Minnesota’s Gophers, led by their Mascot Goldie Gopher, left their Minnesota burrows, and settled into their football home Stadium with full intentions of finally nipping the Wolverine’s dreams of a shot at Big Ten prominence this year. They had many reasons to dispense another Big Ten loss to the Wolverines. The Gophers translated those reasons to the field as the they almost toppled the Wolverines.

At times, the defense did not play like the premier defense in the country or even like a top ten defense as they struggled to stop the pass and run. They let three interceptions slide through their hands. Their porous defense allowed the Minnesota offense to control much of the game, and make big plays. The Wolverines yielded 458-yards, including many significant pass plays over 20-yards.

Finally, the defense proved its mettle by conserving a victory with a last seconds stand at the half yard line. Not once, but twice. The M defensive line and linebackers controlled.

This was set up by trailing M DB Channing Stripling catching the Gopher receiver from behind, and getting his knee down a half yard from what would have been the winning TD. It looked like this 74-yard drive might be a game winner, with no time for M to answer offensively.

With 19 seconds left, the Gophers lined up, shifted, wasting time and perhaps losing a third opportunity at a TD. Seventeen seconds evaporated, and there was only time for one more play during the remaining two ticks on the clock.

According to a player after the game, the Wolverines knew that it would be a QB sneak by the 240 pound Gopher QB, Mitch Leidner.

They submarined, and pushed Leidner back just enough to not break the plane. The call on the field was no TD, the review confirmed the call, and the final score of M 29, Gophers 26, went into the record book.

While the Wolverines were 75-25-3 against the pesky rodents coming into Saturday’s game, they also owned a recent 30-14 thrashing that the Gophers doled out last year. As Keith Jackson would have said it was a “Whuppin”.

The Gophers also out gained the Wolverines this year with 141-yards rushing, and 317 passing.

What was called by many pre-game the Number One defense in the country was embarrassed by the hard charging Gophers. It came down to the unlikely scenario of M QB Wilton Speight tossing the game winning pass to the emerging playmaker Jehu Chesson, who caught two TD passes. One thrown by Speight and one from Rudock. Chesson has become a weapon  on the ground and in the air. He also had a 22-yard run.

After the game Coach Harbaugh praised Rudock’s game, perhaps more than I thought he would. Jake left the game after a nasty hit as he was sliding. He was 13 of 21 for 140-yards and a TD, but also had a fumble and an interception.

Speight afterward said the coaches worked with him, and he got snaps just like a starter. He was 6 of 29 passing, hitting a leaping Chesson for the final, go ahead TD, and nailing a throw to Amara Darboh for a two point conversion to complete M’s scoring.

Speight did not have a prior completion in a game, but completed his first three in game time Saturday.

Michigan’s ground game was nothing special. The running game struggled. For example, D. Smith had 9 carries for 1.7 yards. Drake Johnson came on some though, hauling 10 times for 56-yards and a 5.5-yard average.

This year the Wolverine’s had to travel to Minneapolis to again possess one of the college football’s most venerable and storied collegiate football trophies, the Little Brown Jug. M now owns a 70-23-2 edge in the Jug series.

As you have heard by now, the competition for the oldest college football trophy originated after an M water jug was left in Minnesota hands by accident. M wrote a letter asking for it back and the Gophers replied by issuing a challenge to come and win it back. This inspired the Wolverine to do just that, and they met the challenge by claiming it back the ensuing year.

The trophy has gained lasting fame by ignoring its accidental origins. It is not abandoned or reclaimed by accident, or by re-enacting Caddy Shack gophers, but by being a visible representation of a serious football competition. The Gophers played some serious football against the Wolverines Saturday night.

It is a competition that had been improving under Minnesota Coach Jerry Kill and his resignation fueled their noisy home crowd which probably stirred in Coach Harbaugh residual memories of losing to the Gophers in the middle seventies.

