MINNEAPOLIS - Lloyd Carr has been guilty of a lot of things while being Michigan football coach.
He has been guilty of being too conservative. He has been guilty of poor play calling. And he has often been guilty of not smiling enough.
But in his first two seasons, he has never been guilty of running up the score.
Until now.
In their 44-10 victory over Minnesota, the Wolverines scored a late touchdown that was a source of much debate after the game. With Michigan comfortably ahead, 37-10, backup quarterback Brian Griese threw 40 yards to Marcus Knight for a touchdown with 30 seconds remaining in the game. Earlier on the drive, the Wolverines had converted a fourth-and-two situation near midfield.
"I'm sure glad they went for it on fourth-and-two," Minnesota coach Jim Wacker said, sarcastically, after the game. "I was disappointed, and Lloyd apologized for it. But we've got to be good enough to keep that from happening."
In the recent past, Carr has spoken out against the running up of scores nationwide. He has said that coaches that do run up the score are a disgrace to the profession. Last year, he instructed his team to sit on the ball late in a 23-13 victory at Boston College.
This made the end to Saturday's game all of the more surprising.
"I'm sorry that we scored," Carr said. "But I don't think 44-10 is running up the score. We have a lot of guys who haven't played. I feel badly that we did, but I have an obligation to my young guys that need to be rewarded for scrimmaging and practicing. They need a chance, too."
Jug streak: Michigan became the first team to win the Little Brown Jug 10 consecutive times with its victory Saturday. The Wolverines also extended their streak of victories in the Metrodome, where they are 7-0.
The Jug has been awarded to the winner of the Michigan-Minnesota game since 1909, and neither side likes to lose it.
"I've been there a few times when they came over to the bench to take it back," Carr said. "It's not something you want to experience."
Missed chances: Artificial turf is supposed to be kind to kickers, but you wouldn't have known it Saturday.
Minnesota kicker Adam Bailey missed three field goals. He was wide right in the first quarter from 38 yards, short in the second quarter from 56 yards and short in the fourth quarter from 53 yards. He did make a 49-yarder in the third quarter and a point-after.
Michigan kicker Remy Hamilton missed a point-after in the second quarter.
Milestones: With four point-afters and a field goal, Hamilton took over fourth place on Michigan's all-time scoring list. He now has 250 points.
Chris Howard's 86-yard touchdown run was tied for fifth in Michigan's history. Heisman Trophy-winner Tom Harmon had the other 86-yard run in 1940.
Homeboys: Jason Kapsner and Jay Feely had several fans in attendance at Saturday's game. Kapsner, a true freshman who was a highly-recruited quarterback out of Eden Prarie, Minn., had family at the game. Feely, who was born in Minnesota, had about 30 fans in attendance.
The victory after the victory: About an hour after the game, several Michigan players, managers and support staff crammed into a tiny room with some reporters to watch the final moments of the World Series.
With the Yankees closing out the Braves in the ninth inning, Tai Streets stood in his sweats and dress shoes, hurried to see the finish and run to the bus.
"Can you believe that?" Streets said after the Yankees won. "Four straight games."
If only Michigan could do the same, Streets might end up in Pasadena.
JOE WESTRATE/Daily
Michigan players hoisted the fabled Little Brown Jug for the 10th straight year.