1 thing I loved, 3 things I hated: Michigan Football at Minnesota

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A week after suffering a brutal loss at The Big House, the Michigan Wolverines suffered an embarrassing loss on Saturday. Minnesota didn’t do anything special, but the Golden Gophers played mistake-free football (outside of one horrendous mistake) and were able to take the Little Brown Jug away from the Wolverines for the first time since 2014, winning the game by a final score of 20-14. It was also the first time Minnesota beat Michigan at home since 1977.

So far this year, I’ve only been writing about one thing I loved and one thing I hated from each game. Well, we’re switching it up this week, because I really hated a whole lot of things from this game. Let’s get into it.

1 thing I loved: The defense FINALLY getting some takeaways and turning them into points

Much has been made about the lack of takeaways from the Michigan defense so far this year. But in Minnesota on Saturday, the Wolverines finally produced some massive takeaways.

Late in the first quarter, Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey was getting pressured by linebacker Troy Bowles when he went to pass. He got hit as he threw the ball, and the ball hung in the air for what felt like an eternity. Once it finally came back down to earth, the ball was eventually hauled in by cornerback Smith Snowden.

That set up Michigan’s first touchdown of the game, a five-yard rush by running back Jordan Marshall to tie the game at 7-7.

Then, late in the second quarter with the Gophers driving right down the field, Lindsey was backpedaling while being pressured when he made a huge mistake — throwing back across his body and getting intercepted by linebacker Nathaniel Staheling. The fifth-year senior proceeded to take it 79 yards to the house to give Michigan a 14-7 lead shortly before halftime.

Sometimes, the best offense is an elite defense, and that was certainly the case for Michigan in this game.

1 thing I hated: Minnesota’s first offensive drive of each half

After Michigan was forced to punt on its first drive of the game, Minnesota got the ball at the 20 yard line after the punt went into the end zone. The Golden Gophers proceeded to march right down the field, ending the drive with a two-yard touchdown from running back Darius Taylor.

Everything that happened prior to that was pretty tough to watch. Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey threw an 11-yard completion to Noah Jennings on the Gophers’ first offensive play of the game. Two plays later, Lindsey went right back to Jennings for 22 yards. Then, another two plays later, Lindsey found Taylor for a 33-yard gain. Staheling was slow to get over to him, leading to Taylor, as the kids say, being wide-ass open.

Safety Chris Bracy was called for pass interference in the end zone on third down, although I do strongly disagree with the call the officials made. That gave Minnesota the ball at the two yard line, and Taylor immediately punched it into the end zone.

Giving up two explosive plays on the first drive of the game — to Minnesota, of all offenses — is worrisome. And it’s even more worrisome considering that was the first drive for the defense after giving up the game-ending 91-yard drive to Iowa the last time we saw them on the field.

The Gophers got the ball to begin the second half, and their offense was able to find a lot of success on that drive as well. Thankfully, Minnesota was flagged for a false start on 3rd-and-6 at the Michigan 33 yard line, and the Wolverines were able to make a tackle-for-loss on the next play. That forced Minnesota to punt … but Andrew Marsh muffed it — his second of the season — to give the ball right back to the Gophers.

Minnesota couldn’t take full advantage, kicking a field goal to get within four points. Still, gifting the opposition free points is not something you should be doing when you’re struggling to produce points offensively.

Another thing I hated: Third-down penalties

We’ve all talked about how undisciplined this team has been so far this year, equating to a large amount of penalties being called on the Wolverines.

Things didn’t change this weekend at Minnesota. Michigan was flagged five times in the first half, with four of them being called on a third down. The first one against Bracy, as mentioned above, was pretty ticky tack. But I can’t say the same thing for the other ones. Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng was called for a blatant pass interference

On offense, right guard Brady Norton was called for a false start on 3rd-and-4. Later, quarterback Bryce Underwood and the Wolverines were flagged for a delay of game on 3rd-and-15.

Third. And. Fifteen. And you can’t run a play?

Come on, man.

I ultimately blame Underwood for the delay of game, but head coach Kyle Whittingham has to recognize what’s going on and call a timeout. Michigan had two timeouts to end the first half, so it’s not like a timeout wasn’t available.

Michigan finished the game with six penalties for 43 yards. Less than prior weeks, but still not good at all.

1 final thing I hated: Everything on offense

There really isn’t much good I can say about this offense right now because there isn’t much that’s working. First off, Underwood threw a horrendous interception in the third quarter, passing the ball to JJ Buchanan when Marsh was wide open and could have moonwalked into the end zone for a touchdown if he wanted to.

Perhaps Marsh being wide open wouldn’t have mattered considering he muffed the punt and dropped a pass in the first half that went right off his hands (or maybe face mask…it could have been his face mask. I’m not entirely sure since there isn’t a video online anywhere).

Furthermore, not to keep picking on Marsh…but what the hell is this?

Underwood threw a second interception on the very next drive after his first pick. This was the third straight possession that Minnesota started with the ball in Michigan territory.

This one is more on the instant pressure the offensive line gave up, which happened a lot against Minnesota. At one point towards the end of the game, the FOX broadcast showed a graphic that said that Underwood was pressured 10 times, hit nine times and sacked three times. The makeshift offensive line finally cracked and was one of the many reasons the offense couldn’t muster up anything on Saturday.

There was also nothing working for the run game, as the Wolverines ran 28 times for 79 yards (2.8 yards per carry). Marshall had 10 carries for 50 yards and a score, while freshman Savion Hiter carried the ball eight times for nine yards. The longest run of the day came from Underwood on a 14-yarder; he finished the afternoon with 20 rushing yards on 10 attempts.

With a 3-2 record — and with Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State still on the schedule — the margin for error is completely gone. Michigan can still turn this season around, but something has to change, and it has to change during the bye week. If it doesn’t, we may be looking at a 6-6 season.

What did you love and hate from the Minnesota game? I can’t imagine you loved much, if anything, but let me know all your thoughts down in the comments section.

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