One of college football's oldest rivalries returns on Saturday, Oct. 3, when Minnesota hosts Michigan at Hungtingon Bank Stadium at noon ET (FOX) with the Little Brown Jug on the line.
The Michigan vs. Minnesota rivalry began in 1892, with the Wolverines dominating the series for decades and entering this year's matchup on a five-game winning streak, making them the popular play among college football picks.
Michigan vs Minnesota rivalry history: Little Brown Jug
 Michigan |
Category |  Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| 78 | Wins | 25 |
| 16 (1987-2004) | Longest win streak | 9 (1934-1942) |
| 58 (2011) | Largest margin of victory | 40 (1935) |
| 1024-362-36 (.733) | Program record | 755-555-44 (.574) |
| 12 (10) | Claimed national titles (recognized) | 7 (6) |
| 45 | Conference championships | 18 |
| 3 | Heisman winners | 1 |
| 89 | Consensus All-Americans | 34 |
| 943 | Weeks in the AP Poll | 175 |
| 36 | Weeks at No. 1 | 18 |
| 54 (24-30) | Bowl games (record) | 26 (14-12) |
| 427 | NFL draft picks | 294 |
| 55 | First-round picks | 18 |
Michigan is a historically dominant program with the fourth-most wins in college football history, so it's no surprise that the Wolverines have mostly owned Minnesota in this rivalry.
Despite winning the first two matchups, a decade before they began playing for the Little Brown Jug, the Golden Gophers didn't do much in this series until the mid-1930s.
Over the first 30 or so years of the Michigan-Minnesota rivalry, the Wolverines went 18-4-1 and shut out the Gophers 12 times. Then, in 1933, the teams played to a 0-0 tie, and Minnesota wouldn't lose to Michigan again until 1943.
Beyond the Gophers' nine straight wins from 1934 to 1942 and six victories in eight years from 1960 to 1967, Minnesota hasn't enjoyed much sustained success against Michigan. It's been especially bleak since the late 1960s, with the Wolverines winning 44 of the last 48 meetings.
A big reason for the Wolverines owning the rivalry was the hiring of Bo Schembechler in 1969. He would lose the Little Brown Jug just twice during his 20-year tenure.
During Michigan's current 44-4 stretch against Minnesota, it's taken home two national titles, 24 Big Ten Championships, and produced two Heisman winners. Minnesota hasn't even won a conference title during the stretch and has had 11 different head coaches since replacing national championship-winning head coach Murray Warmath in 1971.
Recent Michigan-Minnesota results
| Date | Score | ATS | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 28, 2024 | 27-24 (Michigan) | Minnesota (+10.5) | Over (34.5) |
| Oct. 7, 2023 | 52-10 (Michigan) | Michigan (-18.5) | Over (46.5) |
| Oct. 24, 2020 | 49-24 (Michigan) | Michigan (-3) | Over (53) |
| Nov. 4, 2017 | 33-10 (Michigan) | Michigan (-16.5) | Over (38.5) |
| Oct. 31, 2015 | 29-26 (Michigan) | Minnesota (+10.5) | Over (39.5) |
| Sept. 27, 2014 | 30-14 (Minnesota) | Minnesota (+10) | Over (43.5) |
| Oct. 5, 2013 | 42-13 (Michigan) | Michigan (-18.5) | Over (50.5) |
| Nov. 3, 2012 | 35-13 (Michigan) | Michigan (-8) | Over (45.5) |
| Oct. 1, 2011 | 58-0 (Michigan) | Michigan (-21) | Over (54.5) |
| Nov. 8, 2008 | 29-6 (Michigan) | Michigan (+7.5) | Under (49.5) |
History of the Michigan vs Minnesota rivalry
When did the Michigan vs Minnesota rivalry start?
The Michigan vs. Minnesota rivalry began in 1892, with the Golden Gophers beating the Wolverines 14-6 in Minneapolis.
They would play six times between 1892 and 1902, with Minnesota winning the first two matchups and Michigan winning the next four.
Then, in 1903, after a 6-6 tie, the rivalry would change forever.
What is the Little Brown Jug?
More than anything, the Michigan-Minnesota rivalry is known for the Little Brown Jug, which is the most regularly exchanged rivalry trophy in college football and the second-oldest rivalry trophy after 1899's Territorial Cup (Arizona-Arizona State).
The Little Brown Jug's origin began in 1903, and the teams still play for the same jug from over 100 years ago. It's a five-gallon ceramic jug that stands 16 inches tall and weighs more than 20 pounds.
On one side of the jug, a maize block "M" is displayed with a blue background to represent Michigan. On the other side, a yellow block "M" with a brownish background is displayed to represent Minnesota.
How did the Little Brown Jug become a rivalry trophy?
The Little Brown Jug becoming the rivalry trophy wasn't actually by design; it was by accident in 1903.
Fearing Minnesota fans would potentially contaminate Michigan's water in an effort to end the Wolverines' 28-game winning streak heading into the1903 matchup, head coach Fielding Yost instructed a student manager (Thomas B. Roberts) to buy something to carry the team's water in. Roberts would purchase a 30¢ five-gallon jug in the Minneapolis neighborhood known as Dinkytown.
The game that day would come down to the wire, with the Gophers scoring late to tie it 6-6. However, Minnesota fans stormed the field, and the game could not be resumed and was called with two minutes remaining on the clock.
When the Wolverines left the field, they also left the jug Roberts had bought behind. The next day, the jug was found by Oscar Munson, a custodian who brought it to Minnesota athletic director L.J. Cooke.
