The Gophers’ upset win over Washington sets up a huge game this week against the Michigan Wolverines. They now have a golden opportunity to prove that last week wasn’t a fluke. Here’s everything you need to know before Minnesota looks to win the Little Brown Jug for the first time since 2014.
From the practice field: what we’re hearing
Michigan and Minnesota are currently two very different programs in very different spots. It looked like the Gophers found some momentum in Seattle, although P.J. Fleck is notoriously against the concept of momentum. The Wolverines had a much different Week 4 after being stunned at the buzzer against Iowa in front of their home fans.
“Excited (for) this week,” Fleck told the local media earlier this week. “(We’ve) got a great challenge with Michigan coming to town for a rivalry game for the Little Brown Jug. Excited for FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff to be here. That’s exciting for our fans right outside 3M Mariucci. That’ll be great to have all of our fans congregate right there, right behind the scoreboard. Should be absolutely elite.”
Fleck sounds like a coach who believes that his team is ready for the big stage, and Saturday feels like one of their biggest home games in a few years. A win against the Wolverines could catapult the Gophers into the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2021, and they could win the Little Brown Jug in front of their home fans for the first time since 1977.
The matchup-specific stat that matters
The Gophers have faced dual-threat quarterbacks in the first four games this season. The fifth will be no different. Kamario Taylor and Demond Williams are two of the most elusive quarterbacks in the sport, and after struggling against Taylor, Minnesota may have found something last week with seven sacks against Washington’s QB…