The Minnesota Golden Gophers narrowly missed a comeback against No. 12 Michigan, falling 27-24 in the latest installment of the Little Brown Jug rivalry at The Big House. The Gophers, after trailing by 21 points, made a strong effort to close the gap.
Wide receiver Daniel Jackson emerged as a standout player during the game, putting himself in contention for the “Catch of the Year” honors. In a pivotal moment, Jackson caught a deflected pass from quarterback Max Brosmer intended for the end zone at the Michigan 12-yard line. The touchdown, which brought the score to 27-24, was made even more remarkable as Jackson managed to catch the ball with his back turned to the defender, Zeke Berry, and then spun to secure the catch.
Jackson recorded seven receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown during the game, marking an impressive performance. For the season so far, he has accumulated a total of 21 catches for 268 yards and one touchdown through five games.
Despite the defeat, the Gophers outperformed the Wolverines in several key statistical categories, including total offense yards (296 to 241), first downs (20 to 15), and total tackles (62-57). Brosmer, Minnesota’s quarterback, completed 27 of 40 passes for 258 yards, with one touchdown but faced challenges, including five sacks and one interception.
The loss was significant for the Gophers, who were attended by Minnesota Governor and Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz. With this result, Minnesota’s record stands at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten competition. The team has now suffered six consecutive losses in Big Ten play, dating back to the previous season.