Minnesota is back home with a fresh Big Ten win in its pocket and a huge one waiting next: Michigan, the opponent that has had the upper hand in this rivalry for a long, long time.
The Gophers will host the Wolverines on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium with the Little Brown Jug on the line, and the matchup brings one of college football’s oldest series back to Minneapolis. The rivalry goes all the way back to 1903, but the recent history is lopsided. Minnesota is 25-78-3 all-time against Michigan, and the Gophers’ last victory in the series came in 2014 at Ann Arbor under Jerry Kill.
At home, the drought is even longer. Minnesota has not beaten Michigan in Minneapolis since 1977, a streak that stretches back before P.J.
Fleck was even born. Asked about that, Fleck kept it simple: "I wasn’t born yet," Fleck joked.
The Gophers enter the week coming off a dramatic 27-24 win at No. 23 Washington to open Big Ten play.
That game ended in the kind of late-night scene teams remember, and one of the biggest postgame moments centered on linebacker Maverick Baranowski. Fleck and Baranowski shared an embrace after the win, and the scene went viral when Fleck wiped blood from Baranowski’s mouth and put some of it on his face.
Baranowski, a captain, delivered a big night on the field too. He finished with seven tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception. His path has been unusual, too: he was originally committed to Air Force and had planned to fly fighter jets in the military.
"Maverick was named after one of his dad’s friends, Cowboy Maverick. If you ask me what that guy is like, think of his name.
Everyone thinks he was named because of Top Gun, that’s not true. He was committed to Air Force and going to fly fighter planes and go to war.
That’s where his mindset has always been," Fleck said. "This guy could do anything he wants to do."
Michigan comes to Minneapolis at 3-1 after a last-play loss to Iowa and a controversial win over Western Michigan earlier this season. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be in town for the game, staging its pregame show in front of 3M Arena at Mariucci. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. at Huntington Bank Stadium.
In Other News...
Two Gophers Just Turned Breakout Games Into Major Recognition
Minnesotas win over Washington produced more than a good result on the scoreboard. It also gave the Gophers a pair of firsts, as linebacker Maverick Baranowski was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and kicker Luke Drzewiecki picked up Special Teams Player of the Week honors after standout performances that helped swing the game.
Baranowski filled the stat sheet with seven tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and the first interception of his career, while Drzewiecki stayed perfect on his field goal tries and drilled a career-long 51-yarder. For both players, the conference recognition is their first weekly Big Ten award, a sign that one strong afternoon can still carry real weight well beyond the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Minnesota Just Earned A Real Big Ten Chance To Climb
Week 4 gave the Big Ten the kind of shakeup that can change a race in a hurry, and Minnesota benefited from it in a major way. Iowa knocked off Michigan, Wisconsin rallied past Penn State, and the Gophers went on the road and beat Washington, a result that helped them gain real ground in the league picture while the conferences top tier kept jostling for position.
Minnesotas win now looks even better in the context of the updated rankings, because the Gophers are no longer just hanging around the discussion. With upsets piling up around them and Ohio State still showing its usual firepower behind Jeremiah Smiths four-touchdown day, Minnesota suddenly has a clearer path to climb if it keeps taking care of business from here. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Have Fans Wondering If This Turnaround Is Finally Real
A rough loss to Mississippi State had plenty of Minnesota fans wondering whether this season was headed off the rails, but the Gophers have spent the weeks since making a strong case that the arc may still be headed the other way. The offense has started to look more settled with adjustments in approach, while quarterback Drake Lindsey and the offensive line have taken visible steps forward as the team has searched for something closer to consistency.
The biggest sign of progress came on the road against a ranked Washington team, where Minnesota played with far more control and a defense that looked nothing like the unit that had struggled earlier. For a team that has spent the year alternating between frustration and promise, the question now is less about whether the Gophers can flash upside and more about whether this version can hold up long enough to make the turnaround feel real. [Read more 🡒]