The Minnesota Golden Gophers will aim to bounce back from a 31-14 defeat against the Iowa Hawkeyes last weekend, where they allowed a staggering 272 rushing yards. This poses a concerning challenge for P.J. Fleck’s team as they prepare to face a run-heavy Michigan Wolverines offense on Saturday.
The historic Little Brown Jug will be contested this Saturday afternoon at Michigan Stadium, where the Golden Gophers (2-2, 0-1) will go up against the No. 12-ranked Wolverines (3-1, 1-0).
This season, the Wolverines have undergone significant changes, missing several key players and coaches from last year. They remain strong, though not as dominant as in the previous three seasons.
Sherrone Moore, the former offensive coordinator, is at the helm in his first year as the head coach after Jim Harbaugh departed for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines secured a hard-fought victory over the USC Trojans last weekend, winning 27-24 in their Big Ten opener. This win was crucial, as a loss would have marked their second defeat of the season, putting them in jeopardy of playoff elimination early in the year.
In a favorable statistical context for Michigan, they boast a 30-1 conference record since the start of the 2021 season, with their only loss to rival Michigan State. In contrast, the Gophers hold a 14-14 record in that same timeframe and have struggled recently, recording a 3-8 mark since last season.
The Gophers’ path to victory rests on their ability to slow down Michigan’s rushing attack. Unfortunately, they have consistently struggled in this area during Big Ten play, allowing over 200 rushing yards in each of their last four conference games. Opponents averaged 276 rushing yards per game against them during that span.
If Alex Orji is the starting quarterback for Michigan on Saturday, their passing attack may not pose much of a threat, as he threw for only 37 yards against USC last weekend. Backup quarterback Davis Warren has performed better, completing 66.7% of his passes with 444 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions over three games.
The Gophers’ loss to Iowa highlighted issues similar to those they may face against Michigan. Although they initially contained the Iowa rushing attack, they faltered defensively in the second half, allowing significant gains.
On the defensive front, the Wolverines, while formidable, have not yet matched their previous standards this season. They allow an average of 20.8 points and 323 yards per game, with opponents throwing for an average of 246.5 yards.
However, Michigan’s run defense remains strong, yielding only 3.1 yards per carry and keeping three of four opponents under 100 rushing yards in a game, although USC averaged 4.6 yards per carry last week.
Given all these factors, our prediction for Saturday’s match favors the Michigan Wolverines.
The outcome appears to hinge on the Gophers’ persistent difficulties in stopping rushing attacks since last season, especially with Michigan possessing multiple talented tailbacks, Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards.
While the contest may be competitive and the Gophers offense could achieve some success, their passing game may lack the requisite talent to consistently challenge Michigan’s secondary. For a shot at victory, Max Brosmer will need to deliver his best performance of the season.
Prediction: Michigan 27 – Minnesota 16