Rutgers spent Saturday hearing “It’s third down!” over and over again, and the number told the story. SHI Stadium PA announcer Joe Nolan shouted it 16 times, and Michigan kept answering.
The Scarlet Knights’ defense turned in one of its more spirited performances of the season, but the inability to get off the field on third down helped sink Rutgers in a 28-21 loss to Michigan. The Wolverines converted 12 of 16 third downs, a number Greg Schiano didn’t try to soften.
“That's unacceptable,” Schiano said.
The problem wasn’t new. Rutgers came into the game already near the bottom of the country in opponent third-down conversion rate, and last week Northwestern went 9 of 13 on third down against the Knights. Schiano said he still doesn’t have a clean explanation for why the issue keeps showing up.
“I can't tell you exactly,” Schiano said. “Two hours from now or three hours from now. Probably be able to give you a better answer…it just seems like we're covering for a long time.”
The biggest breakdown came on the drive that decided the game. With the score tied at 21, Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr led a 7-minute, 11-play march that featured three third-down conversions. On 3rd and 7 from the nine-yard line, Carr escaped and ran in for his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon, giving the Wolverines the lead for good.
Carr had his best outing of the season, completing 22 of 27 passes for 266 yards while also rushing for 54 yards and two touchdowns.
“He's an athletic guy, elite change of direction, speed,” Schiano said. “We recruited this kid.
He has an elite short shuttle, which means he's very quick, and he used that quickness today. I mean, even that touchdown was real close, but couldn't get him down.”
Rutgers did manage to get to Carr once, with senior defensive lineman Sekou Kromah recording a 9-yard sack. But one stop wasn’t nearly enough to offset the repeated third-down failures.
“I really don't know about that,” Kromah said. “I feel like we're gonna dive into tape tonight and make sure we fix that error, so next week we're on point.”
Carr, who started last week at Indiana, also showed why his legs have become such a problem for defenses. Rutgers has now allowed four quarterbacks to rush for more than 50 yards in a game this season, and Carr joined that list with his 54-yard day.
“He's a good football player,” Kromah said. “So I feel like anybody that's good is gonna be hard to bring down.”
In Other News...
Rutgers Faces Early Michigan Trouble With One Big Question Still Looming
Rutgers walked into Saturdays Big Ten matchup with Michigan knowing the margin for error would be thin, and the early stages at noon on the Big Ten Network only reinforced how much this game could hinge on field position, health and a few key snaps. The pregame injury report already had both sides sorting through availability, and the first half quickly turned into a test of whether Rutgers could keep pace with a Wolverines team that was able to cash in on its chances.
Michigan carried a 14-3 lead into halftime after touchdowns from JJ Buchanan and Jordan Marshall, leaving Rutgers with work to do and one especially important personnel note still worth watching. KJ Duff had been listed as a game-time decision, but the expectation after warmups was that he would be available, giving Rutgers at least one more option as it tried to steady the offense and chip back into a game that had already tilted early. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Let Michigan Hang Around And Paid For It Late
Rutgers had chances to seize control against Michigan and never quite did, a frustrating theme in a 28-21 loss that left the Scarlet Knights wondering what might have been. AJ Surace connected on three of 12 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown, while Antwan Raymond and Clay Thevenin helped keep the offense moving on the ground with 115 combined rushing yards and a score. The defense also showed some growth, with JJ Conyers and Rondo Porter turning in notable efforts, but the missed field goals and key stops that could have flipped the game never fully materialized.
Instead, the night turned into another lesson in how thin the margin can be in Big Ten play. Rutgers had Michigan in reach for much of the game, yet the late response never came, and the loss stings even more because the Scarlet Knights had enough moments to make it their night. Now the focus shifts quickly to Wisconsin, with the bigger question being whether Rutgers can get healthier at quarterback and receiver before trying to turn a close defeat into a reset. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Fans May Not Like What Stands In The Way Of Change
Rutgers footballs rough season under Greg Schiano has naturally stirred up the kind of conversation that follows any disappointing year in Piscataway. When a program is struggling, the first question is usually whether a reset is coming, and the Scarlet Knights are no exception. Fans can already start thinking about what a different direction might look like, with names such as Brian Kelly, Jason Eck and Fran Brown surfacing as possible options if the job ever opens up.
But the path to change is not nearly as simple as the frustration around the team would suggest. Even with the noise building around Schiano, Rutgers is dealing with financial realities that make an immediate move difficult, which is why this situation feels more like a looming debate than a quick decision. For now, the bigger story may be not who could replace him, but whether the school can realistically afford to make that kind of change at all. [Read more 🡒]