Gophers beat Michigan for the first time since 2005

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Jerry Kill is a hero. Brady Hoke is in trouble. Real trouble.

For the first time since 2005, University of Minnesota players stormed the Michigan sideline Saturday to claim the Little Brown Jug trophy – signifying a high point for their program and a low point for their once-elite Big Ten rival. In his fourth season with the Gophers, Kill was looking for a signature win that would be a sign his team was building on last year’s eight-win season.

And he got it with a 30-14 victory over the Wolverines in front of a shocked crowd of 102,926 at Michigan Stadium.

“For us, it’s just more momentum for the program,” Gophers athletics director Norwood Teague said. “Jerry and the staff, they do a great job. They had the kids prepared. They know how to do it – and they do it very well.”

Offensive tackle Joe Bjorklund, a Rosemount, Minn., native, was the first player to hoist the jug on the field after it was taken out of its case. His teammates were running in the wrong direction initially.

“I saw on the sideline when Coach Hoke started walking off that they were opening up a box,” Bjorklund said. “Everybody took off the other way. I was trying to wave them back, get them back. So I just said, whatever, I’m going to get the jug. It felt great. Being a guy from Minnesota, I followed this game my entire life. … It was awesome.”

Kill got a Gatorade shower, his first since he can’t remember when.

But he kept it calm then and later in the locker room. He was just happy to be there for his team after missing last year’s 42-13 loss at Michigan because of a seizure.

“I got to hug my mom and my wife’s out there,” Kill said. “I didn’t participate last year, and I let a lot of people down. I’m just happy about the opportunity to be here. I think there’s several people here from Saginaw (Valley) State. That was 20 years ago, I got my first head-coaching job here in Michigan.”

Minnesota (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) gained 229 of its 357 total yards (167 passing and 206 rushing) in the first half, far more balanced than the attack that managed just one completion for 7 yards in the previous week’s win over San Jose State.

Redshirt sophomore Mitch Leidner started at quarterback after missing the previous game because of a turf toe injury. The Lakeville native started his first career game at Michigan last year. Saturday, he completed 14 of 22 passes for 167 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

He remembered watching the 58-0 loss Minnesota suffered in Kill’s first season in 2011. Leidner was just a senior at Lakeville South High School at the time.

“It’s just an unbelievable feeling,” he said. “It’s just amazing how things have turned around.”

Senior tailback David Cobb had 32 carries for 183 yards against a Michigan defense that came in leading the Big Ten in fewest total yards allowed (261) and giving up just 80 yards per game on the ground.

Cobb had been held to just 45 yards in a 30-7 loss at Texas Christian a couple weeks ago, so it was rewarding to prove the Minnesota rushing attack could be dominant against a good defense.

With favorable matchups coming up after a bye week against Northwestern on Oct. 11 at home and homecoming against Purdue on Oct. 18, Cobb said the celebration will only last a short time.

“This isn’t the end of anything we want to do,” he said. “Our eyes are still on the prize. This isn’t the end of the season, for sure.”

MINNESOTA 30 MICHIGAN 14

Minnesota 0 10 17 3- 30

Michigan 0 7 0 7- 14

Second Quarter

MICH-Dv.Smith 10 yard rush (Wile kick), 11:10.

MINN-Mi.Leidner 10 yard rush (Santoso kick), 8:00.

MINN-Santoso 24 yard field goal, 0:00.

Third Quarter

MINN-Santoso 48 yard field goal, 6:56.

MINN-Dv.Campbell 30 yard interception return (Santoso kick), 6:42.

MINN-Mx.Williams 1 yard pass from Mi.Leidner (Santoso kick), 2:52.

Fourth Quarter

MINN-Santoso 25 yard field goal, 12:50.

MICH-Dv.Gardner 3 yard rush (Wile kick), 7:27.

TEAM STATISTICS

MINN MICH

First Downs 20 12

Rushes-Yards 47-206 28-83

Passing 167 88

Sacked-Yds Lost 2-15 1-11

Comp-Att-Int 14-23-0 10-25-1

Return Yards 124 35

Punts 6-41.0 8-50.0

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-1

Penalties-Yards 7-65 2-23

Time of Possession 34:43 25:02

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-MINN, D.Cobb 32-183, R.Williams Jr. 4-14, Dn.Jones 1-13, Be.Edwards 2-3, D.Kirkwood 1-0, Mi.Leidner 6-(minus 5). MICH, Dv.Smith 9-57, Dv.Gardner 5-23, Ju.Hayes 3-10, Dr.Green 6-6, Funchess 1-(minus 5), S.Morris 4-(minus 8).

PASSING-MINN, Mi.Leidner 14-22-0-167. MICH, S.Morris 7-19-1-49, Dv.Gardner 3-6-0-39.

RECEIVING-MINN, Mx.Williams 4-51, D.Cobb 3-50, Fruechte 2-16, Plsek 1-21, Wolitarsky 1-12, KJ.Maye 1-11, Ml.Thomas 1-5, Be.Edwards 1-1. MICH, Funchess 4-37, Chesson 2-27, Butt 2-13, Ju.Hayes 2-11.