Cooke and Munson decided to paint the jug and wrote "Michigan jug — captured by Oscar, October 31, 1903", along with the score "Michigan 6, Minnesota 6." When the teams played again in 1909, Cooke and Minnesota's captains decided that playing for the jug would help build the rivalry, and Yost and Michigan's captains agreed.
Michigan and Minnesota have played for the Little Brown Jug ever since.
Best moments in the Michigan vs Minnesota rivalry
- The birth of the Little Brown Jug (1903)
The most important game for turning Michigan-Minnesota into a memorable rivalry was the 6-6 tie in 1903.
It began with Yost instructing a student manager to buy a water jug out of fear that Minnesota would contaminate Michigan's water and ended with the game being called early after Gophers fans stormed the field when they tied the game with two minutes left.
Yost left his jug, and the rest is history, with the same jug being used to this day at the rivalry trophy.
- The battle of the unbeatens (1940)
Arguably the biggest battle for the Little Brown Jug in the rivalry's history, the 1940 edition pitted two unbeaten teams against each other.
With Michigan ranked No. 3 and Minnesota ranked No. 2, the Golden Gophers won 7-6 on an 80-yard touchdown run from Bruce Smith that's considered the greatest play in school history.
Smith would go on to win the Heisman Trophy (the only Heisman in program history), and Minnesota would go on to win the national title.
- The 100th anniversary comeback (2003)
The 100th anniversary of the Little Brown Jug didn't disappoint, with both teams delivering an instant classic.
No. 13 Minnesota led 28-7 in the fourth quarter thanks to star running backs Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney, but in the final 15 minutes, No. 20 Michigan scored 31 points to win 38-35.
Key figures in the Michigan vs Minnesota rivalry
- Fielding Yost, Michigan
The most important figure in the history of Michigan football, Yost was the head coach of the Wolverines from 1901-23 and 1925-26, and served as the athletic director from 1921-1940. Under Yost, Michigan went 198-35-12 (.833) and won six national championships.
Yost laid the groundwork for Michigan to become a blue blood in the sport, and he's also the reason the Little Brown Jug exists.
Under Yost, Michigan went 9-1-1 against Minnesota.
- Bernie Bierman, Minnesota
After Yost's reign at Michigan ended, Bernie Bierman's at Minnesota began.
The best coach in Gophers history, Bierman led the program from 1932-1941 and again from 1945-1950.
During his first stint as the Gophers' head coach, he won five national titles and lost to Michigan just once.
Bierman beat the Wolverines nine straight years from 1934-1942 and overall had a 9-6-2 record in the rivalry game.
- Bo Schembechler, Michigan
Though he never won a national title at Michigan, Schembechler might be the most beloved figure by Wolverine faithful.
He went 234-65-8 as the head coach from 1969-1989 and won 13 Big Ten Championships. Schembechler also put an end to Minnesota's Little Brown Jug hot streak of the 60s (the Gophers went 6-2 against the Wolverines from 1960-1967) and essentially made this the lopsided rivalry it is today.
Schembechler lost just twice to Minnesota and beat the Gophers 19 times.
- Bruce Smith, Minnesota
The best player in program history and the star under Bierman's reign, Smith is the only Heisman winner the Gophers have ever had, and he helped lead them to back-to-back national championships in 1940 and 1941.
Bierman once said of Smith, "My feeling in regard to Bruce is this — as a player, he did more to bring football glory to Minnesota than any player ever has."
He also went undefeated against Michigan and had the best play in program history against the Wolverines: his game-winning 80-yard touchdown in 1940.
- Anthony Carter, Michigan
Several stars at Michigan found major success against Minnesota, winning the Little Brown Jug four times in a row, including Charles Woodson and Braylon Edwards.
However, Anthony Carter was the most dominant. Carter went 4-0 against Minnesota from 1979-1982 under Schembechler, and in his final battle for the Little Brown Jug, he led the Wolverines to a 52-14 win with 121 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
The irony is that Carter is beloved in Minnesota after putting together a Pro Bowl career playing for the Vikings from 1985-1993.
- Bobby Bell, Minnesota
Before becoming a Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker and winning the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs, Bobby Bell was a force at Minnesota.
A two-time All-American for the Golden Gophers, his No. 78 jersey is retired after he helped Minnesota go 22-6-1 in his collegiate career and win the 1960 national championship.
Bell also never lost to Michigan, going 3-0 with the Little Brown Jug on the line.
Biggest upsets in Michigan vs Minnesota history
| Rank | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16-0, Minnesota | 1977 |
| 2 | 20-17, Minnesota | 1986 |
| 3 | 22-0, Minnesota | 1962 |
| 4 | 23-20, Minnesota | 2005 |
| 5 | 22-0, Minnesota | 1953 |
Biggest blowouts in Michigan vs Minnesota rivalry
| Rank | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 58-0, Michigan | Oct. 1, 2011 |
| 2 | 58-7, Michigan | Nov. 13, 1993 |
| 3 | 63-13, Michigan | Oct. 24, 1992 |
| T-4 | 49-0, Michigan | Oct. 22, 1966 |
| T-4 | 49-0, Michigan | Oct. 26, 1974 |
Michigan vs Minnesota schedule & future matchups
While no future matchups between Michigan and Minnesota are currently scheduled, the Big Ten has only announced conference opponents through the 2028 season.
As conference rivals, it's likely Michigan and Minnesota will play for the Little Brown Jug again in 2029 or 2030.
| Date | Matchup | Location |
|---|---|---|
|
TBD |
TBD | TBD |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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