Michigan is coming off a heartbreaking defeat.
Minnesota is coming off an exhilarating victory.
The upcoming matchup between the longtime Big Ten rivals could go a long way toward determining the trajectories of both teams’ seasons.
Michigan (3-1, 0-1) will try to bounce back when it faces Minnesota (3-1, 1-0) on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis. It will be the first game since Michigan lost 20-19 as time expired against visiting Iowa and since Minnesota went on the road to defeat Washington 27-24.
Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham chuckled when a reporter asked him this week about how he would characterize his first month with the Wolverines.
“The first month of the season?” Whittingham said. “Well, we’re 3-1. I feel like we’re 0-4. That’s how I feel. But we’re 3-1 — one play away from 4-0, one play away from 2-2 (a controversial 13-12 Michigan victory over Western Michigan on Sept. 5). …
“It’s been an emotional roller coaster in a way,” Whittingham added. “But, you know, I see a lot of things trending in the right direction. The offense, Bryce Underwood as an individual, the offensive line. So I think we’ve got some things going for us, but we’ve still got things that need to be cleaned up.”
One of the biggest blemishes for Michigan has been drawing flags before and after the whistle.
“We have way too many penalties,” Whittingham said. “We understand that. It’s a work in progress.”
The mood is different with the Golden Gophers, who are looking to improve 2-0 in conference play after the road win over Washington last Saturday.
Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said his players had one off day after their long flight back from Seattle, and then they quickly turned the page on a crucial win.
“We go right back to work,” Fleck said.
What is his scouting report on Michigan?
“They’re one of the more dominating defenses in the Big Ten (and) in the country,” Fleck said. “They play really violent, physical in their front seven. … They’re constantly moving that offensive line and that line of scrimmage to put pressure on the quarterback in his face.”
Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey has passed for 951 yards and seven touchdowns this season, with two interceptions.
Underwood leads Michigan’s offense. He has passed for 780 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions and has rushed for 192 yards and a pair of scores.