The Gophers season is officially back on track after taking down Washington last weekend. They now have a massive home game this Saturday when the Michigan Wolverines come into town. In front of what is expected to be a sellout crowd, the Gophers have a chance to win the Little Brown Jug at home for the first time since 1977. And I think they can pull it off. Here’s why:
They Were Impressive Against Washington
The Gophers didn’t just sneak out of Seattle with a win last Saturday. They finally looked like a legitimately good football team.
Minnesota entered the game as an 11-point underdog and walked out with a 27-24 victory. Drake Lindsey threw three touchdown passes, the Gophers rushed for more than 100 yards, and Minnesota went on the road against a team that never loses at home and got the victory.
After the Mississippi State meltdown, it was reasonable to question whether this team was capable of competing with quality opponents at all. And I do think there are questions about how good this Washington team will end up being (I was not all that impressed watching them). But for now, they went on the road and beat a team that was ranked #23 in the coaches poll.
The Gophers looked different against Washington than they did last year when they played on the road. They played confidently and didn’t look overwhelmed by the environment. And more importantly, they won the game, which they couldn’t do on the road last year.
Where Did This Defense Come From?
Look, I’m not ready to exonerate Danny Collins quite yet. I need to see this defense play well week-after-week against quality opponents, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about Bryce Underwood this week even with his slow start to the season.
But last week against Washington looked like a much different Gopher defense than we saw against Mississippi State, or quite frankly many of the quality opponents the Gophers played in 2025 that gave them fits.
All offseason we heard about how the defensive line was going to be the strength of this defense, and they finally showed up on Saturday with seven sacks. They completely dominated in the trenches and overwhelmed the Washington offensive line.
And let’s not forget the two big interceptions they got from Maverick Baranowski and John Nestor. Baranowski’s was thanks to Anthony Smith getting pressure on Demond Williams and forcing him to throw the ball up, which led to the first Gophers touchdown and gave them the early lead.
If the Gophers defense can replicate that performance this weekend against Michigan, I believe the Gophers will have a very good chance at winning the game. If they play like they did against Mississippi State, it will be a long day. Let’s hope last weeks play becomes the norm for this defense and wasn’t just a one-off performance.
Special Teams Could Be The Difference
The Gophers have been excellent in the Special Teams department to start the season, and in a game like this, that matters.
In a game like this, the margin for error is probably going to be small. Field position, punts, return coverage, and actually making your field goals can be the difference between pulling off a big win and spending Saturday afternoon talking about another moral victory.
So far, Minnesota’s special teams have looked like a legitimate strength. They’re actually making field goals longer than 40 yards. In fact, they actually made a field goal longer than 50 yards last week. The special teams looks confident, competent, and for once are a weapon under P.J. Fleck.
That could give the Gophers a real advantage Saturday.
If this turns into the type of ugly, physical Big Ten game we expect, Minnesota doesn’t necessarily need its offense to put up 35 points. Pin Michigan deep. Win the field-position battle. Take the points when they’re available. Don’t give away cheap yards.
Is Michigan Even Good?
Michigan is 3-1, and depending on which clock you’re looking at, they probably should be 2-2.
The Wolverines needed some late-game clock creativity to escape Western Michigan. Apparently, when you’re Michigan, the clock hitting zero is less of a firm ending and more of a suggestion. Just add another second, check the secret clock that apparently only exists in Ann Arbor, and keep playing until everything works itself out.
I would love to know where this secret clock is located. Is it underneath the Big House? Does Michigan have a staff member whose only job is to watch it? Can every Big Ten team get one, or is this more of a Michigan-exclusive feature?
Because if Western Michigan gets to play by normal Earth time, Michigan might be sitting at 2-2 right now.
And that’s really the point: we don’t actually know if Michigan is that good.
Sure, they’re talented and they’re the Michigan Wolverines. But they’ve done nothing yet to prove they’re actually a good team.
Minnesota shouldn’t be scared of the name on the jersey. The Gophers just went on the road and beat a ranked Washington team. Michigan needed to consult a previously undiscovered dimension of time to survive Western Michigan.
Maybe these two teams aren’t as far apart as we think.
Prediction
I picked the Gophers to beat Michigan in my preseason prediction blog and I have no reason to deviate from that initial pick. The Gophers will be playing in front of a rowdy sellout crowd with Big Noon Kickoff on campus. This will be Michigan’s first road game this season, and after not looking crisp at home we can only imagine how they will play on the road. I think this will be like a classic Iowa-Minnesota game that is dominated by defense and special teams. The Gophers special teams is playing as well as we have ever seen in the P.J. Fleck era which will give them an advantage in this game. Couple that with Drake Lindsey’s teller play, the defense playing more confidently, and the fact that Michigan has looked shaky to start the season, I think he Gophers win the Little Brown Jug at home for the first time since 1977. Final score: Gophers 20, Michigan 16.