Last Wednesday, the unwelcome and stunning news that Coach Kill was resigning before their game with the Wolverines on the advice of his medical advisers was announced.

Published reports said Coach Kill had long endured epilepsy, had suffered significant seizures during football seasons, had fought that serious disease tooth and nail, and avoided problems during a successful 2014 last, but sadly it had come to the point the that the situation was best fought without the chain of football coaching around his neck. Respected everywhere, he has endured over the course of a long and successful head coaching career. It was thought that his retirement might energize the Gophers and did it ever.

Kill was the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2014, and had a 29-29 record as the Gopher head man.

The Minnesota DC, Tracey Claeys, had coached Minnesota during a prior Kill absence and again during Saturday’s game against the Wolverines.

Coach Kill’s rough and tumble approach to football, and his great defensive backfield, were much in evidence last Saturday. It was thought this resignation would add some extra emotion to the Gopher’s cause, and did it ever.

It was also thought that it was time for Jake Ruddock to make some plays. He did, but poor pass protection afforded a fumble, and an ill-advised, hurry up shovel pass which was tipped, provided a Gopher interception and early three point lead.

The game teetered back and forth in the first half, and ended with a late Gopher FG, securing a 16-14 lead at the half.

Offensively the Wolverines put up two TDs in the first half.  Harbaugh went to FB Joe Kerridge to squeeze out some yardage to jump start a sluggish running game and he scored.  Jake Butt had collared an 18 yard pass to enable the first TD drive, of the game .

Rudock hit a TD to Chesson, and Michigan had 14 points for the half. While the defense gave up a 1^st half 52-yard TD run to the Gophers, they made three stops that resulted in Minnesota 1^st half FGs.  Holding the Gopher offense to FGs was also critical to the win.

M received to start the second half and produced a great 75-yard drive culminating in a Jabril Peppers run of six yards.  What a run with a great burst to bull into multiple defenders at the goal line and into the end zone for his first offensive TD as a Wolverine.  The lead was now 21-16.  

Minnesota’s QB Mitch Leitner ran 24-yards for a TD to make it 21 to 23 Gophers. Then they hit a 45-yard FG, and it looked like M might be going down as they gave up a 5 point lead with about 10 minutes left, with their starting QB on the bench, injured.

Unexpectedly, inexperienced Wilton Speight was equal to the task, tossing a TD to the improving Chesson for a 12-yard TD, and another to Amara Darboh for a two-point conversion.  This produced a final score of  29 to 23.

Then, the defense came through with its finest seconds of the game, and the lead stood.

There were a number of up sides to this game. The Jabril Peppers saga is just getting going at Michigan. He ran for 16-yards for a TD in impressive fashion, made a 41-yard punt return, had a 43-yard kick return and played fine defense. He was in action for an impressive 92 plays. Kenny Allen hit three of five KOs for touch backs. Blake O’Neill punted 5 times for a 44-yard average.

The offense and defense both did enough to preserve the win, notwithstanding too many penalties, defensive lapses to yield big plays, offensive errors and the lack of an effective running game.

After a severe disappointment two weeks ago, and a uniquely energized Gopher team this week, suffice it to happily tuck this one into the record books and return to the friendly confines of Michigan Stadium to confront Rutgers.

Go Blue!

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It was Michigan State’s Football Spartans versus the Michigan Football Wolverines Saturday at 3:30 P.M. at a jam packed, and noisy Big House.

Annually the rough and tumble Spartans want to play trick or treat with the Wolverines around Halloween. The Spartan mascot, that gruff, bulgy, mean effigy of Spartan Spirit, plays trick or treat with the hopes and dreams of Michigan fans annually. They had successfully dashed those hopes and dreams the last two years, winning the last two games in the unfriendly confines of Spartan Stadium. Last year’s iteration was a “whuppin” of the Wolverines 11 to 35. Spartan Head Coach D’Antonio now owns a sparkling 7 and 2 record against the Wolverines pregame.

