Darius Taylor scored one touchdown on the ground and another through the air, and Minnesota rallied for a 20-14 win over Michigan in a Big Ten Conference matchup on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Drake Lindsey completed 17 of 25 passes for 136 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for Minnesota (4-1, 2-0). Noah Jennings had a team-high seven catches for 70 yards.
Jordan Marshall rushed for the lone offensive touchdown for Michigan (3-2, 0-2). Bryce Underwood completed 10 of 21 passes for 101 yards and two interceptions.
Minnesota beat Michigan for the first time since 2014 to capture the Little Brown Jug that is awarded to the winner of the rivalry matchup. The Golden Gophers won the jug on their home field for the first time since 1977, prompting students to storm the field after time expired.
Minnesota opened the scoring with 7:29 remaining in the first quarter. Taylor took a handoff and plowed up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown.
Michigan pulled even at 7-7 with 13:46 to go in the second quarter. Marshall rushed to his left, bounced off a would-be tackler and stretched the ball across the goal line for a 5-yard score.
The Wolverines’ defense gave Michigan a 14-7 lead with 2:48 remaining in the first half. Lindsey threw a pass off his back foot, Nathaniel Staehling jumped the route, secured the interception and lumbered 79 yards down the left sideline for the defensive touchdown.
The only scoring in the third quarter was a 31-yard field goal by the Golden Gophers’ Luke Drzewiecki with 5:46 remaining to cut Minnesota’s deficit to 14-10.
Drzewiecki struck again, this time from 26 yards, to bring Minnesota to 14-13 with 14:58 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Golden Gophers’ defense delivered a big play moments later. Zack Harden intercepted Underwood at the Michigan 35 to give the Minnesota offense a short field.
Taylor provided the go-ahead touchdown three plays later with 13:44 remaining. Lindsey rolled to his right and found him open in the flats for a 3-yard touchdown to make it 20-14.
