Ann Arbor, MI -- (Sports Network) - Brandon Minor gained 159 yards on 21 carries with one touchdown, and Carlos Brown rushed 13 times for 137 yards and two scores, as the 19th-ranked Michigan Wolverines came back to stomp Minnesota, 34-10, despite missing both their starting quarterback and running back, and hold on to the Little Brown Jug.

Minor and Brown combined the make sure the Wolverines didn't miss star running back Mike Hart, who sat with a right ankle injury. Wideout Mario Manningham had five catches for a career-high 162 yards, highlighted by a 40-yard touchdown grab for Michigan (7-2, 5-0 Big Ten), which has won seven straight after starting the season 0-2. Freshman Ryan Mallet, playing in place of Chad Henne, who sat with a hand injury, completed 11-of-20 passes for 233 yards and a score.

Duane Bennet gained 109 yards on 20 carries for Minnesota (1-8, 0-5), which has dropped eight in a row after winning the season-opener over Miami-Ohio. Adam Weber completed 14-of-30 passes for 99 yards for the Golden Gophers, who were held without an offensive touchdown.

Michigan pulled away in the second half, when it outscored Minnesota 21-0, capping 34 straight Wolverine points after the Golden Gophers jumped out to an early 10-0 lead.

A 48-yard connection from Mallett to Manningham set the Wolverines up at the Minnesota 23-yard-line, and Brown capped the five-play, 75-yard drive with a five-yard scoring run, boosting Michigan to a 20-10 lead with 3:18 left in the third quarter.

Manningham's 40-yard TD reception early in the fourth quarter all-but-clinched the win for Michigan. The reception, on a 1st-and-10, put the Wolverines up 27-10 with 13:31 left.

Brown gashed the Minnesota defense for an 85-yard scoring run with 8:37 remaining, providing the final margin of victory.

"Our offensive line is consistent no matter who is in the backfield. Our coaches are going to make good calls, the fullback will block his man, and the receivers will get their blocks. We're going to make it happen," said Brown of Michigan's depth at running back.

The Michigan offense, missing two of its major cogs, struggled early, and Minnesota took advantage. The Golden Gophers covered 68 yards in 10 plays midway through the first quarter, but stalled at the Michigan 12, and had to settle for a 29-yard Joel Monroe field goal with 6:30 left.

A fumbled handoff by Mallett on the first play of the second quarter vaulted Minnesota to a 10-point lead. Dominique Barber scooped up the ball and ran 46 yards for the score, and Minnesota held a 10-0 lead with 14:48 left in the second quarter.

Michigan answered with a 10-play, 54-yard drive, but the Gophers defense strengthened, and the Wolverines had to settle for a 42-yard field goal by K.C. Lopata got Michigan on the board with 10:15 left in the second quarter.

Minnesota drove into Wolverines territory on the ensuing drive, but a Weber fumble gave Michigan the ball at their own 38. Again the Wolverines moved deep into Minnesota territory, with the big play a 44-yard hookup from Mallett to Manningham, but again the Michigan offense came up short, and Lopata came on for a 26-yard field goal with 6:16 left in the half.

Minor gained 16 and 12 yards on back-to-back rushes early on the next Michigan possession, and a 24-yard reception by Manningham set the Wolverines up at the Minnesota 5. This time Michigan was able to capitalize, and Minor burst through the left side of the line for a two-yard scoring run, and the Wolverines took a 13-10 lead with 2:49 left in the half.

"They're ahead 10-0, and we're going into the wind, which was significant. We did manage to get the lead toward the end of the half. I thought that was important for us. There's no question our defense was ready to play today," said Wolverines head coach Lloyd Carr.

Game Notes

Michigan outgained Minnesota, 561-231...Eric Decker had three catches for 40 yards for the Gophers...Adrian Arrington gained 61 yards on four catches for the Wolverines.