Michigan football predictions vs. Minnesota: Any chance Wolverines slip up vs. Gophers?
Free Press sports writers share their predictions for the Michigan football game against Minnesota on Saturday (7:30 p.m., NBC):
Tony Garcia
This is going to look a lot like the past two games with Jim Harbaugh back in the fold: a one-sided domination. Look for Blake Corum to top 100 yards and pass Mike Hart for fourth in Michigan rushing touchdowns, as well as for Donovan Edwards to get in the end zone. No shutout, again, for the defense, but once again it looks like the nation's top unit as it forces two turnovers. The pick: U-M 42, Minnesota 10.
Carlos Monarrez
In 1986, the Gophers beat quarterback Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines on a short field goal as time expired. You can bet coach Jim Harbaugh hasn’t forgotten. The road to the College Football Playoff continues to look like a cakewalk for U-M. The pick: U-M 38, Minnesota 12.
Rainer Sabin
After playing their best football of the season in a rout of Nebraska last weekend, the Wolverines hit the road again to face another Big Ten West team with a limited offense. The Gophers’ passing game ranks 126th in the Football Bowl Subdivision and won’t pose much of a threat to a defense that has allowed the fewest points in the nation. P.J. Fleck’s team will be rowing upstream for much of the night against a better, deeper and far more talented Michigan squad, which means the Wolverines could boat-race Minnesota by halftime. The pick: U-M 37, Minnesota 10.
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Jeff Seidel
The Wolverines continue slogging through the irrelevant portion of their schedule, beating up on teams that don’t have a chance. There are only two games that matter: Penn State and Ohio State. All other games are just glorified scrimmages. What will the score be in this game? Whatever Jim Harbaugh wants it to be. All that maters now is staying healthy. The pick: U-M 35, Minnesota 14.
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Shawn Windsor
Golden Gopher fans refer to their school as "U-M" too. Understandable, but there is one U-M in college football at the moment, and that U-M is rolling, led by a quarterback who is playing the best football of his life. The Wolverines played their most complete game of the season at Nebraska. Expect more of the same in Minneapolis. The pick: U-M 37, Minnesota 13.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football predictions vs. Minnesota: Any chance U-M slips up?
