FootballSaturday, November 4, 2017
8

as 
well 
as 
the 
Michigan 

faithful. 
He 
may 
have 

jumpstarted 
the 
Wolverines’ 

struggling offense last Saturday, 
but he needs to show that he can 
have that much of an impact on a 
regular basis.

Peters will have his work 

cut out for him in a matchup 
against the Golden Gophers’ 
20th-ranked defense. In eight 
games, Minnesota has given up 
just eight touchdowns through 
the air. It has also allowed an 
average of 114 passing yards 
per game, which is 10 less than 
Peters gained last Saturday. 
While Peters has yet to throw 
an 
interception, 
the 
Golden 

Gophers have forced eight and 
returned them for 98 yards.

Peters is bound to face some 

bumps in the road eventually. 
They might come sooner than 
expected Saturday night.

Edge: Minnesota
Michigan run offense vs 

Minnesota run defense

It’s not every day that a ground 

game gains 334 yards. But last 
Saturday was no ordinary day 
for the Wolverines’ running 
back rotation. Junior Karan 
Higdon and fifth-year senior Ty 
Isaac both eclipsed 100 yards 
rushing, and Higdon teamed 
up 
with 
redshirt 
freshman 

Kareem Walker to score three 
touchdowns.

As 
far 
as 
Michigan 
is 

concerned, it was no fluke. 
After 
starting 
the 
season 

with 
concerning 
flaws, 
the 

offensive line has been on the 
mend according to fifth-year 
senior Patrick Kugler. With a 
mentality to open up holes for 

the Wolverines’ talented backs, 
Kugler and his unit have worked 
to resolve the little mistakes that 
plagued them for much of the 
year.

Regardless, Minnesota will 

provide 
a 
more 
challenging 

test 
than 
they 
have 
faced. 

The Golden Gophers’ trio of 
linebackers, 
Thomas 
Barber, 

Jonathan Celestin, and Carter 
Coughlin, have the ability to 
wreak havoc in stopping the 
run. Barber leads the team with 
75 tackles, Coughlin leads with 
8.5 
tackles-for-loss 
and 
4.5 

sacks, and Celestin has both an 
interception return and fumble 
recovery.

The 
running 
backs 
and 

offensive line had their best 
outing against Rutgers, and that 
momentum should be enough 
to push them past Minnesota’s 
tough front.

Edge: Michigan
Minnesota pass offense vs 

Michigan pass defense

More often than not, operating 

an offense with two different 
quarterbacks is a recipe for 
disaster. Despite relatively solid 
numbers 
from 
Minnesota’s 

Conor Rhoda and Demry Croft, 
the Golden Gophers are no 
exception.

Minnesota has one of the 

worst offenses in the nation, 
ranking 110th nationally in total 
offense. Rhoda and Croft have 
combined for 1,251 yards and just 
nine touchdowns in eight games 
played. They should be grateful 
to have a target like receiver 
Tyler Johnson, who has caught 
31 passes for 591 yards and seven 
of those scores.

Michigan, 
on 
the 
other 

hand, has one of the best pass 
defenses in the country. Ranked 
as the fifth-best unit in passing 
efficiency, 
the 
Wolverines’ 

secondary has held opponents to 
just six total scores this season. 
While their individual statistics 
might not stand out as much, the 
chemistry of the back four has 
been a strength for Michigan.

Whichever quarterback takes 

the field will have a hard time 
breaking through the defense in 
the air.

Edge: Michigan
Minnesota run offense vs 

Michigan run defense

As is the case with the 

Wolverines, 
Minnesota’s 
run 

game is the dominant offensive 
unit. And it has a trio of backs 
of its own in Rodney Smith, 
Shannon 
Brooks 
and 
Kobe 

McCrary.

The three have combined for 

12 touchdowns, with Brooks 
and McCrary coming up with 
five each. Smith is the lead back, 
though, as he has received the 
vast majority of carries with 153. 
Together, they have helped the 
Golden Gophers rank in the top-
50 nationally with an average of 
182 yards per game.

Despite Minnesota’s strength 

in this area, Michigan has a 
strength of its own, too. The 
Wolverines’ 
defensive 
line 

has 
only 
improved 
as 
the 

season has progressed, with 
the combination of fifth-year 
senior tackle Maurice Hurst 
and sophomore defensive end 
Rashan Gary continually causing 
fits for opposing offenses.

As good as Michigan’s front 

four is, it may not be able to 
contain 
Minnesota’s 
running 

back trio, though.

Edge: Minnesota
Special teams
It hasn’t been the best of times 

for redshirt freshman kicker 
Quinn Nordin.

After missing a PAT against 

Penn State amid rousing boos 
for the one-time Nittany Lion 
commit, Nordin missed another 
kick against Rutgers — this 
time, a 37-yard field goal. He 

is still 14-for-17 on the year, 
which is good for an 80-percent 
completion rate, but his recent 
string of games hasn’t been the 
most encouraging.

Nordin will be up against 

a kicker with a comparable 
record in Golden Gopher Emmit 
Carpenter, who is 11-for-15 — a 
73.3 completion percentage.

In a game that could turn out 

to be closer than expected, one 
of these two kickers might play a 
role in the decision.

Edge: Push
Intangibles
While it may not have been 

long since Michigan’s last home 
night game, it has been a long 
time since the Wolverines played 
host to Minnesota. They won’t 
want to remember it.

In the midst of Michigan’s 

catastrophic 5-7 season back in 
2014, the Golden Gophers came 
away with a 30-14 victory. That 
was all before Harbaugh took 
over the program.

Under 
his 
watch, 
the 

Wolverines brought the Little 
Brown Jug back to Ann Arbor in 
2015. They won’t want to give up 
another trophy.

Edge: Michigan
Prediction: 
Michigan 
21, 

Minnesota 17

The Wolverines will face a tough task against Minnesota
BREAKDOWN
From Page 7

Minnesota at 
Michigan

Matchup: Minnesota 
1-4 Big Ten, 4-4 
overall; Michigan 
3-2, 6-2

When: Saturday 
7:30 P.M. 

Where: Michigan 
Stadium

TV/Radio: 

FOX

EVAN AARON/Daily

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and his team are eager to keep the Little Brown Jug in Ann Arbor on Saturday night after taking it back from Minnesota two years ago.

