U-M Keeps Little Brown Jug After Rout of Minnesota

Saturday, October 7

Minneapolis, Minn.

6:30 PM CT

Michigan

6-0 , 3-0

Minnesota

3-3 , 1-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Minnesota

J.J. McCarthy (Michigan Photography)

10/7/2023 11:59:00 PM | Football

Box Score Notes Participation In the Trenches: Minnesota Recap PDF Boxscore Photo Gallery

By: Dave Ablauf, Chad Shepard

Site: Minneapolis, Minn. (Huntington Bank Stadium)
Score: #2 Michigan 52, Minnesota 10
Records: U-M (6-0, 3-0 B1G), MINN (3-3, 1-2 B1G)
Attendance: 52,179
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Oct. 14 -- vs. Indiana (Michigan Stadium), Noon (TV: Fox)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- In the 98th meeting for the oldest trophy in college football, the No. 2-ranked University of Michigan football team retained the Little Brown Jug with a 52-10 rout of Minnesota on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium.

It took Will Johnson and the Michigan defense 12 seconds to get on the board, picking Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis' second pass of the game and running it back 36 yards to score Michigan's first points of the game. Keon Sabb later followed up with a pick-six of his own, returning an interception for 28 yards in the third quarter to record the Wolverines' first multi pick-six outing since September 2017.

The Maize and Blue also benefited from the return of defensive tackle Mason Graham, who recorded a team-leading six tackles, including two for loss, and a sack. In total, Michigan allowed just 169 yards of offense in the game, 117 on the ground and just 52 through the air.

On the other side of the ball, the Wolverines' offensive continued to churn out strong performances — totaling 400-plus yards for the fifth time this season and recording five touchdowns of their own. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy (14-of-20 passing, 219 yards) scored both through the air and on the ground, finishing with three total touchdowns (one passing, two rushing).

Running backs Blake Corum (69 yards, one touchdown) and Kalel Mullings (47 yards) combined for more than 100 yards rushing, while wide receivers Cornelius Johnson (86 yards) and Roman Wilson (56 yards) combined for more 140 yards through the air.

Michigan's first offensive touchdown came with 10:08 left in the second quarter, after a six-play, 62-yard drive ended in a Corum leap into the end zone for his 10th rushing TD of the season. Corum has scored in all six games this season, and in 17 of the past 18 games the Wolverines have played. On the Wolverines' next drive, a 49-yard catch from Johnson set up McCarthy's first rushing score of the day via a five-yard scamper and dive of his own over the pylon.

After the Golden Gophers scored in the waning seconds of the first half to cut the Michigan lead to 24-10 at halftime, the Wolverines marched 78 yards down the field on a nine-play, four-minute drive to restore their 21-point cushion on their second drive of the third quarter, with McCarthy again breaking free from the pocket to put six on the board. McCarthy's final score of the night came through the air, finding tight end Colston Loveland in the back of the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown pass.

Running back Leon Franklin capped the night's scoring with a two-yard, goal-line rush with 9:21 left in the fourth quarter -- the first rushing touchdown of his career. Of the 74 players that traveled to Minneapolis for the Wolverines, 73 saw action.

Defensively, Minnesota was held scoreless through the second half, finishing with just 47 yards after halftime -- none of them through the air.

With the victory, Michigan has now kept the Little Brown Jug in Ann Arbor through four straight meetings with the Golden Gophers, and lead 73-23-2 in the series for the trophy, a .745 win percentage. In total, the Wolverines have bested Minnesota in 77 of the rivalry's 105 all-time matchups.

Michigan returns home next Saturday (Oct. 14), hosting Indiana for a noon kickoff at Michigan Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on Fox.