This year’s loss was not a “whuppin”. In fact the Wolverines, with the dreadful exception of the last 10 seconds, when they experienced a special teams breakdown, had otherwise played well enough to win, and held a lead of 23-20 with 10 ticks on the clock.

Terrific defensive stands held the last ditch MSU offensive flurries, and the Wolverines had the ball with the intent of running out the clock. Three bumps into the line by D. Smith did not garner a first down, so a punt into the empty backfield of MSU was perfectly in order.

Maybe a quick kick on third down would have been fine. What happened wasn’t, as the special team gaffe described below ensued. The lucky Spartans, with the clock at all zeros, had prevailed. It was their first and final lead. Fate had played a nasty Halloween trick on the Wolverines.

The Wolverines had every intention of erasing some of the burnish from that Spartan’s season, and they did, but not to the desired degree. The Spartans had seemed a little more vulnerable this year, and they were. They had some significant injuries at key positions like the offensive line. MSU had lost four players for the year permanently, and had struggling to squelch the likes of Rutgers in a close win. Yet the Spartans pass protected well enough to gain 328-yards passing last Saturday.

The Wolverines had a lead with 10 seconds left, but they managed to turn the game around on a low snap, and on a bobbled ball, turning it over to the Spartans who ran it in for the game winning TD without so much as a thank you. This was the Wolverine’s most visible error, and it will be blamed far and wide for the loss. Unfortunately, it will have the half-life of plutonium.

The punter Blake O’Neill, had done a splendid job before the botched punt. He had an 80-yard punt, and had provided decent field position during most of the game. But the low snap on the last second punt and fumble unfortunately will be remembered over all the good he had provided, and probably that good which he provides in the future.

It is unfair and foolish to write nasty emails to him or otherwise try to denigrate, bully or threaten him. Published reports say this has already happened on social media, including death threats. Stuff happens on the football field. It is still only a game played by college kids. It is a time for perspective.

There were other M contributions to the loss. It was as much a team loss as it would have been a team victory. All they needed to win was one first down, one measly first down, but they couldn’t get it on their last drive for a number of reasons.

During the course of the game, they had two stalled drives that resulted in FGs instead of TDs. M’s momentum was stalled when the interesting targeting call was made on Joe Bolden, and he was ejected. M’s defense allowed a 74-yard play by a Sparty fullback. M was held to 62-yards on the ground and MSU to 58, but the Wolverine defense yielded 328-yards passing..

There comes to each coach and team a new challenge every week. Usually a team or a college football coach is only as good as his last game indicates. Here came a red letter game, one of the two this season that all thought would be the litmus test of the return to prominence of Michigan Football, and it was. This game reflected tremendous improvement over last year for the Wolverines. 

They were competitive against the stark reality of those wearing the most recent version of the Spartan helmet.

As always the Spartans were dedicated to bringing a fierce defense, playing aggressively and physically, and wearing that huge chip on their shoulder they manufacture and customize annually. The Wolverines answered in kind,

The Spartans will bray about this victory a long, long time. As the Wolverines would were the situation reversed

They also brought one of the best QBs in the B1G to Michigan Stadium. Their experienced QB Connor Cook can fling it, or thread the needle. They also brought the best group of receivers the Wolverines had had to defend all season. The highly recruited WR Aaron Burbridge, who disdained the Wolverines, has finally come into his own, and was a thorn in the Wolverines side all game long.

While it was thought that the Spartan defensive backfield was not up to last year’s standard, and could not excel as well in press coverage as last year’s iteration.  That seemed true, but their defensive line remained as good as ever. DE Shelique Calhoun is played well again.

While many outsiders were caught up only in the national rankings for each team, many on both sides were caught up in the chance to leap ahead in the Big Ten standings. This year it was more than just the rivalry.

