MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Drake Lindsey threw the go-ahead touchdown pass to Darius Taylor early in the fourth quarter after two costly first-half interceptions, and Minnesota's defense overwhelmed quarterback Bryce Underwood to beat Michigan 20-14 on Saturday for the first time since 2014.
Aydan West and Zack Harden set up scores with interceptions in the second half to help the Gophers (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) hoist the Little Brown Jug trophy in front of their home crowd for the first time in 49 years and revel in the swarm of fans on the field afterward.
The Wolverines (3-2, 0-2) had won 35 of their last 38 games in the 134-year-old series since the No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll on Oct. 22, 1977, lost 16-0 at Memorial Stadium.
Underwood went just 10 for 21 for 101 yards and ran 10 times for 20 yards for the Wolverines (3-2, 0-2), who have failed to reach the 20-point mark in four of their five games under new coach Kyle Whittingham.
One of Michigan's touchdowns came on a 79-yard interception return by Minnesota native Nathaniel Staehling — a North Dakota State transfer — to give the Wolverines a 14-7 lead with 2:48 left before halftime.
The pressure generated by Wolverines linebackers was by far their best asset. Smith Snowden picked off Lindsey's off-balance heave with Troy Bowles in his face in the first quarter, giving Michigan the ball at the Minnesota 34 to set up a touchdown run by Jordan Marshall.
The start time was 11 hours earlier for the Gophers and their body clocks than last week, when they won 27-24 at Washington for their first road win since Nov. 29, 2024, at Wisconsin.
Fox sent its “Big Noon Kickoff” pregame show for the first time to Minnesota, where Huntington Bank Stadium was striped out with fans wearing maroon and gold alternating by section. Gophers coach P.J. Fleck crowd-surfed from the studio stage into a sea of students in front of the hockey arena across the street.
Michigan's late collapse in a 20-19 loss to Iowa last week took some luster off this nationally televised matchup, which now occurs only two or three times in every five-year cycle in the Big Ten's schedule format for the recently expanded 18-team league.
Michigan: The Wolverines had just 24 plays for 82 yards in the second half, with Underwood’s fourth-and-5 throw from midfield with 37 seconds left that sailed out of bounds marking a fitting end to a frustrating afternoon. Special teams weren’t exempt from the blame, either: Andrew Marsh muffed a punt return and the Gophers recovered at the 17 to set up the first of two short field goals.
Minnesota: The Gophers are unbeaten in Big Ten play by winning on the margins. Luke Drzewiecki, a transfer from New Mexico, has not missed a field goal or an extra point. The Gophers had only one penalty for 5 yards.
Minnesota plays at Purdue on Oct. 10.
Michigan has next week off and hosts Penn State on Oct. 17.
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Minnesota running back Darius Taylor (1) runs with the football after catching a pass as Michigan linebacker Nathaniel Staehling (44) follows during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Michigan linebacker Nathaniel Staehling, middle, celebrates after scoring a pick-6 during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Minnesota Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota running back Darius Taylor (1) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Michigan, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — CJ Carr threw for four touchdowns and ran for another and third-ranked Notre Dame leaned on its ground game in regaining control after halftime to beat North Carolina 37-26 on Saturday.
The Fighting Irish (5-0) were on the verge of going up 28-7 before the Tar Heels (2-2) came up with a goal-line stand and turned it into a long touchdown drive right before halftime. Then UNC came out of the break with Jaden Jefferson sprinting through the rain for a 98-yard kickoff return that brought the Tar Heels to within 21-20.
That's when Carr and the Irish offense went to work with a series of methodical and physical drives, leaning on the run in wet conditions to carry the ball right into the heart of the defensive front and consistently move the chains. That ultimately helped Notre Dame restore its multiple-possession lead while finishing with a season-high 241 yards on the ground.
“When they know you're going to try to run the ball — and you're still able to run the ball — because of the weather conditions, that's a reflection of your team, and the toughness and the physicality,” coach Marcus Freeman said.
Notre Dame responded to Jefferson's big play with a 17-play, 75-yard drive lasting more than nine minutes by the time Carr got around the right side for a fourth-down TD keeper.
Then, after forcing a three-and-out, Notre Dame went to work again in pummeling fashion. Nolan James Jr. did most of the work on the ground, then caught Carr's short pass in the left flat and juked a would-be tackler off his feet to go in for a 6-yard TD and a 34-20 lead to open the fourth quarter.
Freshman Jonaz Walton posted a team-high 120 yards to lead Notre Dame's ground effort, while James added 65. The Irish's rushing output included 122 yards in the third quarter alone in stymieing UNC's momentum, a welcome sign for a new ground game that lost running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price as first-round NFL draft picks.
“Super impressive with the way the offensive line kind of just drove the ball down the field,” Carr said. “They couldn't really stop us. It felt like we were imposing our will on them whenever we wanted to.”
Carr threw for 234 yards, with Jordan Faison making eight catches for 132 yards and two scores.
Billy Edwards Jr. threw for three touchdowns for the Tar Heels but was picked off twice. North Carolina also struggled to get anything going on the ground (77 yards on 23 carries).
Notre Dame: The defense had its hiccups in the Fighting Irish's 15th straight win. The Irish entered Saturday ranked No. 1 nationally by surrendering 199.3 yards per game and second in scoring (8.3), yet the Tar Heels came within seven points of matching the total the Irish had allowed through four games.
UNC: The Tar Heels started 2-0 before blowing a two-touchdown lead in a loss at Clemson on Sept. 19, then had an open week to prepare for this one. Finding ways to generate more downfield passing gains was a focus, and Edwards found more success. The primary targets were wideout Jordan Shipp (seven catches for 109 yards) and Jelani Thurman (five catches for 50 yards and two TDs) as the Tar Heels flirted with a marquee win under Bill Belichick in the NFL coaching great’s second college season.
Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish host Stanford next Saturday.
UNC: The Tar Heels visit Pittsburgh next Saturday, the first of back-to-back road games against teams that are a combined 9-0.
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North Carolina quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) throws a touchdown pass to tight end Shamar Easter (84) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Notre Dame, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman discusses a call with an official during the first half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Notre Dame linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, right, runs back an interception against North Carolina running back Jaylen McGill, left, during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, right, looks to pass against North Carolina behind the block of offensive lineman Sullivan Absher (75) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
