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Michigan survives the late scare, squeezes past Minnesota and moves to 4-1

Vaseline September 28, 2024

Ann Arbor — For the second week in a row, Michigan made things interesting in the fourth quarter but managed to win.

The No. 12 Wolverines mirrored their score from the previous game, defeating Minnesota 27-24 in a chaotic match. The Wolverines had a 21-3 halftime lead, but the Gophers scored 21 points in the fourth quarter.

This was the 99th time the teams played for the Little Brown Jug, the oldest trophy game in college football, and Michigan now has a record of 73-23-3. The Wolverines (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten), who opened with five in a row at Michigan Stadium, will play their first road game of the season next Saturday in Washington.

BOX SCORE: Michigan 27, Minnesota 24

In his second start at quarterback, Alex Orji was 10 of 18 passing for 86 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted late in the third quarter after throwing too far inside to open Colston Loveland wide. The Gophers (2-3, 0-2) took advantage of the pick and converted the turnover into their first touchdown of the game.

Kalel Mullings rushed for 111 yards two touchdowns and recovered well on an onside kick with 1:36 left in the game. Tyler Morris scored on a pass from Orji and Dominic Zvada added a 53-yard field goal and a 35-yarder with 4:33 left to make it a two-score game. Zvada is now 7-for-7 on field goal attempts, including four from 50 yards or more, becoming the first Michigan player to shoot four from 50-plus in a season.

Cornerback Will Johnson, who said Monday he took a hit to the shoulder during last week’s USC game, and the lead of Josaiah Stewart, who had his best game of the season, were considered questionable but did not play against the Gophers . Without two of their best players, Michigan’s defense had five sacks and two turnovers.

However, Minnesota turned it into a game in the fourth quarter. The Gophers’ Darius Taylor, a Detroit native who played at Walled Lake Western, scored two touchdowns within three minutes of the fourth quarter to pull within 24-17 with 11:05 remaining. The first came late in the third quarter on a 12-play, 76-yard drive off the Orji turnover. A personal foul by defensive tackle Mason Graham gave the Gophers a first down at the Michigan 13-yard line, negating the incomplete pass on third down. Taylor scored on a three-yard run.

Michigan then went three-and-out and Tommy Doman’s punt was returned 60 yards Koi Perich to the Wolverines’ 17-yard line. Taylor scored on a four-yard run to make it 24-17.

The Wolverines responded with a time-consuming 14-play, 58-yard drive that culminated in Zvada’s 35-yarder for the 27-17 lead.

But Minnesota didn’t go away. The Gophers got the ball with 4:33 left at their 25-yard line and drove 75 yards on 14 plays, converting twice on fourth down and scoring to make it 27-24 with 1:37 left. Quarterback Max Brosmer connected with Daniel Jackson on a 12-yard touchdown pass.

The Gophers then attempted an offside kick which they recovered, but an offside penalty negated the play and forced another kick. This time, Mullings recovered the onside kick with 1:36 left, giving the Wolverines the ball at the Minnesota 40-yard line.

Despite Orji recovering his fumble for an eleven-yard loss, Michigan managed to run out the clock.

The Wolverines led 21-3 at halftime and saw the defense commit two turnovers, following a fumble forced and recovered by Zeke Berry and interception by Jyaire Hill, and Kechaun Bennett blocked a punt. The Wolverines were able to convert two of the turnovers into touchdowns. They also had four sacks, with two by Graham, one by tackle Kenneth Grant, and Rayshaun Benny and Derrick Moore combined for the fourth.

They had 107 yards of offense, including 71 rushing, but the Gophers had 130 yards thanks to a late field goal score, including a 44-yard pass to Nick Kellerup to the 1-yard line. Minnesota got a 20-yard field goal from Dragan Kesich, who missed a 55-yard attempt earlier in the game.

Michigan built a 21-0 lead by converting the point block when Morris scored on an 11-yard pass from Orji. Orji, who passed for 32 yards in his debut a week earlier against USC, was 4 of 8 for 36 yards in the first half, including two dropped passes.

Berry forced a fumble from Jackson and recovered it. Three plays later, Mullings got his second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run, building a 14-0 lead with 8:59 remaining.

Michigan scored on the first series of the game on a balanced nine-play, 79-yard drive, with Mullings scoring on a 27-yard run thanks to a hole made by center Dom Giudice and left guard Josh Priebe. Orji attempted to throw the first play of the series that was incomplete, but he went 2-for-3 for 15 yards in the drive. The Wolverines went 3-for-3 on third down and got a big boost after a 15-yard penalty called on Minnesota for a horse tackle.

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