The state of Michigan might just own the state of Minnesota.

On the heels of the Detroit Tigers' thrilling run the past two months to erase a 10-game deficit against the Minnesota Twins and clinch a spot in the MLB postseason, the Michigan football team continued the run against the Minnesota Golden Gophers — helped by a crucial offsides call on the Golden Gophers in the final minutes.

The Wolverines opened with a dominant run offense, flipped the day with a game-changing special teams play, and leaned on the defense all afternoon long as they were able to hold on late for a 27-24 victory over the Golden Gophers and retain the Little Brown Jug on a wet, gray afternoon in Ann Arbor.

"We're happy we got the win," head coach Sherrone Moore said postgame. "But not happy, not satisfied with how we got the win."

INJURIES: Will Johnson out vs. Minnesota, Colston Loveland in

For the second straight week it looked like it would be a runaway, as Michigan led by 21 midway through the third quarter. But a costly Alex Orji interception gave the Gophers life. They responded with a 12-play, 72-yard touchdown drive to get back in the game early in the fourth quarter, then after Michigan's offense went three-and-out (for its fifth time) Minnesota's Koi Perich returned the punt 60 yards to the U-M 16.

Three plays later, Walled Lake Western alumnus Darius Taylor plowed into the end zone for a four-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 24-17. But like last week, the Wolverines had a response. Michigan got the ball back and leaned on Mullings. The star of the offense opened the drive with three straight carries to move the sticks before Orji found Colston Loveland on a 15-yard over route to cross midfield.

After another Mullings first down, U-M got down into the Gophers' red zone as it put together a 14-play, 58-yard drive which took more than 6:30 off the clock and helped Michigan take a two-possession lead.

But the Gophers weren't done. They drove 75 yards and scored on a 12-yard pass to Daniel Jackson to make it a three-point game with 1:40 remaining. The Gophers then executed an onside kick to recover the ball — but had the recovery negated by an offsides call.

"We just have to find a way to be able to strain in that second half and strain to finish teams," Mullings said. "Felt like we were rolling pretty good in that first half, really let them back into it and got lucky with some things at the end of the game too. We just have to strain to be better and execute for all four quarters."

Alex Orji starts out well

The passing attack looked improved from a week ago in Orji's first start, but remains a problem. The junior had more passing yards by the half (36) than he had in the entire game against USC (32), and finished 10-for-18 passes for 86 yards and one touchdown. But his interception in the third quarter, when he waited too long to target a wide-open Loveland on a seam route, was exactly what he said can't happen.

Loveland's return helped: He caught a team-high four passes for 41 yards. Tyler Morris also got into the end zone on an 11-yard play-action catch for his first score of the season, but there was just one completion that went for more than 10 air yards downfield.

"Had a rail route to (Edwards) too, so it was a two-part (mistake)," Moore said. "Ball was a little inside, the DB made a good play, but got to go through the progression, had (Edwards) on the other side. So a couple of things that we can clean up and get fixed."

Largely, the Wolverines used their rushing attack to carry the load, led once again by Mullings who ran 24 times for 111 yards and two scores, while Orji (eight carries for 23 yards) and Donovan Edwards (nine carries for 34 yards) supplemented his load.

The defense was excellent most of the day — Wink Martindale's unit forced five punts and held Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer to 27-for-47 passing for 258 yards and the entire Gophers team to just 38 rushing yards on 25 attempts — but U-M won because of its ability to play complementary football.

There were 15 total possessions in the first half when Michigan built its lead, although the Gophers outgained Michigan, 130-107, at the break, Michigan was up by 18 on the scoreboard. Why? Starting field position. Michigan averaged starting on its own 48 in the first half, while Minnesota averaged beginning on its own 23.

"You give a good football team that field position, the percentages go up," Moore said.

Big plays early

Michigan came out with a statement, as it marched seven plays and 79 yards (Orji completed two passes for 15 yards) before Mullings ripped off a 27-yard touchdown rush to open the scoring with 6:34 left in the first quarter.

The offense went three-and-out on its ensuing two possessions, but the defense flipped the game when Zeke Berry ripped the ball out of Jackson's arms and returned it to the Gophers' 16. Mullings then bulldozed his way in from 1 yard out, three plays later, to put U-M up, 14-0.

Then, after Michigan's defense forced its fourth consecutive drive that lasted three plays or fewer, Kechaun Bennett came through on fourth-down and swatted the Gophers' punt attempt to set Michigan's offense up inside the Minnesota red zone for the second time in the quarter.

This time, it took just one play before Orji found Morris to go up 21-0.

"Exciting finally getting back in the end zone," Morris said. "Just stuck behind the line, saw everybody had turned their back and knew I was probably getting the ball, then I just tried to get to the end zone."

By that point, the defense was able to pin its ears back and get after Brosmer. At the half, U-M already had eight tackles for loss (including four sacks), two pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception. Martindale spoke earlier in the week of how he's pressuring less and demonstrated that early. He sent all types of simulated pressures, such as on the first series when he dropped TJ Guy into coverage and moved Ernest Hausmann up to the line of scrimmage as if he was on a blitz, only for him to shadow the running back and finish the opening series with a tackle for loss.

Jyaire Hill, who had another tremendous game, finished the next series with a tackle for loss when he blew up a screen pass and forced Minnesota to try a 55-yard field goal, which was no good. It was a theme of the day, as Rayshaun Benny altered the next drive with a batted ball, before Berry had the strip on the following drive. Brandyn Hillman then came up with consecutive plays to force a three-and-out on the next series, and Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham came up with consecutive sacks the next time Minnesota had the ball to set up the Bennett blocked punt.

On the first play after U-M scored its third touchdown of the game, Hill came away with an acrobatic interception, leaping to grab the ball and just barely getting a foot inbounds.

"Eyes got big, turned around, ended up catching the ball and sticking the landing on the sideline," Hill said afterwards. "Toe tap."

Hold on late

Minnesota connected on a 44-yard hail Mary to get down to the U-M 1 and kick a field goal as time expired in the first half, but after that the Wolverines were plenty happy to simply salt the game away.

They went on a 13-play, 40-yard drive that took half the third quarter and ended with a Dominic Zvada field goal. After U-M forced a Minnesota three-and-out, it looked as if it would go on another lengthy drive. But Orji had his first career turnover late in the third to keep the Gophers going.

On the 11th play of Minnesota's next drive, Michigan appeared to have come away with a stop on fourth-and-11, but Graham was flagged for illegal hands to the face, which extended the drive. Two plays later, Taylor plowed in a 4-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 24-10.

Minnesota made it 24-17 after a 60-yard punt return set up a Taylor touchdown, but Michigan pulled away on its ensuing drive when Dominic Zvada drilled a 35-yard field goal with 4:33 to play.

The Wolverines' next game is a rematch of last year's national championship game against Washington, the first road trip of the season after five consecutive games at home to start.

"I like playing away (games)," Mullings said. "Especially stadiums I've never been to before. The guys on the team, we're ready, excited to take that road trip and go out there and get a win."

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan bailed out by controversial call on onside kick in 27-24 win