Michigan vs. Minnesota: Game Grades, Analysis for the Wolverines

The No. 15 Michigan Wolverines took back the Little Brown Jug, beating the Minnesota Golden Gophers 29-26 on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.

Minnesota attempted a quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line as time expired, but Michigan managed to keep Mitch Leidner out of the end zone and escaped with the win.

Pass Offense: Jake Rudock connected on 13 of 21 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game with a rib injury. Wilton Speight replaced him and threw the game-winning score to Jehu Chesson, who caught both touchdowns.

Run Offense: Michigan has a problem up front. The offensive line once again struggled against decent competition, failing to push up to the second level and limiting the running game's effectiveness. Drake Johnson managed 55 yards, while Jabrill Peppers and Joe Kerridge recorded the touchdowns.

Pass Defense: Saturday was by far the worst performance of the season for the Wolverines secondary. The defensive backs blew a few coverages, which Leidner exploited well. Sometimes, even when Michigan was in proper position, Minnesota still somehow snagged the ball.

Run Defense: And it didn't get much better for the run defense, either. Leidner ripped off a 24-yard touchdown run, and Rodney Smith tallied 74 yards, registering 6.2 yards per carry. However, the Wolverines stood tall when it mattered the most.

Special Teams: The only player who could stop Peppers from taking a punt to the house was the punter. Go figure. He also had a 43-yard kickoff return. Blake O'Neill handled every snap and posted a 44-yard average.

Coaching: Michigan's offense wasn't doing much, and then it had to adjust with the backup quarterback. Passing on first down to set up runs on second down did the trick for Speight. Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin had a tough day but called a couple of perfect third-down blitzes that resulted in sacks.

 

Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.