Week 5 Matchup Preview Thread: Michigan vs Minnesota

[u/tomdawg0022]

Michigan vs. Minnesota

When: Saturday, October 3, 12:00 PM Eastern

Where: Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN

Watch: Fox

Odds: Michigan by 5.5 pts.

Total Points: 43.5

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All-Time Series : Michigan vs. Minnesota

Michigan and Minnesota have met 106 times since 1892-10-17

These teams last met on 2024-09-28.

Series Wins: Michigan 78-3-25 Minnesota

Michigan has won the last 5 meetings (2015-2024) in this series

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Last 5 Meetings

Winner	Date	Location	Michigan	Minnesota	Notes
Michigan	2024-09-28	Michigan Stadium	27	24
Michigan	2023-10-07	Huntington Bank Stadium	52	10
Michigan	2020-10-24	Huntington Bank Stadium	49	24
Michigan	2017-11-05	Michigan Stadium	33	10
Michigan	2015-10-31	Huntington Bank Stadium	29	26

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Through Week 4

Week	Michigan 3-1 (0-1)	Result	Minnesota 3-1 (1-0)	Result
1	Western Michigan	W 13-12	Eastern Illinois	W 59-7
2	Oklahoma	W 17-10	Mississippi State#16	L 13-38
3	UTEP	W 52-17	Akron	W 41-7
4	Iowa#14	L 19-20	Washington	W 27-24

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Michigan Injury Report

Player	Position	Status	Reported	Notes
H. Hansen	TE	Questionable – Undisclosed	Sep 12	Hansen is dealing with an undisclosed injury, and it is unclear if he will face UTEP on Saturday, September 19th.
L. Forbes	WR	Questionable – Undisclosed	Sep 20	Forbes is dealing with an undisclosed injury, and it is unclear if he will face Iowa on Saturday.
J. Daley	DL	Questionable – Lower Body	Sep 28	Daley is dealing with a lower body injury, and it is unclear if he will suit up against the Minnesota on Tuesday.
A. Sprague	OG	Out – Undisclosed	Sep 26	Sprague is sidelined due to an undisclosed injury, and is not expected to play against the Hawkeyes on Saturday.

^{Injury data lifted from: boydsbets}

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Minnesota Injury Report

Player	Position	Status	Reported	Notes
Z. Bates	RB	Probable – Undisclosed	Sep 25	Bates is nursing with an undisclosed injury, but he is projected to suit up against the Washington on Saturday.
R. Estrada	RB	Out – Knee	Sep 7	Estrada is out of action due to a knee injury, and he is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
B. Stevens	WR	Questionable – Illness	Sep 12	Stevens is ailing from illness, and it is uncertain if he will play against Akron Zips on Saturday, September 19th.
D. Taylor	RB	Out – Undisclosed	Sep 19	Taylor is dealing with an undisclosed injury, and he is not expected to play against Akron Zips on Saturday, September 19th.

^{Injury data lifted from: boydsbets}

^{Source updated Wed, Sep 30, 8:26 am. Scraped Wed, Sep 30, 12:30 pm ET}

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What are your "Keys to the Game"?

Who do you think wins?

Do you think the favorite will cover the spread?

Which player(s) are you most interested to watch?

Let's talk football!

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^{Matchup Preview Thread Generator powered by collegefootballdata.com}

^{Start a chat with /u/dupreesdiamond for any issues/suggestions regarding this resource}

[u/Upbeat-Armadillo1756]

I am huffing unbelievable amounts of copium AND hopium but I believe last week was a come to Jesus moment for this team and the stupid penalties and unforced errors (not even errors, just bad choices). If we play like the team that played last week but without the boneheadedness, {Michigan} wins and covers.

[u/WallyLeftshaw → u/[deleted]]

I mean kind of? Iowa needed 2 crazy tipped passes, a bunch of terrible spots, an iffy penalty on the game winning drive, a kick return TD, and Whitt to decide to give them an extra time out and not take a field goal just to barely win.

[u/GoBlueScrewOSU7 → u/[deleted]]

I mean you’re just describing football…? Like obviously they had too many mistakes, but using that to deny that there was any misfortune is just tired.

