Rutgers had chances to make Halloween night a lot more interesting, but the Scarlet Knights couldn’t quite finish the job in a 28-21 loss to Michigan.
The game kept slipping through Rutgers’ hands in the same way over and over: missed chances, missed field goals, and a defense that couldn’t get the final stop when it mattered most. After Rutgers pulled even at 21 in the fourth quarter, Michigan answered with the kind of drive that ended the night for the Knights, marching 75 yards in 11 plays for the go-ahead touchdown with around four minutes left. Rutgers never got back in front.
Michigan set the tone early after forcing a quick Rutgers punt on the opening possession. The Wolverines then ripped off a 92-yard drive in 10 plays to grab the first lead.
Rutgers answered with a field goal, but Michigan responded again with another long touchdown march. The Knights managed to stay within reach, scoring a touchdown and adding another field goal before halftime to trail 14-13.
The second half followed a similar script. Michigan opened the third quarter with a touchdown drive, and Rutgers kept hanging around until the fourth, when it finally tied the game at 21 with a touchdown and two-point conversion. That was as close as it got.
Rutgers’ passing game never found much rhythm. AJ Surace completed just three of 12 passes, though each completion went for a big gain.
He finished with 123 passing yards and one touchdown, and he avoided turnovers. The struggles through the air were made tougher by injuries, with Dylan Lonergan out and KJ Duff limited.
Michigan’s defense also forced Rutgers into a one-dimensional approach, and the Wolverines’ pass rush kept Surace uncomfortable all night with two sacks and four tackles for loss.
There were positives on the ground for Rutgers. Antwan Raymond and Clay Thevenin combined for 18 carries, 115 yards, and one touchdown, giving the offense some needed production.
Defensively, the Scarlet Knights turned in one of their better showings of the season, even if it didn’t show up in the final score. Rutgers recorded one sack, two tackles for loss, and three passes defended. True freshman DB JJ Conyers led the team with nine tackles, while Rondo Porter continued to be a force inside, finishing with six total tackles and a tackle for loss.
Rutgers now turns to next week’s road game at Wisconsin, hoping to build on the defensive effort and get its offensive playmakers back healthy. The game time and broadcast have not yet been announced.
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Rutgers Faces Early Michigan Trouble With One Big Question Still Looming
Rutgers walked into Saturdays meeting with Michigan knowing the margin for error was slim, and the first half only sharpened that reality. The game at noon on the Big Ten Network came with the usual pregame injury watch on both sides, but the early action quickly shifted the focus to execution, field position and whether Rutgers could settle in before the Wolverines seized control.
Michigan had already built a 14-3 lead by halftime behind touchdown plays from JJ Buchanan and Jordan Marshall, leaving Rutgers with plenty to clean up after two quarters. The bigger question for the Scarlet Knights now is whether they can find enough offense to make the second half competitive, especially with every update from the sideline carrying added weight in a game that was supposed to be defined by the details. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Has A Third-Down Problem That Just Wont Go Away
Rutgers defense spent too much of Saturday chasing the sticks, and the result was another frustrating loss in a game that was there to be won. Michigan kept extending drives in a 28-21 victory, repeatedly finding answers on third down and putting the Scarlet Knights in long stretches of survival mode instead of control.
Greg Schiano acknowledged afterward that the issue has become a recurring one, even if he did not have an immediate explanation for why it keeps happening. Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr helped turn those extended possessions into points, guiding the decisive drive with his arm and legs as Rutgers was left to wonder how many more chances it can afford to give away in games like this. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Let Michigan's Freshman Take Over When It Mattered Most
Michigan left New Jersey with a 28-21 win over Rutgers, and the difference came from a freshman who kept getting more comfortable as the game tightened. Tommy Carr was sharp throughout, finishing 22 of 27 for 266 yards with a touchdown through the air and two more on the ground, while Michigans defense did enough despite missing two starting edge rushers.
Rutgers never found a second-half answer, and the Scarlet Knights were shut out after halftime as the game slipped away. AJ Surace could not complete a pass after the break, leaving Rutgers to watch Michigans young quarterback control the moments that mattered most and turn a close contest into a frustrating missed opportunity. [Read more 🡒]