0 0 Breakdown: a test for rush defense Jug history at forefront in the Big Ten opener By MATT SLOVIN ManagingEditor This is not the Minnesota foot- ball team that Michigan has beaten by a combined 80 points the past two seasons. In that same span, the Golden Gophers have won just four Big Ten games. In the 100th edition of this series, Jerry Kill's Minnesota team will be hungry to give its seniors at least one win over the Wolverines for their college careers. Here's where each team will have an edge on Sat- urday at the Big House. Michigan pass offense vs. Minnesota pass defense Nowhere have the Wolverines, struggles been more evident in the two nail-bitingvictories over Akron and Connecticut than in the play of redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner. Long stretches of incom- pletions and mystifying decisions by Gardner have cost Michigan deeply in the past two weeks. Minnesota's defense presents some ball hawkers - five different players have intercepted passes this season. Gardner has repeatedly said he is excited to get back on the field Saturday after turning the ball over seven times in the lasttwo games. Gardner made his first-ever start as a Michigan quarterback against the Golden Gophers last season. He threw for 234 yards, going 12-for- 18, with three touchdowns, two through the air. The tone will be set early. As Gardner goes, so likely will Michi- gan (4-0). If he struggles, it'll once again be closer than necessary. Edge: Minnesota Michigan rush offense vs. Minnesota rush defense The Wolverines will display a new offensive line, with redshirt sophomore Chris Bryant joining it at guard and redshirt junior Graham Glasgow sliding over from guard to center. Space for redshirt senior running back Fitzgerald Toussaint to run through hasn't come easily in four games. Whether or not the new-look line will have more than a negligible impact remains to be seen. Fifth-year senior running back Fitzgerald Toussaint will likely share more carries. In the Michigan backfield, Tous- saint should have company Sat- urday. Freshmen running backs Derrick Green and De'Veon Smith were given an increased workload during the bye week, and the coach- ing staff hasn't kept secret its inten- tions to give them more carries going forward. Edge: Michigan Minnesota pass offense vs. Michigan pass defense things difficult for a team without a passing game. The Wolverines are ranked 18th in the nation in rushing yards allowed per attempt. Golden Gophers running back Donnell Kirkwood has dealt with an ankle injury but will likely get plenty of carries Saturday. David Cobb leads theteam with five rush- ing touchdowns. Edge:Michigan Special teams By LIZ VUKELICH Daily Sports Editor Jeremy Gallon says that after practice, the seniors always emphasize that the Michigan football team needs to play like something is on the line - like a trophy or a Big Ten champion- ship. Come Saturday, the Wolver- ines will be playing for both. Minnesota Michigan at Michigan (4-0) opens conference Matchup: play against Minnesota 4-1; Minnesota Michigan 4-0 (0-1 Big Ten, When: Satur-. 4-1 overall) to day 3:30 p.m. start its hunt Where: Michi- for a confer- gan Stadium ence cham- TV/Radio: pionship. But ABC there's a more short-term reward at stake. Minnesota is not much of a Michigan rival, and the all-time series isn't very close - the Wol- verines have a lopsided 72-24- 3 record against the Golden Gophers. Despitopll that, there's still a reason the Minnesota game is always circled on the Wolver- ines' calendar. There's the Little Brown Jug to protect, after all. Last Sunday marked the offi- cial end of the bye and the start of Minnesota week. Michigan coach Brady Hoke started the team meeting with an explana- tion of the Jug: its origins, its history, its significance, going back to its first appearance in the 1903 game. Twenty-six members of the 114-man roster come from outside Big Ten country, and Hoke wanted to make sure each one of them was as Jug-literate as their teammates who came to Michigan already familiar with the matchup. Longtime equipment manager Jon Falk, the man responsible for keeping the Jug safe, also con- tributed to the players' education - he opened Tuesday's practice with a speech on the trophy's value. The Wolverines have won the last five matchups with the Gold- en Gophers, and that's one thing about the Jug that Hoke tried to emphasize above all else: "You' don't want them to come over to your sideline and take it back." Not a practice, meeting or moment went by this week when the Jug wasn't-brought up. There are reminders on the walls. The message is impossible to ignore. "I do believe that those games that you have the privilege -to play in (are important) because of the history and tradition that's been there," Hoke said. But for as much as Michigan talks about tradition and pride, there's still a much more press- ing matter at hand. The jury is still out on which team - the one that beat Notre Dame or the one that barely squeaked by Akron and Connecticut - will show up Saturday. Redshirt junior Devin 'Gard- ner made his quarterback debut against Minnesota' last season. Even though he notched his first interception, he still threw for an impressive 234 yards. Gardner's decision-making abilities have since been at the forefront of discussion over the past few weeks, despite a plethora of other issues plagu- ing the Wolverines. Hoke already shuffled up the interior line and expects to see a well-rounded Minnesota squad in Michigan Stadium. "They're going to be a physi- cal football team because that's the way (Minnesota coach Jerry Kill) wants his teams on both sides of the ball," Hoke said. "From a defensive perspective, I think they're pretty doggone salty. Offensively, they want to run the football." Hoke handily beat the Golden Gophers, 58-0, in 2011 - both his and Kill's inaugural season as head of their respective pro- grams. Even though the margin of victory narrowed to 35-13 in 2012, no current Wolverine knows what it's like to lose the Jug. Minnesota may not be Michi- gan's marquee matchup of the season, but Gallon still had dif- ficulty putting what the game means into words. "Celebrating with your team- mates, playing for something other than yourself ... it means a lot to me and my team," Gallon said. "Just knowing that the Jug, that trophy, is comingback home to you." The Golden Gophers (0-1 Big Minnesota Ten, 4-1 overall), who are coming aging just ei off a 23-7 loss to Iowa, have split return, while time at quarterback between Phil- average 14.81 lip Nelson and Mitch Leidner. Min- Chris Hawtho nesota's offense focuses on the read goals so far. H option, so don't expect many fire- have come fror works from the Golden Gophers' 50 yards. Mic aerial attack - it's ranked 114th in bons has conni Division L Jeremy Gal Meanwhile, the Michigan sec- to break a pun ondary has been adequate so far. It down every tit will be nice for it to get a breather Edge: Michi from what has been a heavy work- load. The Wolverines have defend- Intangibles ed the pass more often than all but 12 Division I teams. Saturday, the Michigan w secondary will be able to commit to its home fans t stopping the run. like the one Edge: Michigan Dame than th opponents are aver- ght yards per punt the Golden Gophers per attempt. Kicker rne is 5-for-7 on field lowever, both misses m distances of at least higan's Brendan Gib-, ected on four of five. Ilon is still a threat nt return for a touch- me. gan 'ill be eager to show hat this team is more that handled Notre e.one that probably o in B -n b zn B, B 0l a The Constant Gardner Minnesota rush offense vs. Michigan rush defense Michigan's rush defense, which hasn't allowed a touchdowp on the ground yet this season, should make should've lost to Akron. Seventeen consecutive home wins never hurts, either. Edge: Michigane Prediction: Michigan 34, Minnesota 14 TheMichiganDaily - www.michigandaily.com 18