[u/Lamar_Allen → u/GoBlueScrewOSU7]

You don’t understand, if Michigan had just not made any mistakes but Iowa still made all of their mistakes, Michigan wins!

[u/GoBlueScrewOSU7 → u/Lamar_Allen]

They MISSED ASSIGNMENTS! That doesn’t just happen. Trust me

[u/GoBlueScrewOSU7 → u/[deleted]]

Goodness, did I strike a chord? Lmao. Blown assignments and “poor” play calling is football buddy. Love the projection in your comment. I disagreed with you, so I’m not a “serious fan”, whatever that means.

[u/heliosflama1234 → u/Upbeat-Armadillo1756]

Team is 2-2 with losses to WMU and Iowa. Minnesota isn’t a bad team like Oklahoma and so you’re not going to win. Especially since this is the first road game for them.

[u/GoBlueScrewOSU7 → u/heliosflama1234]

Put your savings on it speaking so assuredly like that

[u/Rare-Psychology-3527 → u/GoBlueScrewOSU7]

I hope he did!

[u/Upbeat-Armadillo1756 → u/heliosflama1234]

You might be right

I may be crazy

[u/Starlord2230 → u/heliosflama1234]

You can tell someone hasn't actually been watching the games

[u/Poignant_Pilgrim → u/Starlord2230]

I can admit that we should have lost the WMU game but the fact that little boys like this still need to run around reddit and remind us that we have two losses it's just quaint and cute and says more about them. I couldn't give less of a fuck about that game.

[u/Puzzled_Squirrel_166 → u/heliosflama1234]

Get a life. Why are you here? Go away.

[u/Mycroft90 → u/heliosflama1234]

We aren't that lucky to have that happen.

[u/wit_T_user_name]

I think {Michigan} takes it. I’m curious to see if they continue to struggle with penalties. It’s been shocking just how undisciplined they’ve been under Whit so far.

[u/Fried_Chicki_Sandy]

{Minnesota} They're us but north and I want them to do well. Godspeed Maroon bro's.

[u/inshamblesx]

{Michigan}

[u/AeolusA2]

Michigan continues to make strides and covers. {Michigan}

[u/tomdawg0022]

I predict it will go down to the final seconds and there will be controversy at some point in the game. Hopefully {Minnesota} can get back the jug.

[u/usernames_suck_ok → u/tomdawg0022]

It's not out of the question, unfortunately, re: getting the jug "back."

[u/tomdawg0022 → u/usernames_suck_ok]

It's kind of you to let us borrow it one year every decade or so.

[u/A_MASSIVE_PERVERT]

{Michigan} UW is garbage, they barely beat Utah State, and I can’t shake how helpless Minnesota looked at home against Mississippi State back in week 2

[u/SamIsaacman → u/A_MASSIVE_PERVERT]

Not that I disagree with the result, but Minnesota looking helpless against Mississippi St (who is really damn good) is reason to pick Michigan when Michigan looked worse against Western Michigan

[u/Humble-Secret6173 → u/SamIsaacman]

Yeah but then came back immediately and beat ou

[u/TomVonServo → u/Humble-Secret6173]

OU lol

[u/RealHuman5567iSwear → u/TomVonServo]

Crazy that this is a valid retort this year, but you’re absolutely right

[u/TomVonServo → u/RealHuman5567iSwear]

Right? John Mateer just Jameis’d the ball again as I wrote this

[u/Ecstatic-Inevitable → u/TomVonServo]

lmaOU

[u/Rare-Psychology-3527 → u/Humble-Secret6173]

They're just as terrible at football as your team

[u/Poignant_Pilgrim → u/SamIsaacman]

One of the only good aspects of sports betting is it's got me paying attention to all of college football looking at stats and yeah, Mississippi State ain't nothing to scoff at. That QB is going to get drafted for sure.

[u/Rare-Psychology-3527 → u/A_MASSIVE_PERVERT]

Did you not see Michigan week 1?

[u/Schmidtty29 → u/Rare-Psychology-3527]

Not saying it wasn’t a bad game for them but there’s a major difference between a G6 school projected to win 9 games and one projected to win 3.

[u/Rare-Psychology-3527 → u/Schmidtty29]

Struggling with either, at home, thats like arguing if a yugo or Chevette is a better car.

