Michigan vs. Indiana
Saturday, Oct. 24 • TBA • Michigan Stadium
Michigan Monday: Game 5 at Minnesota
Date Saturday, Oct. 3
Kickoff 11 a.m. CT
Location Huntington Bank Stadium
TV Fox
What You Need to Know
- This will be the 100th meeting for the Little Brown Jug; U-M has a 74-23-2 record for the trophy.
- Michigan holds a 78-25-3 advantage in the all-time series with Minnesota.
- The Wolverines are 18-5 on the road in Big Ten play over the last five seasons (2021-25).
- JJ Buchanan (seven) and Andrew Marsh (four) lead the team in explosive plays (20-plus yards) this season, and the duo combined for six against Iowa.
- The defense ranks seventh nationally in total defense (236.3 ypg) and 23rd in scoring defense (14.8 ppg).
- U-M ranks 20th nationally in tackles for loss (7.0 per game) and 17th in sacks (3.0 per game).
Game Resources
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Michigan at Minnesota
Game Notes
Complete Weekly Notes
Live Stats
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Press Conferences
Watch the Weekly Media Session
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In the Trenches
MGoBlue Podcast
Statistics
Michigan Season Stats
Little Brown Jug History
Explore the Trophy's History
Gameday Information
Weekly Notes
Explore this week's Michigan Football notes by category.
Michigan vs. Minnesota
- Michigan holds a 78-25-3 advantage in the all-time series with Minnesota, including a 74-23-2 mark in games played for the coveted Little Brown Jug.
- The Wolverines retained possession of the Little Brown Jug with a 27-24 win at Michigan Stadium during the 2024 season.
- U-M has a 60-12-1 record against Minnesota since 1943 and has won 44 of the past 48 games in the series, with setbacks in 1977, 1986, 2005 and 2014.
- Michigan has won 27 of the last 29 games in the series, including a series-best 16-game winning streak from 1987 through 2004. The two programs have not played every season.
- Michigan's 78 wins against Minnesota are its most against any opponent. The Gophers are U-M's third-most common opponent all-time with 106 matchups.
- The Wolverines are 18-10-3 against Minnesota in games decided by seven points or fewer, including an 11-7-3 record in games decided by three points or fewer.
On the Road at Minnesota
- This will be the fifth game played between the two schools at Minnesota's on-campus venue, Huntington Bank Stadium (formerly TCF Bank Stadium).
- Michigan won the inaugural matchup at the Gophers' new home, 35-13, during the 2012 season and followed with a thrilling goal-line stand on the game's final play in a 29-26 victory in 2015.
- During the 2020 COVID season, the two teams opened the season in Minneapolis, with the 18th-ranked Wolverines posting a 49-24 victory over the 21st-ranked Gophers.
- This will be the 50th game between the two schools in Minnesota; the Wolverines hold a 35-12-2 all-time advantage in games played in Minneapolis.
- Michigan is 4-0 at Huntington Bank/TCF Bank Stadium after posting a perfect 11-0 mark at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
- U-M has won 22 of the last 23 games played in Minnesota (1969-present).
- Michigan has won 18 straight games at Minnesota, with its last loss coming during the 1977 season.
Little Brown Jug – Nation's Oldest Trophy Game
- The Wolverines look to retain possession of the Little Brown Jug when they face Minnesota in the 100th battle for the oldest trophy game in college football history.
- Michigan has a 74-23-2 advantage in Little Brown Jug games.
- U-M has won 27 of the last 29 games in the Little Brown Jug series and 45 of the last 51 contests.
Team
- The Wolverines are 3-1, with two wins against teams that won 10-plus games last season (Oklahoma, Western Michigan, 10 each). Three such opponents remain on the 2026 schedule: Indiana (15 wins in 2025), Oregon (13), Ohio State (12).
- Michigan's road trip to Minnesota marks the start of the road schedule for U-M. The Wolverines are 18-5 on the road in the Big Ten over the last five seasons (2021-25), including a 4-1 mark last fall.
- In the series against the Gophers, U-M is 78-25-3 across 106 meetings. The Wolverines have won 27 of the last 29 contests.
- The first trophy game of the season is the 100th Battle for the Little Brown Jug. U-M has an all-time record of 74-23-2 when the Jug is being contested, including a five-game win streak.
- Seven Wolverines have made their first collegiate starts this season: tight end Jalen Hoffman, linebackers Troy Bowles and Chase Taylor and defensive end Dom Nichols against Western Michigan; tight end Eli Owens against Oklahoma; cornerback Shamari Earls and wide receiver Salesi Moa against UTEP; offensive lineman Avery Gach (rhino) against Iowa.
Offense
- In consecutive weeks, U-M scored a season-high in points (52 against UTEP) and achieved a season-high in total offense (429 yards against Iowa).
- Against the Hawkeyes, the offense sustained drives of seven, eight (twice), nine, 10 and 11 plays in length, including the nine-play, 89-yard drive that led to the game's first points.
