Michigan Football set to clash with Golden Gophers in season opener
By Bob Heyrman
The Michigan Football team will finally play their highly anticipated first game of the season Saturday in Minneapolis.
It seems odd to be playing for a trophy this ‘early’ in the regular season schedule despite the calendar indicating it is quite normal, but that’s exactly what will be on the line Saturday when the Michigan football team travels to Minnesota to take on the Golden Gophers.
Saturday will be the 97th meeting for possession of the Little Brown Jug; a series the Wolverines have dominated over its existence with an overall record of 71-23-2.
Michigan football also holds the overall series record by a large margin with a total record of 75-25-3. The Wolverines have also won the last two meetings. The previous meeting came back in 2017 when the Wolverines trounced the Gophers to the tune of 33-10.
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The Wolverines enter their Week One matchup as the 18th ranked school in the nation according to the Associated Press (AP) poll, and 19th according to the coaches poll. The Gophers enter the year not too far behind, ranked 21st in the country. It’s not only a challenging way to start a season; it’s a difficult way to begin a year that has been anything but ordinary.
Usually, the first couple weeks of a college football schedule is built with a few ‘gimme’ type wins for the contending teams throughout the country. They serve as preseason games that allow these teams to work out any kinks as they head into the meat of their schedule. Now, we all know what can happen, remember Appalachian State? Need I say more?
In this case, with a Covid shortened season, it’s only a Big Ten Conference schedule, and the Wolverines will need to start fast. It’s also potentially a make or break season for head coach Jim Harbaugh who is playing without a contract extension.
The Wolverines will start Joe Milton at quarterback; he’s an intriguing dual-threat quarterback with a giant arm. Milton had recently been compared to Cam Newton by his former teammate Nico Collins who decided to opt-out of the season this past summer after the Big Ten postponed the schedule until the Spring.
Now the Newton comparison seems a bit much; let’s see Milton play as a starter rather than just a glimpse in mop-up duty. His strong-arm and 4.3 forty-yard dash speed is the definition of a college (now pro) quarterback. Milton has a little bit of Chad Henne mixed with a bit of Denard Robinson.
The Wolverines are also returning both Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins in their backfield and Kwity Paye, Cam McGrone, and Aidan Hutchinson on the defensive side of the ball.
Things get personal for Jim Harbaugh and Ryan Day. dark. Next
Game Details;
- TCF Bank Stadium • Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, • 7:30 p.m. EDT
- Television: ABC
- Radio: WWJ 950 AM