This game was fraught with all kinds interesting aspects, some not usually seen in past Wolverine/Spartan meetings. National rankings, and a big step to become a genuine contender for a shot as the East Big Ten representative in the East/West Division title game, plus the usual unbridled fervor of this intra-state contest, that was intensified by the hyped up hype that was bestowed to newly minted M head man.

The Wolverines lost some of these chances, but still, according to Coach Harbaugh, played well enough to win. But then came those regrettable last ten seconds that finally sealed their fate.

I have a great respect for the intense physicality the Spartans bring to this game. They have often brought their best against the Wolverines, and have had some incredible strokes of “luck”, which continued Saturday. Such as the Desmond Howard end zone trip for a win, and clock gate (not all luck, but some design), and now comes last Saturday’s game ending ten seconds.

The first quarter was basically dominated by the Spartans. In the second M got it offense moving. Jake Rudock had a solid passing day going 15 of 55 for 168-yards with a long of 32. A series of short runs by Smith were supplemented byFB Sione Houma romping for 27-yard TD. Previously, Rudock had hit TE A.J. Williams with a well-conceived 21-yard third down pass.  M-7, MSU-0.

The Spartans answered quickly on an 11-yard TD run, aided and abetted by a controversial targeting call on Joe Bolden. This swung momentum and exited Bolden for the balance of the game and for half of the Minnesota game. Ouch! Suddenly it was 7 up.

Jabrill Peppers returned a kick 49-yards, on an outstandingly evasive run, but the Wolverines offense stalled, and and they settled for a 38-yard Allen field goal. It was 10-7 at the half.

Momentum swung M’s way in the Spartan’s first possession of the second half, as a fake punt was stopped by the Wolverines.

Enter Jabrill Peppers on offense for the first time. His 28-yard jet sweep took it to the MSU 3. The on field officials could not agree with the review cameras as two called TD’s were overturned. FB Houma finally punched it in, and the finally camera agreed. M-17, MSU 7.

On MSU’s next series, Cook tossed a 30-yard TD. M-17, MSU-14, and once again it was too close for comfort. M replied, but only with a field goal to make it 23-14.

In the final quarter, MSU gambled on a 4^th and 10 from the M 32. The M defense stopped them, but the offense could only generate another Allen FG. It was important at the time, but inadequate in light of future game events. M-23, MSU-14. The Wolverines were done scoring.

The Spartans weren’t, as Connor Cook hit a steaking FB for a 74-yard play to M’s 1. The review showed no TD, but MSU easily put up six. M-23, MSU-21.

The rest is not pleasant history for Michigan fans. An outstanding M defensive stand, which stopped the Spartans out of field goal range on a 4^th and 19 on a splendid play by DB Dymonte Thomas, was effectively nullified by the special teams error. Whether Punter O’Neill was trying to lateral the ball, or it got knocked into the air by a defender, is a moot point.

This was a very swift, and unpleasant change of fortune, similar to the last minute end zone reception by Colorado’s Kordell Stewart to make M a loser in 1994. This one will have a long shelf life for winner and loser.

It is ironic that the special teams, who made up for the yardage shortfall of the offense enough to gain the last minute lead, became the goat. Jabrill Peppers had a fumble on a punt return, but also returned three for 48-yards. He returned three kicks for 81-yards, with a long of 49. Jehu Chesson, in addition to being the leading receiver with 4 grabs for 58-yards and a long of 23, returned a kick for 25-yards. These yardages, and Blake O’Neill’s usually precise punting, provided admirable field position. Together with Kenny Allen’s hitting from 38, 21, and 38, and Allen’s KO touch backs, effective special teams are that which kept M in the game.  Just one little momentary error…….

The Wolverines will have a bye week in which to deal with healing, before possession of the venerable Little Brown Jug is contested yet again. We go from a trophy created through on purpose political purpose (the Bunyan) to a much more revered accidental trophy (The Jug). While it would be nice to have both on hand, that remains in the future. For now it’s the Jug, the Jug, the Jug.

Go, Blue!