ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The Gophers reclaimed the Little Brown Jug from Michigan on Saturday and did it with very little suspense before a surly, announced crowd of 102,296 at Michigan Stadium. Back from injury, Mitch Leidner ran for one touchdown and threw for another, as the Gophers defeated Michigan 30-14, taking back the jug for the first time since 2005. The Gophers (4-1) were 1-22 against the Wolverines, dating back to 1978, but this victory came with relative ease. It was Minnesota’s most lopsided victory against Michigan since its 16-0 win in 1977.
Growing up in Minnesota, I loved football. Unfortunately, that passion came with two disclaimers:
The Vikings would break my heart by reaching- and losing- four Super Bowls, and
The University of Minnesota football team sucked, with virtually guaranteed losses (usually by embarrassingly wide margins) to Michigan and Ohio State each and every season. The Gophers only brush with bowl games were when they watched them on TV in their dorm rooms.
Losing to Michigan was almost as certain as death and taxes, especially when the game was played in the Big House in Ann Arbor, which seats what seems like 350,000 people. Imagine the Christians facing the Lions, and you’ll be close to understanding what the Gophers faced when they played Michigan. As you might imagine, Minnesota’s 30-14 victory yesterday- in Ann Arbor and in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicates- was nothing if not satisfying. Yes, I understand that Michigan’s not the football powerhouse it used to be, and the Gophers were thoroughly dismantled to the tune of 30-7 by TCU last week. I’m not about to get ahead of myself…but I’m not going to apologize for enjoying watch the Gophers carrying the Little Brown Jug around in Michigan’s house. It’s not a sight often seen by Gophers fans.
Minnesota’s 4-1 now, and when they play Ohio State in Minneapolis on Nov. 15th there’s a (probably not very good) possibility they could be 8-1…but I’m not about to hold my breath on that count. I’m certainly not going to entertain the delusion that Minnesota should be favored over the Buckeyes. History being what it is, that would be a dangerous, and likely mistaken, assumption to make. Still, beating Michigan doesn’t suck…and it does provide hope- however slim- as the long, unforgiving Minnesota loom just over the horizon.