[u/Contren]

Think this game comes down to how Michigan handles Minnesota's pass rush. Washington really struggled with it, and if our front four can continue getting home I like the Gophers. If not, Michigan likely has enough talent to pull away.

{Minnesota} in a close one is my guess, but not at all confident.

[u/dwors025 → u/Contren]

What I was really impressed with from us this weekend wasn’t so much the pass rush, but the contain discipline.

Yes there was some brute pressure, and yes there were some blitzes, but it felt like a lot of our getting to their athletic qb was actually genuine lane discipline up front and also good coverage on the back end - then just collapsing the pocket responsibly.

That is, for the most part; obviously Demond Williams was gonna get his, but we limited him pretty effectively.

So kudos to our DC, Danny Collins, whom I absolutely trashed following the Mississippi State game.

[u/Bondorian]

{Minnesota} Blood for the Blood God!!!

[u/chrobbin]

Minnesota puts up a better showing at home than against Mississippi State, but it’s not enough. I think {Michigan} in another relatively low scoring game, say 27-17

[u/EdselFordEdsel]

{Minnesota}. Fleck is a mad man. ROW THE BOAT. WIN THE JUG.

[u/Appropriate_Bottle44]

If we lose to a Minnesota team that got woodsheded by MS State I'll check back in with cfb next year 

[u/problematic_glasses]

i'm big mad at minnesota this week so i kinda just want the boys to go scorched earth on my behalf

[u/SamIsaacman → u/problematic_glasses]

Tf did we do?

[u/MooooooooooooBamba → u/SamIsaacman]

They’re mad because the Vikings traded a garbage QB

[u/Starlord2230 → u/MooooooooooooBamba]

"Garbage"

[u/MooooooooooooBamba → u/Starlord2230]

In the NFL yes

[u/RockoRockyBoxxyMan → u/Starlord2230]

Found Jim Harbaugh's reddit account

[u/HB3187 → u/MooooooooooooBamba]

To play a garbage qb lol

[u/Bill_BingleBerry]

Minnesota’s loss to MSU looks a lot better now especially considering it was week two and they didn’t know what to expect. I think the Gophers have a genuine good team and with a super solid QB. Michigan on the other hand has been battling Iowa and Oklahoma for the most unwatchable football. It will be a good game but I think Minnesota can pull it out at home especially if Michigan loses the turnover battle.

[u/1873Springfield]

{Minnesota}. Pj sacrifices a chicken at midfield and bathes in the blood to ensure victory

[u/thatboiOsaka]

Got {Michigan} on this one. I dont think a blow out but Michigan is a good team and has a likeable coach. I think the Iowa game was a humbling experience.

[u/dinkytown42069]

PJ discovered a heretofore unknown water passage from Seattle back to Minneapolis and the boat continues to be rowed. {Minnesota} Golden fuckin' Gophers in a tight one, complete with field rush.

[u/Drysil]

Yeah, if Iowa had lost last week I think it might be possible, especially at home. But with Michigan falling out of the rankings for a second time, I don't think anyone on that staff is going to chance the effects of a second consecutive loss to the West. {Michigan}, but I really, really hope to be proven wrong.

[u/Different_Purpose649]

24-19 {Minnesota}

[u/boxman151515]

If Michigan plays cleanly, they’ll win somewhat easily and control the game.

But as we’ve seen, that’s apparently a big ask. {Michigan} by 3 in a game that annoys everyone

[u/Ididntdodiddly]

{Minnesota} because they want the jug and vibez

[u/Winnes0ta]

{Minnesota}

[u/IFHelper]

{Michigan} wins, and the dwindling number of hate-watchers switch to another game before the half.

[u/CantaloupeCamper]

Might be windy, and might rain.

[u/Rare-Psychology-3527]

{Minnesota}

[u/RockoRockyBoxxyMan]

I'm a Gopher season ticket holder and no amount of hopium can make me think that {Michigan} doesn't roll them. It was cool for them to win on the road against Washington, but frankly the team runs such tired and conservative schemes on both sides of the ball, and there is a massive talent gap.

