Wolverines Hold on to Little Brown Jug with Win at Minnesota

Saturday, November 8

Minneapolis, Minn.

11:00 AM CT

Michigan

3-7 , 2-4

Minnesota

7-3 , 3-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Minnesota

Greg Mathews (13)

Wolverines Hold on to Little Brown Jug with Win at Minnesota

11/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score Postgame Notes Photo Gallery

By: David Ablauf

Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (HHH Metrodome)
Score: Michigan 29, Minnesota 6
Records: U-M (3-7, 2-4 Big Ten), Minnesota (7-3, 3-3 Big Ten)
Attendance: 55,040
Next U-M Game: Saturday, Nov. 15 -- vs. Northwestern (Michigan Stadium), Noon

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Defense led the way for the University of Michigan football team as the Wolverines held Minnesota to a season-low 188 yards and six points, while all the offense Michigan needed came from the leg of fifth-year senior kicker K.C. Lopata (Farmington, Mich./Farmington) and his program-record five field goals as U-M retained the Little Brown Jug in a 29-6 victory Saturday afternoon (Nov. 8) at the HHH Metrodome.

Lopata tied a program record for most field goals in a game, hitting from 48, 44, 34, 26 and 23 yards, while the Wolverine offense added touchdowns from junior wide receiver Greg Mathews (Orlando, Fla./Edgewater) and junior/sophomore fullback Mark Moundros (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington). Lopata, who had not had a field-goal attempt in three games, was successful in his first field-goal attempt, nailing a 44-yarder to open the scoring. He added two more field goals in the first half followed by a 48-yarder to open scoring in the third. Lopata's fifth field goal, a 23-yarder in the third quarter, made him the first Wolverine kicker to hit five field goals in a single game since 1990, tying him with former Wolverines Mike Gillette and J.D. Carlson.

Mathews caught six balls for a season-best 79 yards and a TD, while freshman wide receiver Martavious Odoms (Pahokee, Fla./Pahokee) broke Michigan's record for most receptions by a freshman, catching seven passes for 43 yards, giving him 43 receptions on the year -- five more than former record-holder Steve Breaston.

With junior/sophomore quarterback Nick Sheridan (Saline, Mich./Saline) making his first start since the season opener, the defense stepped up, dominating the first half and allowing U-M's offense to gain its footing. In the first half, the defense held the Golden Gophers to six three-and-out drives, allowing 46 yards on 23 plays and ceding just one first down which occurred 22 minutes into the contest. Minnesota failed to march into Michigan territory through the first 30 minutes despite gaining possession on the 50-yard line. The defense kept up the pressure in the second half, sacking Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber three times and intercepting him once while only giving up a pair of field goals.

Junior/sophomore linebacker Obi Ezeh (Grand Rapids, Mich./Catholic Central) led the team in tackles for the sixth game this season, making seven stops and recording his first sack of the year, while senior safety Brandon Harrison (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne), fifth/senior defensive end Tim Jamison (Riverdale, Ill./Harvey Thornton) and junior defensive end Brandon Graham (Detroit, Mich./Crockett Technical) each sacked Weber. Fifth-year senior cornerback Morgan Trent (San Diego, Calif./Orchard Lake St. Mary's, Mich.) played a hard-hitting 60 minutes, recording his third interception of the year and making a hard-nosed tackle in the second quarter that forced Minnesota's leading receiver out of the game.

The offensive line kept Sheridan safe all game, holding Minnesota to zero sacks and allowing him to throw for a career-best 203 yards and one touchdown on 18-of-30 passing. Sheridan also had 33 yards on the ground, adding to the rushing efforts of freshman running back Michael Shaw (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison), who led the team and finished with a career-best 71 yards on eight carries, including a collegiate-long 48-yard trot.

Lopata made field goals from 44, 34 and 26 yards to put Michigan up, 9-0, before U-M struck for six at the end of the second quarter with Sheridan hitting Mathews on a slant, making it 16-0. Michigan increased its lead to 19-0 to begin the third quarter on Lopata's 48-yard field goal, but Minnesota responded by crossing midfield for the first time all afternoon, finally putting points on the board with a 28-yard field goal to make it 19-3. The Wolverines added three more points on one of their most impressive drives of the game, moving from their own nine-yard line to the Gopher six for Lopata's 23-yard field goal, tying a program record and putting Michigan ahead 22-3.

Minnesota drove to the Michigan five-yard line to open the fourth quarter, but U-M forced the Gophers to settle for a field goal, making it 22-6 Wolverines. The Gophers drove to the 50-yard line in their next possession, but Trent's interception snuffed out the drive. Michigan clinched the contest and ensured that the Little Brown Jug remained in Ann Arbor with a clock-killing 11-play, 6:42 drive, capped by Moundros' first rushing touchdown of the season, making it 29-6.

The Wolverines will host Northwestern in the final home game of the season next Saturday (Nov. 15) at noon at Michigan Stadium. The game will be shown on ESPN or ESPN2 television.