Rutgers is headed back home this Saturday with another difficult number staring it down: the Scarlet Knights are 14.5-point underdogs against Michigan, according to FanDuel.
The setup comes with both teams limping in off losses. Rutgers was thumped 42-14 on the road by No.
24 Northwestern, while Michigan fell 13-6 in overtime to No. 6 Indiana yesterday.
The total sits at 47.5, one of the lowest for a Rutgers game this season.
At first glance, the matchup is a strange one. Michigan’s offense has been far from explosive, and Rutgers’ defense has been even harder to trust.
The Wolverines are averaging 20.3 points per game, which ranks No. 108 in the FBS, while Rutgers is giving up 37.7 points per game, third-worst in the country at No. 128.
Michigan has also struggled to move the ball on the ground, averaging 3.7 yards per rush, good for No. 96 in the FBS, while Rutgers is allowing 6 yards per carry, the third-worst mark in the FBS. Through the air, Michigan is putting up 165.9 passing yards per game, No. 125 in the FBS, and Rutgers is giving up 245.3 passing yards per game, which ranks 100th.
Michigan has topped 20 points only twice all season, and Rutgers has held just two opponents under 30 points. The stoppable force vs the moveable object.
But Michigan’s defense changes the feel of the game completely. The Wolverines are allowing just 15.7 points per game, a figure that ranks 11th in the FBS, and they look like a brutal draw for a Rutgers offense that has had protection problems all season. Defensive end John Henry Daley has been especially disruptive with four sacks, and Michigan’s defense has also averaged 1.3 positive turnovers per game, which could loom large given Rutgers’ turnover issues.
Quarterback play adds another layer of uncertainty. Michigan opened last week with Tommy Carr over Bryce Underwood, and Carr finished with 167 passing yards, no touchdowns and one interception.
It will be worth watching how he handles his second start. Rutgers, meanwhile, cycled through three quarterbacks and got little from any of them.
Starter Dylan Lonergan left before he could even attempt a pass, and backups AJ Surace and Sean Ashenfelder combined to hit 9 of 27 passes for 100 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions.
Lonergan gives Rutgers its best shot to stay in the game, but if he can’t play, the Scarlet Knights would be looking at a major challenge against one of the strongest defenses in the Big Ten.
In Other News...
Rutgers Is Leaning On Emily Nicholls At Exactly The Right Time
Rutgers field hockey has found a reliable last line of defense in Emily Nicholls just when the schedule has demanded it most. The goalkeeper was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after anchoring the Scarlet Knights in a win over No. 6 Iowa, a performance that underscored how much the team is leaning on her as conference play tightens up.
Nicholls has quickly become one of the leagues steadiest keepers, ranking second in the Big Ten in saves per game while carrying a 72.0% save percentage on the season. With Rutgers facing top-tier opposition and every defensive sequence carrying more weight, her recent run gives the Scarlet Knights a real chance to stay in games that could easily tilt the other way. [Read more 🡒]