PISCATAWAY - Michigan usually leans on its defense to carry the day. Saturday, it was the offense that had to take the wheel.
The Wolverines left Rutgers with a 28-21 win after building an early cushion, watching the game tighten into a grinder, and then answering every Scarlet Knights push with a score of their own. Michigan moved to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten, while Rutgers fell to 2-6 and 1-4.
Michigan’s first possession set the tone. After the defense forced a three-and-out, the Wolverines did something they hadn’t done since Week 1: score on the opening drive. Freshman wide receiver Salesi Moa sparked the march with a 44-yard catch-and-run, and on third-and-goal freshman quarterback Tommy Carr floated a jump ball to sophomore receiver JJ Buchanan for the game’s first touchdown.
Rutgers answered with a field goal after a pass interference call and a 12-yard run helped set up the kick, but Michigan kept pressing. Buchanan came up with another contested grab, this one for 30 yards, and the Wolverines finished the drive with three straight runs for a touchdown and a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter.
Even with Michigan in control, Rutgers found ways to move the ball. Playing without its starting quarterback and star wide receiver, the Scarlet Knights still threw effectively, and quarterback AJ Surace had 123 passing yards in the first half alone. Eighty of those came on a touchdown to wide receiver Jourdan Houston, who slipped behind the defense for the score.
Rutgers added another field goal before halftime, trimming the margin to 14-13 and turning what looked like a comfortable Michigan start into a much tighter game.
The Wolverines opened the second half with another efficient march, mixing runs and passes almost evenly before Carr finished it himself with a 15-yard touchdown scramble. That score pushed Michigan past 20 points for just the third time this season.
For a stretch, the defense seemed to settle in too. Michigan forced back-to-back three-and-outs and held Rutgers to 22 total yards in the third quarter, giving the impression that both sides of the ball were finally syncing up. But after junior running back Jordan Marshall was stopped on third down, Rutgers broke loose for a 54-yard run through the middle of the defense and tied the game two plays later at 21-21.
Michigan’s response came the same way its answers had all afternoon: with offense. The Wolverines put together a 75-yard drive that leaned heavily on the run game, and Carr kept the possession alive with his legs before punching in a nine-yard scramble for the go-ahead score.
With a little more than three minutes left, Michigan stayed on the ground and finished the job itself.
The Wolverines gave up more points than they had all season against a Rutgers offense missing key pieces, but the difference was simple: Michigan’s offense showed up with 425 total yards and carried the team to a win.
In Other News...
Bryce Underwood Could Force A Tough Michigan Decision Soon
Bryce Underwoods path at Michigan has already taken an unexpected turn, with the former five-star quarterback recruit getting benched in favor of Tommy Carr after struggling against Penn State. For a program that has spent so much time building around quarterback stability, the situation has quickly become one of the more intriguing personnel questions on the roster, especially with Underwood still carrying the kind of athletic profile that can tempt a staff to find another way to use him.
Michigan has not made any official decision about a position change, and no approach has been set in stone, but the idea is clearly on the table as the Wolverines sort through their quarterback situation. Underwoods future role now feels like one of those early-season decisions that can shape more than just depth-chart order, because if the staff decides his best path is somewhere other than quarterback, it would say plenty about where things stand behind center. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Escaped Rutgers But The Real Frustrations Arent Going Away
Michigan got what it needed against Rutgers, but not in the cleanest way. The Wolverines squeezed out a 28-21 win after letting a late-game lead slip away long enough to make things uncomfortable, even with Tommy Carr turning in a strong night through the air and on the ground. His 266 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns gave Michigan enough punch to survive, but the overall feel of the game was less about control than escape.
For a program that still has bigger ambitions in the 2026 season, the concerns did not disappear with the final whistle. The defense had stretches where Rutgers found room to answer, including the fourth-quarter tie that briefly changed the tone of the night, and the offense again left questions about consistency and coaching direction. A win is a win, but this one did little to quiet the frustration around how Michigan is being put together week to week. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Still Have One Big Question About This Team
Michigans football profile has drawn a mixed bag of reaction lately, with praise from some corners and sharp criticism from others. Utah State coach Bronco Mendenhall singled out offensive coordinator Jason Beck for the work being done on that side of the ball, while former Michigan players and analysts have pushed back on Kyle Whittinghams coaching style and the way he has handled his public comments.
Greg Schiano added another layer to the conversation by calling Michigans defense elite and pointing to several of its key players as the reason for that reputation. For fans, the contrast is what makes the bigger question linger: if the defense is playing at that level and the offense is drawing positive notice, why does the overall picture around the program still feel so unsettled? [Read more 🡒]