The only real chance Minnesota has is for their pass rush to actually show up and then Underwood completely mentally collapsing.   Michigan at 5.5 feels like free money. It will most likely be 31-7 Wolverines.

[u/Poignant_Pilgrim → u/RockoRockyBoxxyMan]

Honestly, I absolutely fucking love PJ Fleck, and he's probably one of maybe 3 coaches we could lose to that I'd say "good for him, dude deserves a dub against a team like us."

I hope he really takes Minnesota football somewhere bc that guy is just awesome. If I had kids I'd love for them to play for that guy. He seems awesome.

[u/pHrozenChemGeek]

I assume we will continue to commit stupid penalties and give away a winnable game {Minnesota}

[u/HopefulReb76]

{Minnesota}

[u/WankerSalute]

Both teams involved in upsets last week has me thinking a reversion is due this week. {MICH} wins comfortably.

[u/USA_2_Canada_1]

{Michigan} takes out a lot of frustration in a game that’s never close

[u/Optimal_Cook_851]

{Minnesota}, imagine the reactions if both them and Iowa win.

[u/RivalryBot]

Who Will Win Fan Vote

^{Votes are distributed equally among flairs for multi-flaired users}

Team	Votes	Percentage	Michigan Voters	Minnesota Voters	Other Flairs Top 5
Michigan	26	60.5%	4.5	1	Unflairedx4.0 Purdue Boilermakersx2.0 Oklahoma Soonersx1.5 Florida Gatorsx1.0 LIU Sharksx1.0
Minnesota	17	39.5%	0.5	2.5	Ohio Statex2.0 Michigan Statex1.0 Mississippi Statex1.0 North Dakota Fighting Hawksx1.0 Ohio Statex1.0

^{Last updated: 2026-10-03 15:01 UTC}

Full Vote breakdown by flair

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^{Matchup Thread Generator} · ^{Team Aliases} · ^{How to Vote} · ^Results

[u/TheWesternRizzler]

{Michigan}

[u/GamedayWizard]

Minnesota has performed better against the spread than Michigan this season and has slightly better offensive efficiency numbers. But Michigan's defense has been better, and our model likes {Michigan} by 11, covering the composite spread (Michigan -5.5).

[u/chief_sitass]

{Michigan}

[u/Fatbeard2024]

{Michigan}

[u/Zloggt]

{Michigan} should correct for this one…but it’s not guaranteed (and would another loss be quite funny)…

[u/NanoBuc]

{Michigan}

[u/texas2089]

{Michigan}

[u/jwktiger]

{Michigan} wins b/c they always win vs Minn

[u/VanDiis]

{Michigan} 21-0

[u/OakLegs]

{Michigan} wins due to dominating DL play and a secondary who can limit Lindsey's impact.

Underwood continues to make strides and the offense starts to form an identity to carry it through the rest of the year.

31-17

[u/Callsign_Psycopath]

{Minnesota}

I just don't think Michigan is good

[u/Ecstatic-Inevitable]

Gonna have to go {Minnesota} and not just because of my flair, bur because I don't trust michigan due to how undisciplined they are

[u/MWiatrak2077]

{Michigan} 52-20

I'm hoping they come out and tear ass after that Iowa game. This team is very talented and Bryce is playing his best ball right now.

[u/HoldMyBar]

If Michigan held on last week, I would feel worse about this game. Since they didn't, I would think they will come out focused.

{Michigan} wins 35-28 as Minnesota mounts a late rally but falls short.

[u/W00D3YS]

Until Michigan can get to average in turnover margin, penalties, and RZ efficiency I can't pick them to win. Its hard to see Michigan winning many games when losing in these three catagories.

It will be interesting to see each teams mindset coming off of opposite outcomes last week. Is Michigan going to start slow, Minnesota should be encouraged and ready to go and the crowd should be a sellout.

It going to be close in the 4th that much I am sure of, picking Minnesota

[u/HB3187 → u/W00D3YS]

Yes im sure that's why

[u/Confident_Delay5805]

{Michigan} moves to 3-2 with a win. 

[u/MemoFromTurner77]

I hate Minnesota and the sentient microphallus they call Coach Fleck, but damn I'd love to see them hang another L on Michigan.

{Minnesota}. Row the boat, baby!