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ANN ARBOR, Michigan (Ticker) -- B.J. Askew and Chris Perry paced a strong ground attack as 13th-ranked Michigan rolled to a 31-10 Big Ten Conference victory over Minnesota. With their passing game ineffective, the Wolverines turned to Askew and Perry, who combined for 172 of the team's 300 yards and three touchdowns. Askew carried 14 times for 81 yards, including touchdown runs of 11 and two yards in the opening half, when Michigan (7-2, 5-1 Big Ten) took a 14-10 lead. "We get tired of hearing talk about the running game so we wanted to make sure we picked it up today," Askew said. Perry, who had 91 yards on 20 attempts, scored on a five-yard run late in the fourth quarter as the Wolverines rebounded from a last-second loss to Michigan State and remained in control of the conference race. "We work hard in practice and then to have people tell you (the running game is) poor, you want to come out and prove them wrong and show them we have a good running game," Perry said. "Running the football is something we stressed all week and it showed today," said Michigan quarterback John Navarre, who was 11-of-21 for 120 yards and one interception. The Wolverines improved to 64-23-3 in the all-time series, and claimed "The Little Brown Jug," the oldest trophy in college football. Ron Johnson had a 15-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter for Minnesota (3-6, 1-5), which was eliminated from bowl contention. The Wolverines established their dominance up front from the outset, taking the game's opening possession and moving 74 yards in 10 plays, a drive that took 7:58 off the clock. Askew capped the long drive by busting around right end for a two-yard touchdown run. Minnesota answered that score less than four minutes into the second quarter, when Asas Abdul-Khaliq found Johnson from 15 yards, tying the contest at 7-7. Abdul-Khaliq went 12-of-25 for 140 yards and one touchdown. But the Wolverines received a big play on special teams later in the quarter after Tyrece Butler blocked a punt and Jon Shaw recovered at the Minnesota 2. Two plays later, Askew scored on a two-yard run to give Michigan a 14-7 lead with 7:10 left before the half. "Our kicking game is atrocious. I'm embarrassed by it," Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. "We got another blocked punt. It must be the scheme. We'll have to change it. Our kickoff coverage was poor, too." Dany Nystrom kicked a 40-yard field as time expired in the half for the Golden Gophers, but that was as close as they would get. In the third quarter, the Wolverines extended the lead to 24-10 on Calvin Bell's 19-yard touchdown run and a 41-yard field goal by Hayden Epstein. Perry gave Michigan the final margin, scoring on a five-yard run 11 seconds into the fourth quarter. "It's amazing it was as close as it was in the first half," Mason said. "I thought we hung in there. It was the third quarter that killed us. We were in the game at halftime."
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