- Michigan has balanced offensive production so far. U-M has scored 13 touchdowns on offense (six rushing, seven passing), with six different touchdown scorers overall.
- Three players have accounted for those rushing touchdowns with two each: Bryce Underwood, Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter.
- Adjusted for sacks, Underwood has averaged 5.2 yards per carry during his career (112 rushes for 586 yards) and has 42 carries for 195 yards so far in 2026.
- Quarterback Bryce Underwood set a new career high in passing yards (276) against the Hawkeyes on 17-of-28 passing, with two touchdowns. Underwood is up to five touchdown passes this year and 16 for his career. He has 24 all-purpose touchdowns in his career across 17 games.
- Explosive passing plays were more prevalent last weekend, when U-M had six pass plays of 20-plus yards, raising its season total from five (pregame) to 11.
- JJ Buchanan (seven) and Andrew Marsh (four) continue to lead the team in explosive offensive plays. Marsh led U-M in 2025 with 15 explosive plays on offense (14 receiving, one rushing), and another eight via special teams returns.
- JJ Buchanan is the team's leading scorer overall, with four receiving touchdowns (12th nationally). He also leads the team in receiving yards (396), and ranks 14th nationally in receiving yards per game (99).
- Buchanan is coming off a career game against Iowa, where he set career-best marks in receiving yards (130) and longest reception (49 yards). It was also Buchanan's first multi-touchdown game.
- U-M has two receivers who have combined for four 100-yard games this season: JJ Buchanan (126 vs. WMU, 130 vs. Iowa) and Andrew Marsh (105 vs. UTEP, 106 vs. Iowa). Of the team's nine pass-catchers so far this year, three are freshmen (Savion Hiter, Salesi Moa, Travis Johnson).
- The offensive line continues to gel; four players have now made double-digit starts at Michigan: left guard Evan Link (21 starts, 20 at tackle), right tackle Andrew Sprague (15), center Jake Guarnera (15; 12 at guard) and left tackle Blake Frazier (12, including two at right tackle).
- The line is permitting 3.0 negative plays per game, ranking 17th nationally in TFLs allowed.
Defense
- The defense is ranked seventh nationally in total defense, averaging 236.3 yards per game to opposing offenses.
- Through four games, the U-M defense has yielded six touchdowns and ranks 23rd overall in scoring defense (14.8 points per game allowed). No team has scored more than 14 points in a half against U-M this year.
- Twelve (12) different players combined for 11 tackles for loss against UTEP, the most by a U-M defense in a single game since 2022 (11 against Colorado State, Sept. 3). Fifteen (15) different players have at least a share of a TFL through four games.
- Collectively, U-M ranks 20th nationally in TFLs per game (7.0) and 17th nationally in sacks per game (3.0).
- John Henry Daley leads the defense with 3.0 sacks; Dom Nichols leads the defense with 5.0 tackles for loss.
- Linebacker Troy Bowles leads the defense in tackles (31), nine clear of the next-closest defender. Jyaire Hill leads the secondary (22) and John Henry Daley leads the defensive linemen (16).
- The pass defense has also been limiting to opponents, ranking 10th in passing yards per game allowed (149.5).
- The rush defense is stout, allowing 86.8 rushing yards per game (18th nationally). Iowa was limited to 58 rushing yards, its lowest total since Nebraska kept it to 49 yards in 2024.
- The defense has forced three turnovers through four games, including two interceptions. Jonah Lea'ea recorded the shortest pick-six in program history when he returned an interception nine yards for the score against UTEP to end the nonconference slate.
- Jyaire Hill recorded the first interception of the season against Oklahoma. It was the third of his career, tying him with Zeke Berry for second-most among corners on the roster (Smith Snowden, four). Among all defensive backs, safety Rod Moore (seven) is the leader.
- Twenty (20) different players recorded a pass defense or intercepted a pass in 2025, led by Zeke Berry (11, including one interception). Seven players have recorded at least one so far this season, led by Smith Snowden and defensive lineman Enow Etta (two each).
Special Teams
- Kicker Trey Butkowski was 19-of-22 on field goals in his lone season at Pitt after joining the team as a walk-on.
- Butkowski has three conversions of 40-plus yards as a Wolverine: a 40-yarder against Oklahoma for his first try of the year, a 49-yarder against UTEP and a 41-yarder against Iowa.
- Punter Cam Brown averaged 42.9 yards on 22 punts during his freshman season at Utah and has averaged 43.3 yards per punt so far this season. U-M ranks 32nd nationally in net punting (42.3).
- Brown has punted 18 times this season, with nine punts inside the 20-yard line. He has forced 10 fair catches and had two punts downed at the one-yard line against Oklahoma, when he pinned the Sooners inside their 20 on six of seven attempts.
- Kickoff specialist Jacob Baggett has generated 13 touchbacks on 19 kickoffs.
Michigan vs. Penn State
Saturday, Oct. 17 • TBA • Michigan Stadium
Upcoming Games
Michigan at Rutgers
Saturday, Oct. 31 • TBA • Piscataway, N.J.
