ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Kalel Mullings rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns in his first start at running back as No. 12 Michigan held on to the Little Brown Jug with a 27-24 win in the rain against Minnesota on Saturday.
“Coach told me I was starting today, but it didn’t change much for me,” said Mullings, who leads the Wolverines with 540 yards and six touchdowns in five games. “I always prepare like I’m going to (be) on the field for every play.”
Michigan led 24-3 going into the fourth quarter, but Minnesota scored three touchdowns to pull within 27-24 with 1:37 left.
The Gophers recovered the onside kick but were flagged for offsides. Mullings grabbed the second kick, allowing the Wolverines to run out the clock.
“We practiced that,” he said. “They lined up the same way, so I figured he was going to try the same kick, so I went after it before it went 10 yards.”
The Wolverines (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) extended their school-record conference winning streak to 27 games. They haven’t lost a Big Ten game since Michigan State beat them in 2021.
Minnesota (2-3, 0-2) hoped to win the Little Brown Jug for the first time in a decade and only the third time in the 21st century.
“We are way past the point where moral victories matter to this program,” Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said. “Everyone on our sideline thought we were going to win that game.”
Mullings made up for another weak performance from the passing game. Alex Orji completed 10 of 18 passes for 86 yards. He did throw one touchdown pass, but his interception helped Minnesota’s fourth-quarter comeback.
“I had Donovan (Edwards) open on the other side of the field,” he said. “I have to stay true to my training and get him the ball.”
Mullings finished Michigan’s first drive with an untouched 27-yard touchdown run, but both offenses bogged down in the wet conditions.
The Wolverines’ defense, though, forced a fumble early in the second quarter, giving them the ball at the Gophers 16. Mullings carried on the next three plays, bulling his way into the end zone from the 1 for a 14-0 lead.
Kechaun Bennett blocked a Minnesota punt later in the quarter. Orji hit Tyler Morris on the next play for an 11-yard touchdown to make it 21-0.
Minnesota got on the board on the last play of the half. Brosmer hit Nick Kallerup for 44 yards to the Michigan 1 and the field goal unit got onto the field in time for Dragan Kesich to kick a 20-yarder.
Dominic Zvada’s 53-yard field goal restored Michigan’s 21-point lead midway through the third quarter, but Orji’s interception on the next drive led to a 3-yard touchdown run by Darius Taylor.
After the Wolverines went three-and-out, freshman Koi Perich returned a punt 60 yards to the Michigan 17, and Taylor got his second touchdown to make it 24-17 with 11:05 to play.
“When you give a Big Ten team field position, that’s what is going to happen,” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said. “Every Big Ten team is a tough opponent. We don’t look at them any differently.”
Michigan ran 6:32 off the clock to set up Zvada’s second field goal and the 27-17 lead with 4:33 to go, but Brosmer hit Daniel Jackson for a 12-yard score to make it a three-point game.
“Our quarterback played his butt off, Darius Taylor played his butt off, our defense played their butts off,” Fleck said. “There were some plays that hurt us on special teams.”
Biggest leg on campus
Zvada’s 53-yard field goal was his fourth 50-plus kick this season, setting a school record.
“When we got him in here and he started banging through 60-yarders, it didn’t take long to realize we had something here,” Moore said.
Important visitor
It isn’t unusual for a governor to attend a Big Ten game, but things get slightly different when he’s running for vice president. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had a heavy Secret Service contingent when he visited the field during warmups, and the postgame news conferences were delayed for 30 minutes to expedite his departure.
Up next
Minnesota: hosts No. 13 USC next Saturday.
Michigan: visits Washington next Saturday for its first road game.
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