Michigan football returns two interceptions for touchdowns in 52-10 beatdown of Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS — Two weeks back, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh explained there's a fine line between "Cool Jim" and "Dead Serious Jim." Apparently, the line is a Will Johnson interception.

On the second play of the game, U-M's sophomore cornerback intercepted a pass from Minnesota's Athan Kaliakmanis and took it back 36 yards for a pick-six.

As Johnson ran back to the sideline to put on the "turnover buffs" sunglasses he trademarked and pose for pictures with his teammates, Harbaugh — who does his best not to get involved in in-game antics — couldn't help but slide into the picture and smile.

It wasn't his only opportunity on the night, either. Late in the third quarter, Keon Sabb added a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown of his own. It was that kind of night for the Wolverines, as No. 2 Michigan pounded Minnesota from start to finish, 52-10, to extend its regular-season winning streak to 22 games.

"Just came over to congratulate Will and they kind of threw me in," Harbaugh said with a laugh afterwards. "Can't start the game better. Love the pick-six. It was a (run-pass option), Will had good eyes, made the catch and finished it off. So did Keon Sabb.

"Two pick-sixes, have to go back to 2017 ... against Cincinnati, remember that well. So it was cool, very cool."

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Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was surgical as he completed 14 of 20 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown and did even more damage on the ground, as he ran four times for 17 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Blake Corum paced the ground game with nine rushes for 69 yards and a score, and Kalel Mullings added eight carries for 47 yards.

But the story was again the defense, which recorded two interceptions for touchdowns for the first time since a 2017 game against Cincinnati. The Wolverines also had seven tackles for loss, four pass breakups, four quarterback hurries and a pair of sacks.

"It speaks for itself, right?," Harbaugh said of his defense. "We haven't had any points scored against us in the third quarter. ... We just keep getting better and better on the defensive front."

While the unit was again excellent, for a moment in the first half there seemed to be one slight hiccup: run defense. The Gophers were without the Big Ten's rushing leader, Darius Taylor, yet still ran 20 times for 70 yards. That was corrected in the second half.

In four possessions in the third quarter, Michigan held Minnesota to three three-and-outs and an interception as the Gophers ran eight times for 7 yards in the period.

"They were hurting us on the wide zone," Harbuagh said. "Moved our end down into the six technique. That really helped, set the edge good and not let them get up field, give up that C-gap. Great adjustment, I think."

Balanced attack

By the time the offense touched the ball, it already had a 7-0 lead and was looking for more. McCarthy found Mullings on a fourth-and-1 play-action pass near midfield to keep a drive alive, then hit Cornelius Johnson to get into the red zone.

"It's unbelievable," McCarthy said of already having the lead when he jogged on the field. "The amount of momentum you gain off an interception like that ... especially a pick six, you're just rolling in there happy as can be, ready to go."

However, McCarthy's throw into the flat for Johnson on third-and-3 was dropped, and U-M had to settle for a field goal and a 10-0 lead with 7:33 to play in the first.

It wasn't until the second quarter that U-M found the end zone again. Corum ripped off a 40-yard gain off the left side, thanks to Karsen Barnhart's downfield blocking, to get into Minnesota territory.

Five plays later, Corum finished the drive jumping up and over the pile for a 1-yard touchdown, his 10th score of the season and 41st of his career, tying his running backs coach, Mike Hart, for fourth all-time in program history.

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The Wolverines scored even faster on the next drive, covering 67 yards in four plays and less than two minutes. McCarthy found Donovan Edwards for a 16-yard gain on a check-down pass (his longest play of the season) to get the drive going, threw a 49-yard moon-scraper to Johnson to get near the end zone and finally ran in a score from 5 yards out as he lowered his shoulder to go up 24-3.

"Definitely mixed emotions," said left tackle LaDarius Henderson of watching McCarthy take hits on his way to the goal line. "You're always like, 'Ahh, don't do too much, but then again you're like, 'Man, this guy's a dawg.'"

"Dawg, D-A-W-G," Harbaugh later added. " 'Disciplined Athlete With Grit.' "

Defense does it again

Johnson's touchdown to begin the contest was certainly the highlight of the game, but it was far from the only standout play from Jesse Minter's unit, which entered play No. 1 in the nation in points allowed per game (six) and No. 4 in total defense (246.2 yards per game).

On the Gophers' second drive, Michigan forced a three-and-out, thanks in large part to 300-pound defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny dropping into coverage and knocking down a pass. On their third possession, Minnesota marched into U-M territory with a few big runs, before Mason Graham derailed the drive.

Playing with a cast on his left hand in his first game back from injury, Graham put a swim move on two defenders and swallowed the ballcarrier for a loss of 4 yards. Minnesota was forced to settle for a 54-yard field goal (the program's longest since 2007), but it was just the beginning for Graham.

He added a sack midway through the third quarter and he finished the night with six tackles, including two for loss.

"Been out the last two weeks, so I've been hungry to get back on the field with my guys," Graham said. "I was just waiting for my opportunity, and I guess today was the day."

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The Gophers began their next trip in good field position thanks to a kickoff out of bounds, but the Wolverines put together three consecutive tackles for loss: the first by Quinten Johnson, the second by Cam Goode and Josaiah Stewart and the last a sack by Stewart alone, getting to Kaliakmanis with a bullrush.

U-M's only truly bad play came on the final drive of the first half. The Gophers converted two fourth downs to keep the drive alive and set up a 35-yard strike from Kaliakmanis, who found Daniel Johnson in coverage by Mike Sanristil to cut the game to 24-10 with 6 seconds left in the half.

Close it out strong

Minnesota's momentum at the half didn't last long.

The Gophers forced a three-and-out, but then went three-and-out themselves.

Michigan's next three offensive drives covered 205 yards on 25 plays — nine plays for 78 yards, six plays for 49 yards and 10 plays for 78 yards — and all ended with touchdowns.

In the first 20 minutes of the second half, the Wolverines outscored the Gophers, 28-0, and outgained them, 212-7.

"It's extremely beneficial for my body," said McCarthy after he sat in the fourth quarter for the fifth time in six games. "It's a testament to how fast we're starting and how well our defense is playing. I'll be fine sitting out the fourth quarter every game if it comes down to it."

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football has two pick-sixes in 52-10 beatdown of Minnesota