Best and worst from Michigan’s win over Minnesota

Michigan Wolverines football demolished Minnesota, 52-10, Saturday night at Huntington Bank Stadium. Here are the best and worst from the blowout.

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Most dominant player

The Michigan defense was dominant each of the last two weeks in wins over Rutgers and Nebraska, not missing a beat without Michigan sophomore defensive tackle Mason Graham. But man, was Graham incredible Saturday night. It can sometimes be hard to measure just how good a defensive tackle is, but Graham’s presence was felt on almost every play.

The 6-3, 318-pounder led Michigan with 6 tackles, 2 of them for loss (including a third-down sack), 2 for 1-yard gains, 1 for no gain and 1 for a 3-yard gain. Many of his tackles set Gopher drives back, and that offense wasn’t good enough to recover.

That was about as good as a defensive tackle can play, a master class.

Fast start and finish

Twelve seconds was all it took for Michigan to get on the board, take a lead and never look back. Sophomore cornerback Will Johnson baited Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis into throw a ball into the right flat, and he picked it off and took it the distance on the second play from scrimmage.

Michigan started fast by capitalizing on a turnover and jumping out to a significant lead last week at Nebraska, and the Wolverines were able to build early momentum with Johnson’s big play.

The Maize and Blue got another pick six later on, with sophomore safety Keon Sabb climbing the ladder and grabbing a pass that Kaliakmanis tried throwing over him. He had nothing but green turf in front of him, also scoring. Michigan had two interceptions for touchdowns in the same game for the first time since 2017.

Both Michigan’s offense and defense out-scored Minnesota.

Photo bomb of the night

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh — “Cool Jim,” as he’s referred to by most in the program, according to Harbaugh himself — ran over to congratulate Johnson on his interception. He got pulled into the defense’s picture that it takes after notching takeaways, featuring Johnson with the team’s ‘turnover buffs.’

Biggest ‘weapon’

Michigan junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy was used as a runner most of his freshman season, save for when he entered games with a big lead. The Wolverines didn’t use his legs all that much a season ago, but they’re beginning to more and more this season, especially in Big Ten play.

The opposition has to key on Michigan’s running backs, namely senior running back Blake Corum, in the red zone. But the Maize and Blue are using McCarthy on more read-options and designed runs, and he’s a real weapon there, as Harbaugh said postgame. He’s fast, and he showed his physicality Saturday by lowering his shoulder and using a stiff arm. He scored 2 touchdowns running the ball, and he makes this Michigan offense just so much harder to defend when he has to be accounted for in the run game.

Best adjustment

Michigan’s defense was very good overall but did allow some yardage in the run game early on. The Gophers rushed 8 times for 47 yards in the first quarter, with some solid gains, including 2 runs of 10-plus yards. They then racked up 23 yards on 12 rushes in the second quarter. Yes, it’s amazing how high the standard is where a few decent runs are cause for concern, but Michigan knew it had to adjust and did. The Wolverines moved their EDGE down into the ‘C’ gap and proceeded to shut down Minnesota’s run game.

After Michigan’s halftime adjustments, Minnesota rushed for just 7 yards on 8 attempts. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and his crew really tightened up. The Gophers did have some success — 40 rushing yards — against the Michigan backups in the fourth quarter.

Biggest disappointment

Michigan led by just 14 points, 24-10, after a great first half. Minnesota picked up a 4th and short against the Wolverines, then threw a deep ball to standout wide receiver Daniel Jackson for a 35-yard score with only 6 seconds left in the second quarter.

Minnesota had no timeouts and couldn’t afford to do anything but chuck the ball into the end zone before potentially kicking a field goal. Michigan should’ve been in more of a prevent defense, Harbaugh said, but the Wolverines were instead in cover 2. Graduate cornerback Mike Sainristil was beat by Jackson, and Sabb was slow to come over and make a play on the ball. It was a good throw and catch, but the play left a sour taste in the Wolverines’ mouths heading into halftime.

Quick trip

Michigan has had the Little Brown Jug since notching a big win in Minneapolis in 2015. The Wolverines held onto it after victories over the Gophers in 2017 and 2020, and brought it back to Ann Arbor with them early Sunday morning. The Little Brown Jug — college football’s oldest trophy game — hardly got to experience Minnesota before returning home. Michigan has now won 43 of the last 46 meetings in the rivalry.

Three Wolverines on the rise

Three Michigan players continue their ascension. Senior running back Kalel Mullings rushed 8 times for a career-high 47 yards and broke out a new spin move. Graduate left tackle LaDarius Henderson looks like the guy at that position, starting for the second time in as many weeks. And junior EDGE Josaiah Stewart, after a quiet start to the season, had back-to-back big plays. The Coastal Carolina transfer combined with graduate defensive tackle Cam Goode on a tackle for loss in the second quarter, before getting a solo sack on 3rd and 12 the next play.

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