The Little Brown Jug stays in Ann Arbor, secured by a stunner of a big blue machine.
Michigan’s retooled offense, with four new starters on the line and a new quarterback, rocketed past Minnesota on the Gophers’ home turf, 49-24, Saturday night. Those fretting over the home team’s offensive prowess got treated to an explosive road show.
Jim Harbaugh’s crew rushed for 256 yards, without a 100-yard rusher. His new quarterback, redshirt sophomore Joe Milton, looked as confident as a 10-year NFL veteran, delivering an efficient 15-of-22 passing effort for 225 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
The revamped offensive line allowed only one sack, and also allowed the Wolverines to match Minnesota score for score early, and pile it on as the game progressed. In short, Michigan left no doubt that it’s a team ready to compete.
“The protection was great,” Harbaugh marveled. “There was just a real, firm pocket the entire day. Joe could always step up. He was clean the entire time … I thought they were fantastic.”
His quarterback out-dueled Minnesota veteran Tanner Morgan, who went 18-of-31 passing for 197 yards, one touchdown and a pick-six after getting rocked by Michigan’s rush. The Gophers wore on the Wolverines a bit with running back Mohamed Ibrahim (26 carries for 140 yards and two touchdowns) and wideout Rashod Bateman (nine catches for 101 yards).
But the Wolverines kept coming in waves, with nine pass catchers and eight runners piling up Michigan’s 481 total yards.
Not bad, for starters.
“Joe was great,” Harbaugh said. “First time starting, on the road against a really good team, big Saturday night stage, the whole shebang. He was cool as a cucumber. He handled everything with aplomb."
He and his teammates handled a rocky beginning with a determined response.
Michigan got off to a disastrous beginning at Minnesota. The Gophers’ Caden Fey blocked a first-quarter punt by fifth-year senior Will Hart, the home team covering on the Wolverines' 17-yard line.
Two plays later, Morgan rolled right and gunned a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ko Kieft. As quickly as you can say 10,000 lakes, the Wolverines found a watery sinkhole.
Sophomore tailback Zach Charbonnet immediately ran them out of it on the very next snap.
He burst up the middle into a secondary that appeared to be wandering somewhere near the Boundary Waters. Charbonnet sprinted untouched 70 yards for the game-tying touchdown at the 12:33 mark.
“Their defense was misaligned,” Harbaugh noted. “We were able to get [redshirt junior guard] Chuck Filiaga on the backside safety. You don’t expect that, but great job by Chuck to get on the backside safety and make that thing go the distance.”
The Wolverines whiffed on a chance to grab a lead after forcing a Gophers punt out to their own 45. An 18-yard Milton throw to true freshman wideout Roman Wilson put U-M in field goal range, but junior placekicker Jake Moody missed on a 38-yard field goal attempt, the start of an 0-for-3 night.
Michigan’s defense then took matters into its own hands. Redshirt sophomore viper Michael Barrett laid a monster hit on Morgan, the ball tumbling upward. Redshirt junior defensive tackle Donovan Jeter caught it in stride, rumbling 15 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.
At 7:08 of the first quarter, Michigan led, 14-7, and defensive linemen across the land high-fived.
“So happy for Donovan Jeter,” Harbaugh said. “Mike Barrett was spectacular, causing that fumble. Jeets picked it out of the air and went into the end zone. Such a thrilling moment for so many guys who have worked so hard.”
The Gophers drove from their own 10 to the Wolverines’ 2, but an illegal formation penalty and U-M’s swarming defense sent the home team reeling backwards. Minnesota had to settle for a 29-yard field goal, making it 14-10 with 37 seconds left in the quarter.
The Wolverines didn’t need all of those ticks to reach back into the big-play bag.
Barrett provided it, taking the ensuing kickoff back 66 yards to the Minnesota 9. Two plays later, Milton swung a pass to the left flat to senior fullback Ben Mason. Mason took it, went airborne near the goal line via a big hit, and finished off a levitating cartwheel to score with his feet to the Minnesota skies.
With 15 seconds left in a wild opening quarter, the Wolverines led, 21-10.
The Gophers kept pushing, going 75 yards in 10 plays to make it 21-17 at 9:38 of the second quarter. Ibrahim asserted himself, finishing off the march on three straight runs, including a 16-yard TD bolt to pull Minnesota within four.
Milton answered by carving up the Gophers on a 10-play, 77-yard touchdown drive. He gunned a 14-yard pass to true freshman wideout A.J. Henning, and broke off a 23-yard run himself. That set up redshirt sophomore Hassan Haskins (six carries for 82 yards and two touchdowns) for a four-yard TD run off a direct snap.
With 4:48 left in the half, the Wolverines were in control, 28-17, while shredding the notion that their offense might sputter early behind a new quarterback and offensive line.
“There were a lot of guys that rose up,” Harbaugh said. “A lot of new starters.”
The Gophers saw their regular punter and kicker sidelined for undisclosed reasons, and Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck’s gamble in a punting situation cost his team dearly. On fourth down at the Minnesota 31, the Gophers direct snapped to Kieft. Haskins stonewalled him well short of the first down.
Four plays later, the versatile running back dashed in from eight yards out, completing a 25-yard TD sprint. Harbaugh’s team grabbed the Gophers by the neck, 35-17, with 2:13 left in the half.
The Wolverines nearly padded that advantage, but Moody slid a 48-yard field goal attempt wide left as time ran out in the half.
The Gophers sent a message on the opening possession of the second half — no lead was safe. They rumbled 71 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown, Ibrahim rushing eight times in the march, including the final five for the TD.
Michigan led at 9:36, 35-24, but had to keep on scoring.
So it did.
Milton directed an impressive nine-play, 68-yard drive that began with a 12-yard toss to Corum and ended with his own two-yard TD keeper. Sophomore tight end Erick All dropped a sure touchdown pass just before that, but went 27 yards on the following play to set up the TD.
U-M’s defense finally broke serve in the half — barely. Minnesota used a 25-yard Ibrahim run and a 38-yard bomb to Bateman to again claw to the cusp of scoring. But big stops inside the Michigan 10 — including a Morgan overthrow of Ibrahim in the end zone on fourth down — interrupted the score fest.
Michigan felt no compunction to slow up. Taking over on its own 5-yard lne, U-M gave the ball to Haskins, who bolted away on a 66-yard run. Four plays later, senior tailback Chris Evans crashed in from five yards out, making it 49-24 with 13:51 remaining.
It ended that way, the Jug safely packed away and headed home to Ann Arbor. Harbaugh also tucked away something else — a team buoyed by a powerful performance in a non-pushover road opener.
“Every time our guys needed to step up and make a play, get that momentum back, they did tonight,” Harbaugh said. “It was really impressive.
“I was really proud of our team. I believe in them. I respect them, and I trust them. I just wanted them to go out there tonight and let it rip, and they did that. It was fun. I was living every play with them.”
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