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First-half miscues cost Gophers in narrow loss to No. 12 Michigan

Minnesota made a furious fourth-quarter push to get within striking distance of a victory.

Nolan O'Hara

Minnesota running back Darius Taylor (1) rushes chased by Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore (8) in the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Sept. 28, 2024.
Minnesota running back Darius Taylor (1) rushes chased by Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore (8) in the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Sept. 28, 2024. / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
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The Gophers football team didn’t go down without a fight, but first-half miscues proved the difference in a 27-24 loss to No. 12-ranked Michigan Saturday afternoon at The Big House in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Wolverines won the battle for the Little Brown Jug for the fifth consecutive matchup.

A pair of touchdown runs from Darius Taylor got the Gophers within 24-17 with 11 minutes, 8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, and the U got within 27-24 when wide receiver Daniel Jackson made an incredible 12-yard touchdown grab with under two minutes remaining.

The Gophers also appeared to recover the ensuing onside kick, but a questionable offsides penalty forced a re-kick, and the Wolverines ultimately recovered and ran out the clock for the victory.

But had the Gophers not dug themselves an early hole with miscues that translated to Michigan points, the fourth-quarter surge from the U could have potentially resulted in an incredible upset.

Trailing 7-0 in the second quarter deep in their own territory, quarterback Max Brosmer hit Jackson for a 7-yard gain, but he got the ball stripped, setting up a short, 16-yard field for Michigan. Three plays later, Kalel Mullings had his second score of the day from 1 yard out, making it 14-0.

Later in the second quarter, the Gophers (2-3, 0-2) had a punt blocked, and Michigan needed just one play to make it a three-touchdown advantage as Alex Orji hit Tyler Morris for an 11-yard touchdown.

After Mullings ran for his first touchdown of the day on a 27-yard scamper in the first quarter, the Gophers put themselves in prime position to get some points back, going on an eight-play, 43-yard drive to get into field-goal range. But Dragan Kesich's 55-yard attempt went wide right.

Mullings had 24 carries for 111 yards and the two scores.

In what wasn't a miscue — but perhaps a missed opportunity — the Gophers went on an 11-play, 77-yard drive and got all the way to the Michigan 1-yard line after a 44-yard pass from Brosmer to tight end Nick Kallerup. But instead of going for a touchdown trailing 21-0, coach P.J. Fleck elected to rush Kesich on the field to kick a 20-yarder that made it a 21-3 deficit at the halftime break.

Bromser played a solid game, completing 27-of-40 passes for 258 yards, a touchdown and a pick.

The Gophers defense did bail out that interception, shutting down the Wolverines (4-1, 2-0) on the ensuing possession, and it did a solid job against Michigan all game long, holding the team to 241 total yards. The Gophers, meanwhile, totaled 296 yards of total offense against a stout defense.

Orji was held to 10-of-18 passing for 86 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Michigan got the first points of the second half on Zvada's 53-yard field goal that made it 24-3 in the third quarter. But the Gophers scored touchdowns on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter, first going on a 14-play, 76-yard drive that was capped with Taylor's 3-yard touchdown run.

After forcing the Wolverines to punt on their next possession, Koi Perich had a 60-yard return to the Michigan 17. Three plays later, it was Taylor again on a 4-yard touchdown scamped to make it 24-17.

Taylor had 13 carries for 36 yards and the two scores.

And ultimately, the Gophers found themselves right there after Jackson's incredible touchdown grab. The penalty on the following onside-kick attempt will certainly be the talker after the game. But the Gophers weren't without their chances before then, and the missed opportunities proved costly.

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Nolan O'Hara
NOLAN O'HARA

Nolan O'Hara covers all things Minnesota sports, primarily the Timberwolves, for Bring Me The News and Sports Illustrated's On SI network. He previously worked as a copy editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota's Hubbard School of Journalism. His work has appeared in the Pioneer Press, Ratchet & Wrench magazine, the Minnesota Daily and a number of local newspapers in Minnesota, among other publications.

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