Michigan's high-powered rushing game poses a challenge for Minnesota

Published Sep. 26, 2024 11:02 a.m. ET

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This looks like one of the seasons where No. 12 Michigan goes as far as its running game and defense can take it.

That's not good news for Minnesota.

One week after giving up 272 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in a 31-14 home loss to Iowa, the Golden Gophers will be facing a Wolverines offense Saturday that is even better on the ground. Last week, Michigan put up 290 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-24 win over USC.

“We knocked each other off like bowling pins, and it just didn’t look good. We’ve got to coach it a lot better,” Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said about the loss to the Hawkeyes.

Iowa tailback Kaleb Johnson was a huge matchup issue for the Golden Gophers, running for 206 yards and three scores, but Michigan has multiple big-play runners. Kalel Mullings was the star against USC, rushing 17 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns. He sprinted 63 yards late in the game to help seal the win.

Mullings wasn't even supposed to be the No. 1 back this season. Donovan Edwards was coming back after rushing for 1,488 yards and 12 touchdowns as Michigan went to the playoff in 2022 and won the national championship in 2023.

Edwards may have lost the No. 1 job to Mullings, but he's still a dangerous runner. Orji isn't bad, either. He only threw for 32 yards against USC, but he carried the ball 13 times for 43 yards.

Still, he knows his role.

“We have a great O-line and some otherworldly backs,” Orji said. “It's great — I hand it off, carry out my fake, and then look as No. 20 (Mullings) or No. 7 (Edwards) goes shrieking down the field.”

Stopping by the Big House

Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer, a sixth-year player who transferred from New Hampshire and grew up in Georgia, was raised a die-hard Ohio State fan. That’s where his dad went to college. So naturally, Brosmer learned to loathe the Wolverines when he was young.

“It’s definitely interesting hearing ‘Hail to the Victors’ every single day of the week and throughout the whole practice,” Brosmer said, referring to the Minnesota coaching staff’s habit of playing opponent fight songs to motivate the players. “There’s a lot of friction in my ears, for sure.”

This will be Brosmer’s first taste of a big-time college football environment with the visiting team, since the Gophers played their first four games at home. But everyone in maroon and gold will be getting their first Big House experience, because the Gophers have not traveled to Michigan Stadium since 2017. That’s the longest gap between visits to a Big Ten foe in program history.

“It’s something we all look forward to. It’s a really cool environment. It’s a historic environment in college football. You can’t take it for granted. You don’t get these opportunities very often,” Brosmer said.

Scoring threat

Michigan cornerback Will Johnson already has more touchdowns this season (2) than any Wolverines receiver, and he has history against Minnesota. In last season's 52-10 win in Minneapolis, he picked off Athan Kaliakmanis's second pass of the game and returned it 35 yards for his first career TD.

This season, he scored on an 86-yard pick-6 against Fresno State and a 42-yarder against USC.

“He's such a special player,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. “He's a tremendous player who studies the game - he's always watching film and trying to get a competitive advantage. He knew what they were doing and jumped the route.”

No room for error

Minnesota is seeking to avoid starting 0-2 in the Big Ten for the second straight year. Just getting to six wins for bowl eligibility will be a climb for the Gophers this season, with No. 13 USC on the schedule next week and the home finale against No. 9 Penn State sandwiched between three road games in November. Minnesota has lost its last four games against Michigan since taking the Little Brown Jug trophy home from Ann Arbor in 2014.

“When you don’t play well in the Big Ten, period, you’re going to get beat, and you better recover pretty quick, or you’re going to get beat again," Fleck said.

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