No. 12 Michigan holds off Minnesota, 27-24, to retain Little Brown Jug

College Football

Published Sep. 28, 2024 4:10 p.m. ET

Kalel Mullings rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns as No. 12 Michigan held on to the Little Brown Jug with a 27-24 win in the rain against Minnesota on Saturday.

Michigan led 24-3 going into the fourth quarter, but Minnesota scored three touchdowns to pull within 27-24 with 1:37 left.

The Gophers recovered the onside kick but were flagged for offsides. Mullings grabbed the second kick, allowing the Wolverines to run out the clock.

The Wolverines (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) extended their school-record conference winning streak to 27 games. They haven’t lost a Big Ten game since Michigan State beat them in 2021.

Minnesota (2-3, 0-2) hoped to win the Little Brown Jug for the first time in a decade and only the third time in the 21st century.

Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. No. 12 Michigan Wolverines Highlights

Mullings made up for another weak performance from the passing game. Alex Orji completed 10 of 18 passes for 86 yards. He did throw one touchdown pass, but his interception helped Minnesota’s fourth-quarter comeback.

Mullings finished Michigan’s first drive with an untouched 27-yard touchdown run, but both offenses bogged down in the wet conditions.

The Wolverines’ defense, though, forced a fumble early in the second quarter, giving them the ball at the Gophers 16. Mullings carried on the next three plays, bulling his way into the end zone from the 1 for a 14-0 lead.

Kechaun Bennett blocked a Minnesota punt later in the quarter. Orji hit Tyler Morris on the next play for an 11-yard touchdown to make it 21-0.

Minnesota got on the board on the last play of the half. Brosmer hit Nick Kallerup for 44 yards to the Michigan 1-yard line and the field goal unit got onto the field in time for Dragan Kesich to kick a 20-yarder.

Sherrone Moore and Kalel Mullings on Michigan’s CLOSE win over Minnesota

Dominic Zvada‘s 53-yard field goal restored Michigan’s 21-point lead midway through the third quarter, but Orji’s interception on the next drive led to a 3-yard touchdown run by Darius Taylor.

After the Wolverines went three-and-out, freshman Koi Perich returned a punt 60 yards to the Michigan 17, and Taylor got his second touchdown to make it 24-17 with 11:05 to play.

Michigan ran 6:32 off the clock to set up Zvada’s second field goal and the 27-17 lead with 4:33 to go, but Brosmer hit Daniel Jackson for a 12-yard score to make it a three-point game.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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