When the No. 21-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers take on the No. 18-ranked Michigan Wolverines in primetime at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday, much will be at stake. Both teams have aspirations of winning their respective divisions, and starting the season 1-0 would certainly bolster their chances. And in an even abbreviated season that could be further truncated by COVID-related postponements, every game matters.
But the biggest prize for Saturday’s season-opening victor will be the Little Brown Jug.
The Little Brown Jug was born from a bout of paranoia
The first football contest between the University of Minnesota and the University of Michigan was played on October 17, 1892, in Minneapolis, but the game that changed the rivalry forever was played on October 31, 1903.