Michigan
7-2 , 5-0
Minnesota
1-8 , 0-5
Minor, Manningham Maneuver Michigan Past Minnesota
10/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: #19 Michigan 34, Minnesota 10
Records: U-M (7-2, 5-0 Big Ten), Minnesota (1-8, 0-5 Big Ten)
Attendance: 109,432
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 3 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 3:30 p.m.
Boxscore | Player Participation | Postgame Notes | Quotes
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football team (No. 19 AP, No. 21 USA Today) defeated the University of Minnesota Saturday (Oct. 27) to maintain possession of the Little Brown Jug, posting a 34-10 victory in front of 109,432 fans at Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines (7-2, 5-0 Big Ten) trailed for much of the first half, but a clock-controlling ground game that featured two backs with more than 100 yards rushing, mixed with an explosive passing attack, vaulted the Wolverines to a 34-0 run to close out the game.
Freshman quarterback Ryan Mallett(Texarkana, Ark./Texarkana [Texas] HS) completed 11-of-20 passing for 233 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore running back Brandon Minor(Richmond, Va./Varina HS) carried the load, tallying a career highs of 21 carries and 157 rushing yards and scoring one touchdown. Sophomore running back Carlos Brown(Franklin, Ga./Heard County HS) added a career game with 13 carries for 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Wolverines also featured a dangerous receiving duo as junior receiver Mario Manningham(Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding HS) hauled in five receptions for a career-best 162 yards and a score, while senior receiver Adrian Arrington(Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington HS) posted four catches for 61 yards.
Defensively, senior linebacker Chris Graham(Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central HS) led the Wolverines with nine tackles as well as a forced fumble. Junior tackle Terrance Taylor(Muskegon, Mich./Muskegon HS) tied a career high with seven tackles, and fifth-year senior Shawn Crable(Massillon, Ohio/Washington HS) continued his pass-rush dominance with seven tackles, including two sacks.
The Gophers posted the first points of the day with a 29-yard field goal by Joel Monroe at 6:30 in the first quarter, capping a 10-play, 68-yard drive. Minnesota marched down the field using a series of option-read run plays out of the spread formation. The big play of the drive, however, came through the air as quarterback Adam Weber found receiver Eric Decker for 23 yards on first down, moving the Gophers into field goal range.
Minnesota extended its lead to 10-0 on the first play of the second quarter when strong safety Dominique Barber returned a fumble 46 yards. The fumble was caused on a mishandled handoff exchange by Mallett. The freshman signal-caller quickly rebounded on the next drive, finding Arrington for a 22-yard completion that moved U-M into field goal position. Senior kicker K.C. Lopata(Farmington, Mich./Farmington HS) connected on a 42-yard field goal four plays later, trimming the Gopher lead to 10-3 with 10:15 left in the first half.
Michigan pulled closer later in the half as a 26-yard field goal by Lopata cut the Minnesota lead to 10-6. The key play of the drive came on a 44-yard hookup between Mallett and Manningham on third-and-seven, moving the Wolverines into the Gophers' red zone. The play accounted for most of the seven-play, 53-yard drive. Michigan initially gained possession on a fumble recovery by sophomore Brandon Graham(Detroit, Mich./Crockett Technical HS) at the U-M 38-yard line, following a strip of Weber by Chris Graham. The field goal gave the Wolverines 100 points scored off turnovers this season.
The Wolverines took their first lead of the contest, 13-10, with 2:49 remaining before half, on a two-yard touchdown run by Minor, who keyed the drive with rushes of 16 and 12 yards. Michigan's drive looked to be stalled on the four-yard line, but a pass interference penalty on third down gave U-M a new set of downs and the Wolverines scored one play later.
That score held until 3:18 in the third quarter, as Brown extended the Michigan lead to 20-10 on a five-yard rush. The run capped a five-play, 75-yard drive that featured a 48-yard completion from Mallett to Manningham on third-and-six. Following the reception, Brown added an 18-yard rush to set up his third touchdown of the season.
The Mallett-to-Manningham combination hit paydirt later in the second half, as a 40-yard yard hookup extended the U-M lead to 27-10 early in the fourth quarter. The offense remained balanced on the drive, as Minor added an 18-yard rush. The big plays continued for the Wolverines as Brown broke loose later in the fourth quarter on an 85-yard touchdown run. Weaving right to left, Brown broke through the line and outraced the entire Minnesota defense to the end zone.
Next week the Wolverines head to East Lansing, Mich., in search of their second trophy in as many weeks. Michigan and Michigan State will battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy on Saturday (Nov. 3) at Spartan Stadium. Kickoff time and broadcast network are to be announced.
Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
MINN 3, MICH 0
MINN - Monroe, Joel 29 yd field goal 10 plays, 68 yards, TOP 4:13
MINN 10, MICH 0
MINN - Barber, Dom 46 yd fumble recovery (Monroe, Joel kick)
MINN 10, MICH 3
MICH - Lopata, K.C. 42 yd field goal 10 plays, 54 yards, TOP 4:33
MINN 10, MICH 6
MICH - Lopata, K.C. 26 yd field goal 7 plays, 53 yards, TOP 2:58
MINN 10, MICH 13
MICH - Minor, Brandon 2 yd run (Lopata, K.C. kick), 9 plays, 68 yards, TOP 2:33
MINN 10, MICH 20
MICH - Brown, Carlos 5 yd run (Lopata, K.C. kick), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:10
MINN 10, MICH 27
MICH - Manningham, M. 40 yd pass from Mallett, Ryan (Lopata, K.C. kick) 6 plays, 68 yards, TOP 2:38
MINN 10, MICH 34
MICH - Brown, Carlos 85 yd run (Lopata, K.C. kick), 2 plays, 84 yards, TOP 0:55
