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MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The "Little Brown Jug" will remain in Michigan's possession for at least another year.

The 11th-ranked Wolverines scored 24 unanswered points late in the third quarter and early in the fourth en route to 41-24 win over Big Ten foe Minnesota.

Michigan defeated Minnesota for the 14th straight time to keep the "Little Brown Jug," the oldest trophy in college football which dates to 1903.

The game turned late in the third quarter when Michigan defensive end Pierre Woods blocked Preston Gruening's punt at the Minnesota 10. John Navarre then lofted a TD pass to Braylon Edwards in the back right corner of the end zone, giving the Wolverines a 27-17 advantage with 2:13 to go in the period.

"It was definitely the biggest play of the game for us," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "There are always some plays that change the momentum for a team and that block did so in many ways for us. It was very influential for us, especially as late in the game as it was."

Just 53 seconds later, Jeremy LeSeuer intercepted a pass from Asad Abdul-Khaliq by ripping it out of Tony Patterson's hands, and Michigan again capitalized, with B.J. Askew scoring on a four-yard run 1:08 into the fourth quarter.

Askew blew the game open with a career-high 59-yard run with 11:10 to play, which gave the Wolverines a 41-17 lead. The fullback, who had a career-high 149 rushing yards in a 49-3 rout of Michigan State last week, ran for 126 on 11 carries in this one.

"We came into the game emphasizing the run, and I thought we did a good job of sticking with it," Askew said. "Our offensive line did a great job of blocking for us. This was a great win over a very talented team."

The Wolverines (8-2, 5-1 Big Ten) outgained the Gophers, 253-127, on the ground. Michigan had season highs in rushing yards and total yards (478).

"Our offensive line concentrated on our blocking all week, and they came out and blocked very well tonight," Navarre said. "We got them off balance by mixing up our plays. They have a very talented and fast defense, but our execution wore them down."

Minnesota (7-3, 3-3) scored touchdowns on its first two drives of the second half to tie the score at 17-17 before Adam Finley connected on a 25-yard field goal with 3:26 to go in the period to put the Wolverines back on top.

Navarre was a mistake-free 15-of-26 for 225 yards and two touchdowns, while Abdul-Khaliq was 17-of-36 for 181 yards, two TDs and three interceptions. Navarre joined Todd Collins and Tom Brady as the only Michigan quarterbacks to throw for 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons and surpassed 5,000 career passing yards.

The Wolverines have won 31 of their last 33 meetings against the Gophers and improved to 9-0 at the Metrodome.

Michigan took its first lead, 7-3, on a 10-yard pass from Navarre to Ronald Bellamy with 3:41 remaining in the first period. Three plays prior, the Gophers, punting from midfield, hiked the ball well over the head of Gruening, who dived on the ball at the 14.

"We've had some problems in the past with consistent snapping," Gruening said. "It just went high, and I tried to get on it, but they came so fast, there really wasn't anything I could do."

After Finley made a 22-yard field goal 3:24 into the second quarter, running back Chris Perry scored on a 16-yard run to give the Wolverines a 17-3 lead with 8:02 to go in the half.

Michigan's aggressive defense limited Minnesota to six first-half rushing yards on 15 carries but made a pair of costly mistakes early in the third quarter.

Cornerback Marlin Jackson committed a 15-yard roughing penalty on Abdul-Khaliq on the opening drive, which the quarterback capped with a six-yard pass to Patterson.

On the Gophers' next drive, defensive end Norman Heuer was whistled 15 yards for a late hit, and Abdul-Khaliq ended the possession with a 27-yard pass to Antoine Burns that tied the score with 6:06 to play in the period.

"I was encouraged with the way we responded in the second half," Gophers coach Glen Mason said. "When we tied the game up, we could feel the momentum swing our way. I thought we had the opportunity to win, but then the momentum switched the other way. Back to work."

Minnesota's Terry Jackson rushed for 89 yards and completed the scoring with a five-yard run with 7:18 remaining.

"They executed a lot better than we did," Jackson said. "They jumped out on us big time. We had way too many three-and-outs. Their linebackers run a lot of twist plays, and their defensive line runs a lot of stunts."

The Gophers had a school-record six-game winning streak at the Metrodome snapped.

Finley made just 2-of-4 field goals for the Wolverines, whose kickers have connected on just 8-of-20 this season. Finley is 3-of-6.

Jackson, a sophomore, set a Michigan single-season record with his 16th pass breakup, one more than the mark established by Charles Woodson in 1996.

"I commend the Minnesota team," Carr said. "They gave us a good fight today, but when they tied it up, our team responded well offensively, defensively and on special teams. Now we just have to get ready for Wisconsin."