Leinart Picks Minnesota Gophers Over Michigan; Meyer Unsure
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On Saturday, the Minnesota Gophers host the Michigan Wolverines in a battle for the Little Brown Jug. Both teams enter 3-1. The Fightin’ Flecks are coming off an emotional victory at Washington, 27-24, against a previously unbeaten Huskies squad.
Michigan, meanwhile, was upset at home by the Iowa Hawkeyes, 20-19, on a last-second touchdown for its first loss of the season.
The Gophers enter as six-point underdogs (per DraftKings). If they want to come out on top, Fleck’s squad will have to perform more like what we saw against Washington and Akron than how they performed against Mississippi State.
To add even more history to one of college football’s oldest rivalries, Saturday will mark the 100th time the two schools have battled for the Little Brown Jug.
FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff invades University of Minnesota campus
You know it’s a big game when one of the two main college football pregame shows is on campus, like FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff is this weekend. That means Urban Meyer, Matt Leinart, Mark Ingram, Brady Quinn, Rob Stone and Dave Portnoy will all be the center of campus from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CDT on Saturday.
During a rehearsal on campus Friday afternoon, both Meyer and Leinart took time to answer questions from local media, where Minnesota Sports Fan was in attendance.
Tomorrow this group will include @stoolpresidentepic.twitter.com/AlDVlr41iK
— Ted (@tlschwerz) October 2, 2026
In 17 hours this place will be packed! pic.twitter.com/dGdj6OJdKT
— Ted (@tlschwerz) October 2, 2026
After stops at Bowling Green, Utah, and Florida, Urban Meyer made his way to the Big Ten as the head coach of Ohio State. While leading the Buckeyes, Meyer went 83-9 record and won the 2014 national championship.
After leaving Ohio State, Urban’s coaching career quickly went off the rails… but we’ll leave his late nights in Jacksonville for another time.
Friday afternoon, the Columbus legend recounted his 2014 trip to what is now Huntington Bank Stadium, which was known as TCF Bank Stadium at the time, when his Buckeyes defeated Jerry Kill’s Gophers in a tight one, 31-24.
Urban Meyer weighs in on Minnesota vs Michigan matchup
The difference in that contest was an 86-yard touchdown run from J.T. Barrett, early in the first quarter. Running back David Cobb did the Gophers’ heavy lifting that day (per usual), rushing for 145 yards and three touchdowns.
“I remember this beautiful stadium and I remember the place was packed. I remember I saw, all these tough ass people wearing shorts. I went in and told our staff you better be ready for this one.”
“One thing about Minnesota is they’ve never been bad in my tenure. Jerry Kill did a helluva job. Tracy Claeys, didn’t he win like nine games? Then P.J. [Fleck] has done a helluva job here. Glen Mason, Lou Holtz, this is kind of a really good story here.”
He had a lot of good things to say about Kill and assistant-turned-head coach, Tracy Claeys. But beyond just reminiscing, Meyer told reporters that he’s seen Michigan twice this season and, while he sees Michigan as the better team in most areas, he still gives the Gophers a puncher’s chance at victory.
More from @CoachUrbanMeyer shortly. Stay tuned at @realmnsportsfanpic.twitter.com/1kmzqFve0V
— Ted (@tlschwerz) October 2, 2026
The main reason for hope — Drake Lindsey, of course. Meyer noted how much his Big Noon Kickoff co-hosts like Drake Lindsey as an NFL prospect, which made him turn to PJ Fleck and his ability to keep such a talent on campus despite the former Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year growing up a diehard Razorbacks fan.
“I can see that with P.J. though…He’s a very consistent coach, he’s an energy guy. I have a lot of respect for P.J. and this program.”
“They were asking me to pick the winner. I got to because I have to, but as of now I can’t. I don’t know. I think we know what’s going to show up on the home sideline. They’re real consistent, real strong defense…I think the other sideline, I don’t know. I don’t think anyone knows.”
Related: MN Gophers vs Michigan Preview: 100th Little Brown Jug Battle
Meyer knows new Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham better than most. Whittingham was his defensive coordinator at Utah in 2003 and 2004, then succeeded him as head coach in 2005, when Urban left for Florida.
After 21 years as a head coach at Utah, Whittingham, now 66 years old, stepped into a role at Michigan that carries scrutiny he’s never had in his career. Meyer knows all about that, too, which makes his analysis of the situation all the more interesting.
Fresh off his first loss at Michigan, Saturday feels like a tonesetting game for the future of Wolverines football. If Minnesota can hit Whittingham’s group with another midwest haymaker, the sky will be falling in Ann Arbor next week. That’s a guarantee.
Matt Leinart talks Minnesota Gophers QB Drake Lindsey
After we talked to Meyer, we got some time with former USC quarterback and 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, Matt Leinart, an interview he toughed out fresh off a bee sting that had happened just moments earlier.
Football guy.
No fun for @MattLeinartQB being stung by a bee right before talking with the media. pic.twitter.com/PAieP1fVqd
— Ted (@tlschwerz) October 2, 2026
“I love P.J. [Fleck]. I just think he’s, you know the blood last week, he kind of is who he is, which I appreciate about him. He’s always been the same. Last week was their best performance…They don’t run the football extremely well, their quarterback is good. They’re throwing the ball all over the yard. I like the team. A game like tomorrow, Michigan is a good football team, but they’re beatable. This is a game where I think Minnesota can win. That’s a program defining win. Especially this season.”
As Meyer mentioned to us, both Leinart and Brady Quinn have been watching Minnesota Gophers QB Drake Lindsey very closely this season, and currently see the 21-year-old as a legitimate NFL prospect either for the 2027 or 2028 draft.
Leinart glowed while talking about the Gophers’ signal caller. We didn’t get to speak with Quinn, but his co-host had no issues speaking on his behalf, when it came to Lindsey’s potential.
“Brady loves Drake. You know we quarterbacks talk about them. This year, this class, there’s obviously the big names and obviously everyone talks about it. Drake has been really good. They put a lot of pressure on him too because of the fact that they don’t really run the football very well. He’s been good. I think he’s an NFL guy, so I’m excited to see him in person play.”
The Wolverines handled Brent Venables and the Oklahoma Sooners earlier this season, but they’ve struggled in all of their other games. That’s because Michigan has a lot of issues.
Leinart gives the Gophers a shot… if they can run the football even a little bit
For Leinart, it’s up to Minnesota’s run game. If the can establish any traction on the ground Saturday, the Golden Gophers will have a fighting chance to beat Big Blue at home for the first time since 1977.
“Oklahoma is having their own struggles offensively. They really struggle moving the ball…This is different because they don’t throw the football well, obviously Minnesota throws the football well and that’s what they want to do. I think the biggest thing is if they can find any consistency running the ball against Michigan, it will help a lot…I’ve been impressed with Minnesota’s defense…
…It’s a really competitive league top to bottom, and when Minnesota finds themselves really in the middle, these are the ones that can really get you to the top and give you confidence moving forward. I think they can win tomorrow, spoiler alert I’m going to pick them to win, I think they’re going to win.”
Related: Gopher Football Loses Starting Center for Season
If the Gophers knock off the Wolverines, they will be squarely in the Top 25 conversation after receiving seven votes in the latest AP poll.
It’s clear the Bulldogs that beat them earlier this season are for real, as Mississippi State is 4-0 and ranked No. 16, and Michigan was ranked No. 18 until the Iowa loss.
These are the contests you want to see Fleck elevate his program in, and it could be a proving ground for Lindsey as well.
Read more at Minnesota Sports Fan
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