Gophers Pull Off Upset at Michigan

The Minnesota Golden Gophers planted their flag in the middle of the field and stormed Michigan’s sideline looking for the Little Brown Jug.

They definitely earned it.

Jason Giannini kicked a 30-yard field goal with a second left at Ann Arbor, Mich., lifting Minnesota to a 23-20 win over the 21st-ranked Wolverines on Saturday for the Gophers’ first win in the series since 1986.

On third and 10 from Minnesota’s 26, Gary Russell ran 61 yards to set up the winning kick for the Gophers (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten).

After Michigan was unable to return the final kickoff for a score, the Gophers won the jug, which dates to 1903 and is the oldest trophy in Division I-A football, and celebrated in front of a stunned Michigan Stadium crowd of 111,117.

The two-time defending conference champion Wolverines (3-3, 1-2) are off to their worst start since also having a 3-3 record in 1990.

“This was not just for the Jug, it was for the Big Ten championship,” linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. “They came across and took all that away.”

Garrett Rivas had two chances to break a 20-20 tie for the Wolverines, but he missed a 42-yard field-goal try late in the third quarter and a 34-yard kick with 8:27 left.

Iowa 34, Purdue 17 -- Drew Tate passed for a career-high 357 yards and tossed three touchdown passes for the Hawkeyes (4-2, 2-1) on the road.

Purdue’s Brandon Kirsch threw for a career-high 353 yards, but he made a costly mistake that ended the Boilermakers’ momentum in the fourth quarter.

Purdue, trailing 23-17 early in the final period, drove to the Iowa 11 before Edmond Miles bobbled then intercepted a pass Kirsch forced into the end zone.

Iowa then drove 80 yards for a score.

Purdue (2-3, 0-2) is off to its worst start in Coach Joe Tiller’s nine-year tenure.

Indiana 36, Illinois 13 -- Indiana’s Blake Powers threw four touchdown passes, and receiver James Hardy and running back Chris Taylor each topped 100 yards for the Hoosiers (4-1, 1-1).

Indiana won its third home game in a row; the Fighting Illini (2-4, 0-3) have lost four in a row overall and 10 consecutive Big Ten road games.

Powers, a sophomore, completed 22 of 35 passes for 198 yards and broke Antwaan Randle El’s single-season school record of 17 touchdown passes late in the game. Powers has thrown for 18 touchdowns in five games and also extended his school record to four straight games with at least three touchdown passes.