milwaukee, Wis./Whitefish Bay) pinned Minnesota deep, and after a three-and-out, the Wolverines received the ball on the ensuing drive with a short field in front of them. Sophomore running back De'Veon Smith (Warren, Ohio/Howland) ran the ball four consecutive times for 47 yards, cashing in on a 10-yard scamper to put Michigan in front, 7-0, with 11:10 left in the first half.
The Golden Gophers responded on the next possession to tie the game at 7-7, courtesy of a 10-yard keeper by quarterback Mitch Leidner. Then, on its next drive, despite starting on the one-yard line, Minnesota drove the field and tacked on a 24-yard field goal from Ryan Santoso at the end of the half to take a 10-7 lead into the locker room.
The two teams traded possessions in the third quarter until Minnesota added to its lead with another field goal from Santoso, this time from 48 yards, making the score 13-7. On the second play of the following possession, sophomore Shane Morris' (Hazel Park, Mich./De La Salle) pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage, intercepted and returned for a touchdown by De'Vondre Campbell, increasing the visitor lead to 20-7. Morris fumbled on the next drive, leading to a recovery by Minnesota with a short field. Five plays later, Leidner threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Maxx Williams to make the score 27-7.
The Wolverines kept battling, though. In the fourth quarter, graduate student Devin Gardner (Detroit, Mich./Inkster) replaced Morris at quarterback and promptly drove Michigan down the field for a touchdown to make the score 30-14 with 7:27 to play. The drive was capped by Gardner, who took the ball on a quarterback keeper for the three-yard score.
Michigan heads back out on the road next Saturday (Oct. 4), playing Rutgers under the lights in Piscataway, N.J. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. and be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Team Stats
MINN 0, MICH 7
MICH - Smith, De'Veon 10 yd run (Wile, Matt kick), 4 plays, 47 yards, TOP 2:03
MINN 7, MICH 7
MINN - Leidner, Mitch 10 yd run (Santoso, Ryan kick), 7 plays, 72 yards, TOP 3:10
MINN 10, MICH 7
MINN - Santoso, Ryan 24 yd field goal 12 plays, 92 yards, TOP 2:17
MINN 13, MICH 7
MINN - Santoso, Ryan 48 yd field goal 7 plays, 8 yards, TOP 3:51
MINN 20, MICH 7
MINN - Campbell, D. 30 yd interception (Santoso, Ryan kick)
MINN 27, MICH 7
MINN - Williams, Maxx 1 yd pass from Leidner, Mitch (Santoso, Ryan kick) 5 plays, 30 yards, TOP 2:24
MINN 30, MICH 7
MINN - Santoso, Ryan 25 yd field goal 7 plays, 37 yards, TOP 3:48
MINN 30, MICH 14
MICH - Gardner, Devin 3 yd run (Wile, Matt kick), 12 plays, 74 yards, TOP 5:23
