NoelarBear
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Know Your Opponent: Michigan Wolverines - GopherHole.com
Before every game, I ask a reporter who covers the Gophers upcoming opponent to give us a view from the opponent’s perspective. I asked CJ Mangum from Blue By Ninety six questions about the Michigan Wolverines. Minnesota hosts Michigan for the battle of the Little Brown Jug on October 7th. this...
Before every game, I ask a reporter who covers the Gophers upcoming opponent to give us a view from the opponent’s perspective.
I asked CJ Mangum from Blue By Ninety six questions about the Michigan Wolverines.
Minnesota hosts Michigan for the battle of the Little Brown Jug on October 7th. this will be the 105th meeting between the two programs.
Huge thanks to CJ for giving us his thoughts!
Follow CJ on Twitter: @cjmangum_
Follow Noel on Twitter: @N0elthompson
1. 2022 was quite the year for the Michigan Wolverines. They finished 13-1 overall, went undefeated in conference play, beat Ohio State for the second year in a row, and made it to the College Football Playoff. What are the expectations for this team in the 2023 season? Would anything short of another appearance in the college football playoff be a failure?
The team and fans are sometimes hesitant to buy into the “natty or bust” mentality, but on a national scale, that is pretty much what this year is going to be for Michigan football. If the Wolverines don’t beat Ohio State, win the Big Ten, and actually win a College Football Playoff game, there are going to be a lot of upset fans and underwhelmed analysts. Frankly, there is no reason – aside from injuries or something out of the team’s control – that Michigan shouldn’t make the CFP by season’s end. Additionally, looking ahead to how many coaches and players *could* leave after this season, 2023 may be Michigan’s last real shot at winning it all for the next few seasons.
2. The Wolverines enter the game Saturday with an overall record of 5-0 and 2-0 in conference play. They have scored over 30 points in every game and have yet to give up more than 10 points a game. It seems pretty clear that there is a reason why this team is ranked second in the country. Are there any weaknesses in this team? If so, what would be something they need to improve on?
Frankly, there are only two weaknesses that Michigan could have, though, to this point, neither has been evident at all. First, if the Wolverines get ahead of themselves and overlook Minnesota – get too cocky, if you will – which could become a downfall. That said, this year’s team is laser-focused, so I don't see that being the case.
Secondly, Michigan has a lot of injuries right now, and while a lot of these injured players will still be hitting the field this Saturday against Minnesota, the Wolverines are limiting star players like Rod Moore, Mike Sainristil, and more. Perhaps that isn’t a team weakness, but Michigan won’t be at 100% this weekend.
3. Offensively, Michigan is led by quarterback and Heisman hopeful J.J. McCarthy, who has thrown for 1,071 yards with 10 touchdowns. Star running back Blake Corum is back and has looked more like himself since his leg injury last year. The offense is averaging more than 400 yards per game. What makes this offense so dangerous? Are there any other players Minnesota should know about on the Wolverines offense?
I think Joel Klatt said it best when he called Michigan a “boa constrictor.” The Wolverines are going to win football games – sometimes it’s clear early on (like the Nebraska game last week), and sometimes it takes a second (like the 2022 Ohio State game), but it’s coming regardless. Michigan doesn’t care about fancy wins or covering spreads – it comes in with a mindset of being more physical, holding onto the football longer, and taking whatever the defense gives it. It’s almost surgical how the team operates within a system that Jim Harbaugh calls the “we-fense.” In other words, it is rarely a matter of *if* Michigan breaks the game open, but *when.*
As far as players to watch, here are three:
1 – Sophomore tight end Colston Loveland. Loveland is a freak at tight end; he is fast, physical, and some of the catches he makes are unreal. Everyone is talking about Brock Bowers at Georgia, but there is growing buzz about Loveland being one of the best TEs in the country right now – he is doubled-teamed often and has become a massive impact player for JJ McCarthy and Michigan’s offense.
