Michigan
Michigan has owned the Little Brown Jug. Minnesota will get fewer cracks at it in the bigger Big Ten
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Little Brown Jug is one of the oldest trophies in college football, that classic earthenware Michigan and Minnesota have played for since well before helmets were required on the field.
In this increasingly crowded Big Ten, the gaps between games are only going to grow.
Though Michigan’s dominance in the series with Minnesota has stretched into a sixth decade and both teams have two other rivalries that are much fiercer, the jug is another piece of the rich history of the sport being the pushed to the background by the broadcast-driven expansion and realignment of the major conferences. The two schools have formally contested the trophy since 1909.
When the second-ranked Wolverines (5-0, 2-0) play the Gophers (3-2, 1-1) on Saturday night, they’ll make just their fourth appearance at Huntington Bank Stadium that opened on Minnesota’s campus 14 years ago. One of those visits was without fans during the pandemic in 2020.
“When people get really angry about those rivalries should be protected every single year,” Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said, “just think outside the box. They’ll still be there. It just makes the game even more important, if it comes around maybe once every four or five years.”
Michigan leads the all-time series 76-25-3, with 42 wins in the last 46 matchups. Minnesota won at Michigan Stadium in 2014, 2005 and 1986, when the Wolverines were also ranked No. 2 and quarterbacked by current head coach Jim Harbaugh. The last time the Gophers triumphantly hoisted the jug on their home field was in 1977, when Fleck wasn’t even born.
When Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington join next season, the Big Ten will have 18 teams and still only nine conference games. The richest rivalries have been protected, with Michigan playing Michigan State and Ohio State each year, and Minnesota annually facing Iowa and Wisconsin, but that next tier of classic matchups will simply be placed in the hopper with all the rest. Each team is guaranteed to host every other Big Ten team at least once in a five-year span.
In the rotations released Thursday by the conference, the Wolverines will host the Gophers in 2024 and return to Minnesota in 2026.
For now, a Michigan team favored by 18½ points according to FanDuel Sportsbook odds will try to keep the College Football Playoff train moving after winning 45-7 at Nebraska last week for a 17th consecutive Big Ten win. That’s the second-longest streak in program history.
“They’re one of the deepest, for sure,” Fleck said. “It doesn’t matter who is in that football game. It just seems like they’re always fresh because they have so many great players and they do such a good job of rotating them.”
CLEAN GAME
Michigan has been penalized just 2.6 times per game and Minnesota is averaging 2.8 flags per game, trailing only Army — naturally, the most disciplined team — in the FBS. The Wolverines were not called for one penalty last week, a first for them in the 21st century.
“There’s a few penalties that weren’t called maybe both ways, but officials were letting the guys play,” Harbaugh said.
BROTHERLY LOVE
Gophers defensive end Danny Striggow, who leads the team and is tied for the Big Ten lead with three sacks, has an older brother, Bobby, who’s a wrestler for Michigan. Another older brother, Jackson, wrestled for the Wolverines, too.
“They are Gopher fans for this week,” said Striggow, who played at Orono High School in the Minneapolis area. ”They are always obviously Gopher football fans, but they are Michigan football fans every other week of the year, until it’s Gophers versus Wolverines. Then they are 100% Gopher fans.”
BY THE NUMBERS
Michigan’s Blake Corum leads the FBS with nine rushing touchdowns. Roman Wilson has eight receiving touchdowns, also the most by a player at college football’s highest level. The Wolverines are also allowing an FBS-low six points per game and have not surrendered more than a touchdown in any game against their lackluster competition.
FOUR IN A ROW
Minnesota running back Darius Taylor won three straight Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards. Then while he was out with an injury for the homecoming win over Louisiana, Zach Evans took over as the featured ball carrier for Taylor and kept the freshman award streak going for the Gophers.
Leaning on the ground game, even against a Wolverines defense that ranks 13th in the FBS with an average of 85.2 rushing yards allowed per game, will be the way to go for the Gophers. Taylor leads the Big Ten with 532 rushing yards despite playing sparingly in the opener and being sidelined last week.
“It’s an emotional, fired-up type of team,” Harbaugh said. “P.J. does a great job. You can always tell they’re confident no matter what the stakes are, the odds are.”
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AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in Ann Arbor, Michigan, contributed to this report.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
Michigan
Michigan 89-58 Purdue Fort Wayne (Dec 22, 2024) Game Recap – ESPN
DETROIT — — Tre Donaldson had 16 points and six rebounds to lead No. 24 Michigan to a lopsided 89-58 victory over Purdue-Fort Wayne at the Crisler Center on Sunday.
Michigan (9-3) needed less than 15 minutes to take a 20-point lead and led by 30 in the first minute of the second half. Vladislav Goldin added 13 points for the Wolverines, who had five players in double figures. Danny Wolf had four points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
Jalen Jackson led all scorers with 27 points for the Mastodons (9-5), but Purdue-Fort Wayne didn’t have another scorer with more than six points.
Mastodons: Forward Eric Mulder, who came into the game shooting 83.7% (46-55) on 2-pointers, made his only shot before leaving the game late in the first half with an ankle injury.
