Michigan football will play host to Minnesota on Saturday evening and here’s everything you need to know for the matchup.
It’s been an interesting season for Michigan football, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. The Wolverines began the year with what looked to be an impressive victory over Florida in Dallas, Texas, but that win has since lost its luster with the decline of the Gators.
The Wolverines are 6-2 with losses to Michigan State, at home, and Penn State. They have failed to look anything other than underwhelming on offense, thanks to lackluster quarterback play from John O’Korn and now-injured Wilton Speight. Brandon Peters could be the answer now, though, as he will get the start on Saturday night.
Minnesota will be tasked with trying to stop the young quarterback who gained some confidence against Rutgers last week. The Gophers’ secondary ranks 24th in the country in terms of yards allowed per game and that may give Peters fits.
The Gophers have gone just 4-4 to this point in the year in P.J. Fleck’s first season with the program. They are still aiming to become bowl eligible, but the program is on the right track with its new head coach. Could Demry Croft be the answer at quarterback? He will be tested against arguably the Big Ten’s best defense.
Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s Michigan vs. Minnesota game:
Date: Saturday, Nov. 4
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Venue: Michigan Stadium
TV: FOX
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go
Keys to Victory
Michigan needs to shut down Rodney Smith and make Demry Croft beat the Wolverines through the air. The young quarterback isn’t going to beat the Wolverines by himself, so if Michigan can shut down the top offensive weapons, Minnesota won’t be able to move the ball. On offense, setting up the run will be crucial for Brandon Peters if he wants to air it out. That will help his confidence.
As for Minnesota, it will be all about stopping Michigan’s solid run game led by Karan Higdon. The Wolverines will be relying heavily on the rushing attack and Minnesota needs to stack the box and force Peters to burn the Gophers through the air, but in his first start, assuming he gets the nod, he is unlikely to go off. The offense needs to mix things up as Croft has struggled in recent games. More of a balanced attack is needed.
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Prediction
Minnesota is going to have a rough go of things against this vaunted Michigan defense. In fact, the Wolverines will keep the Gophers out of the end zone following a first-quarter touchdown run by Rodney Smith. They will only be able to register a couple of field goals and head back to Minneapolis with their tails between their legs. Brandon Peters will have a decent game, but not a breakout performance, by any means, while Karan Higdon rushes for 150 yards.
Final Score: Minnesota 13, Michigan 31