2 – Senior wide receiver Roman Wilson. Wilson has seen some injuries in the past, but so far, he is among the nation’s best wideouts and is as healthy as ever heading into Week 6. He leads the nation in touchdown catches, and if you somehow missed his insane TD grab from last week, I suggest looking it up – it tells the full story of just how good Wilson has been so far.
3 – Fifth-year wide receiver Cornelius Johnson. Johnson has not had a breakout season yet, though really started to shine at the end of 2022. Like Roman Wilson, Cornelius Johnson has made some insane catches this year; in fact, while he does not have the prominent numbers that Wilson does, he is a huge threat. Johnson is Michigan’s “big body” wideout, but with his speed, he is always a danger in single coverage (see his two long touchdowns against Ohio State last November).
4. The Wolverine defense is giving up 245 yards per game, which is the fourth-best in the nation. They are first in the country in points against, only allowing six points per game. Can you tell us what makes the Michigan defense so tough to play against? What are a few impact players on that side of the ball?
Jesse Minter commands the most dominant defense in the nation, largely because of the team’s depth. Michigan has All-Big Ten and All-American-caliber players backing up other players of the same caliber. The defensive line is two-deep across the board, as are the defensive backs, most of the linebackers, and the edge rushers. So, essentially, opposing offenses are always facing a fresh defensive line with new looks, different schemes, and more. With talent, depth, and incredible coaching all over the field, this year’s defense is one of the top defensive units that I have seen in my lifetime – and trust me, my lifetime includes a lot of college football watching.
5. In my opinion, this game features one of the best trophies in all of college football, the Little Brown Jug. It is the oldest trophy in all of FBS college football, dating back to 1903. No one needs to tell Minnesota fans that this rivalry is one-sided, with Michigan having a 76-25 record overall against Minnesota. Even with that said, this trophy means a lot to Gophers fans. I’m curious, in your opinion, what does this rivalry mean to those in Ann Arbor? How much does this historic trophy mean to the Michigan Wolverines?
The Little Brown Jug should be iconic for all college football fans; in fact, one of the most popular spots to eat in Ann Arbor is called ‘The Brown Jug.’ That said, when it comes to the actual meaning of the trophy, it probably means less for Michigan fans, largely due to the gap in expectations between the two programs. For Michigan football, not having The Jug is likely when fans care the most about it, especially with the Wolverines being an annual Big Ten and national title contender; it’s expected that Michigan will retain the trophy. Let me put it like this – the Jug has notable value in Ann Arbor, but it’s not a game that anyone is circling, and no one is clammoring about this weekend’s game being a “rivalry” or a trophy game.
6. The Wolverines enter this Saturday, having won the last 17 Big Ten games, the longest streak in the nation. They come to Minneapolis as 20-point favorites and will play the Gophers in a night game covered by NBC. What is your prediction for the battle of the Little Brown Jug? Do you see Minnesota being the first team to score double-digit points against the Wolverines?
Michigan had a breakout game last weekend where it really laid on the gas pedal in one of the toughest environments that the Big Ten has to offer. It was a solid showing for the Wolverines’ first road game of the year, and in recent history, it has become clear that Michigan plays its best ball on the road.. With Mason Graham – the team’s top defensive tackle – back from injury, I see Michigan covering the spread this weekend, though I am not so sure that it will be a pretty win. PJ Fleck is a solid head coach, and during a primetime road game, the Wolverines are likely just looking to get to 6-0 and move on to Indiana in Week 7. It’s also worth noting that, as I mentioned, Michigan plays “boring” football and will essentially try to suffocate Minnesota until the Gophers eventually break.
Now, when Michigan’s starters are in the game, I would be shocked if Minnesota breaks double-digits. That said, the Wolverines are beating teams so bad that most of the team’s starters have few (if any) snaps in the late third quarter and entire fourth quarter – stars like JJ McCarthy, who has not played a down past quarter number three this year, are a perfect example. So, if the Gophers do earn multiple scores this weekend, it will likely be against the backups and freshmen. My score prediction: Michigan wins 38-9.