Wolverines: Michigan had gone 1-2 in its past three games with all three decided by two or fewer points. After beating Iowa 85-83 on Dec. 7, they lost 89-87 to Arkansas and 87-86 to No. 14 Oklahoma.
Michigan didn’t waste any time taking control of the game, taking a 23-4 lead in the first eight minutes. Eight Wolverines scored as they hit nine of their first 11 shots while holding the Mastodons to 2-12 (16.7%).
Michigan coach Dusty May rotated his lineup throughout runs of 7-0 and 13-0, using 10 players in the stretch.
Michigan shot 75% (9-12) on 3-pointers in the first half while Purdue-Fort Wayne went 2-17 (11.8%). Sam Walters missed two of his four attempts while his teammates made 7 of 8.
Quinton Morton-Richardson (1-7) and Rasheed Bello (0-3) combined to shoot 10% from the 3-point line and 1-13 (7.7%) overall in the half.
Both teams return to action on Dec. 29. The Mastodons have a Horizon League game at Green Bay while Michigan hosts Western Kentucky.
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Michigan
WATCH: Michigan State’s Coen Carr Speaks After Career Game
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State sophomore forward Coen Carr put on quite the show in the Spartans’ 86-69 victory over Florida Atlantic on Saturday.
Carr posted a career-high 17 points and also recorded eight rebounds. He had several dunks in the win and also made his first-career 3-pointer. He added a block and a steal as well.
Carr addressed the media after the game.
You can watch some of his media availability below:
Below is a partial transcript from Michigan State coach Tom Izzo’s opening statement of his postgame press conference:
Izzo: “Man, nothing’s easy. I really like that team. We said it on film. We actually did a pretty good job on a couple guys. [Baba] Miller, one. The big kid inside got in some foul trouble, did a decent job with him. I thought Jeremy [Fears Jr. ] did a hell of a job on [Leland] Walker. I really like Walker, too. But Miller is a good player. We did not do a good job on [Tre] Carroll. He was really good. And I think he is really good. I think that team has a chance to win a lot of games. This will probably be a good test for us. It wasn’t good when you’re going home for Christmas, because there was a couple sleepless nights on these guys. I told some of you I thought they were good. And yet, we started out the second half 4-of-17. Missed a gazillion layups — putbacks for Szymon [Zapala] and Jax [Jaxon Kohler], of all people. And they really — 4-of-17, I don’t know how we. I’m trying to figure out how we scored 86 points. But again, we shot pretty well from the free throw line. We offensive rebounded, we didn’t turn it over too much. I mean, it was a good win for us; I didn’t like the way it was played at all the time. I thought we got stagnant with the ball. But I was really impressed with Jeremy. And Coen [Carr] will probably never shoot another 3, so he can leave the history of Michigan State — it will be 100%. … I appreciate our fans appreciating him. And you saw our players. Last time I saw an eruption like that was when Steven [Izzo] hit a shot. That was pretty cool. I think that tells you a lot about how they feel about each other. And that was really important to me and, I think, to our coaching staff. So, Coen, no doubt, was the star of the game. Jaden came around the second half and did some good things.”
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
Michigan
Michigan State Sophomore Turns in Career Game Against FAU
Sophomore guard Coen Carr delivered a breakout performance for Michigan State basketball in its 86-69 victory over Florida Atlantic, scoring a career-high 17 points while pulling down eight rebounds. It was a game that showcased Carr’s developing offensive game and his continued growth as a versatile and impactful player for the Spartans.
Carr’s 17-point effort was the result of a well-rounded offensive game that included a variety of scoring methods. While Carr has long been known for his athleticism and ability to contribute on the defensive end, this game highlighted his increasing ability to make an impact on offense. Perhaps the most notable moment came when he hit his first career 3-pointer, a smooth shot from beyond the arc that not only earned him a standing ovation but also signaled his expanding skill set.
Up until that point, Carr had been more known for his athletic ability and transition play, but this 3-pointer showed that he is working to develop a more complete game, which will be crucial for Michigan State’s offensive versatility going forward.
In addition to his scoring, Carr’s 8 rebounds were crucial in helping Michigan State dominate the glass. His length, athleticism, and motor allowed him to clean up missed shots and secure key offensive and defensive boards. His presence on the boards allowed the Spartans to control the pace of the game, pushing the tempo and limiting FAU’s second-chance opportunities. Carr’s ability to contribute in multiple areas — particularly on the boards — shows his increasing comfort with his role on the team and his willingness to contribute wherever needed.
Carr’s all-around performance demonstrated his potential to become a more significant part of Michigan State’s rotation as the season progresses. His confidence on offense, particularly with the three-point shot, gives the Spartans another weapon to rely on. Meanwhile, his ability to impact the game with his rebounding and defensive play remains one of his strongest assets.
For Michigan State, Carr’s career-high outing is a promising sign of what’s to come. With his athleticism and improving offensive game, Carr has the potential to grow into a key contributor for the Spartans, providing them with much-needed depth and versatility as they look to make a run in the NCAA tournament. This performance against FAU is just the beginning for Coen Carr, and it suggests that he could play a pivotal role in Michigan State’s success this season.
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
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