The Minnesota Golden Gophers have long struggled against the Michigan Wolverines, but that changed on Saturday.
Minnesota ended a 50-year home win drought against the Wolverines and claimed the Little Brown Jug trophy for the first time since 1977 with a 20-14 win on Saturday. Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck, who won against Michigan after three previous losses, now has back-to-back wins over the two teams that play in the 2023 College Football Playoff national championship game — Michigan and Washington.
The Gophers carried that momentum from Seattle on Saturday with a strong opening drive of seven plays, 80 yards, and running back Darius Taylor capped it with a 2-yard run. Taylor rushed for 32 yards 18 carries on a day when the Gophers used a patient running attack and stingy defense to beat the Wolverines.
Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey looked in control at times with 17-25 passing for 136 yards and a touchdown, but his interceptions also gave the Wolverines opportunities. Michigan scored after Lindsey’s first interception as running back Jordan Marshall punched in a 5-yard score.
The Wolverines also scored on Lindsey’s second interception when linebacker Nathaniel Staehling returned the pick 79 yards for a touchdown and a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. Minnesota regrouped in the second half with big defensive stops and takeaways, as the Gophers cut the score to 14-13 with a pair of field goals.
The Gophers’ third takeaway ultimately did in the Wolverines, as Lindsey threw the go-ahead touchdown pass to Taylor in the fourth quarter.
What is the Little Brown Jug?
Minnesota and Michigan play for the oldest rivalry trophy in college football, a tradition that began in 1903.
It started with former Wolverines head coach Fielding Yost bringing a five-gallon water jug for a road game in Minneapolis because he didn’t believe Minnesota would have clean drinking water. Yost didn’t quench his team’s thirst for victory with a 6-6 tie, and the jug was left behind.
Late former Minnesota equipment manager Oscar Munson found the jug, and he and late former athletic director Louis Cooke painted it, and the rivalry was born from there.
Minnesota Makes History Amid Upset of Michigan