Rutgers vs. Michigan Postgame Report: No. 2 Wolverines too much for the Scarlet Knights

The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) proved to be too much for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten) on Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor with a textbook 31-7 win over their conference foe.  Rutgers will look to rebound (and should) next weekend when they welcome FCS foe Wagner to SHI Stadium in Piscataway.

The Scarlet Knights struck first when QB Gavin Wimsatt hit WR Christian Dremel on a slant that went 69-yards for the touchdown a minute into the game. Michigan answered with a seven play, 94-yard drive capped off by RB Blake Corum‘s first touchdown run from two-yards out.  Both teams squandered chances throughout the first half including field goal misses by both kickers.  Michigan was able to take the lead, 14-7, when QB J.J. McCarthy hit WR Semaj Morgan from 18-yards out in the waning moments of the first half.

At the half, it looked as though the upstart Scarlet Knights were going to give the No. 2 team in the nation a scare. But, it was not meant to be.

Rutgers held their own but the Wolverines proved to be too much scoring a total of 24 unanimous points as they cruised to win number four.

Michigan K James Turner added a 46-yard field goal to extend the Wolverines lead to 17-7 midway through the 3rd quarter. The fatal flaw for the Scarlet Knights came on the ensuing drive. Rutgers drove to the Michigan 29-yard line and decided against a field goal on 4th-and-2, which was the right call. Wolverines’ DB Mike Sainristil snuffed out a Wimsatt screen pass and took it 71-yards for a Michigan pick-six. The ill-advised by call by Rutgers’ OC Kirk Ciarrocca made the Wolverines’ lead 24-7 and was the nail for Rutgers. Corum would add another touchdown run, his second on the day, to extend the Michigan lead to 31-7 early in the 4th quarter.

In the end, the No. 2 Wolverines proved to be too much for Rutgers, however the final score wasn’t necessarily indicative of how the Scarlet Knights played.  Rutgers will look to close out the month of September with their fourth win next week when FCS opponent the Wagner Seahawks hop over the Goethels Bridge from Staten Island for a payday game.

Offensive Game Balls

• Michigan RB Blake Corum: 21 CAR, 97-YDs, 2 TDs
• Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy: 15/21, 214 YDs, TD, 7 CAR, 51 YDs

Defensive Game Balls

• Michigan DB Mike Sainristil: 2 TOT, INT, TD
• Rutgers LB Deion Jennings: 8 TOT, 6 SOLO, 1 PD
• Rutgers LB Tyreem Powell: 8 TOT, 1 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 PD

Game Notes

• Michigan’s win is the 9th consecutive over Rutgers in the series.
• Rutgers’ QB Gavin Wimsatt found the endzone –through the air or on the ground– for the 4th consecutive game.
• The Wolverines defense held Rutgers to under 100-yards rushing. The Scarlet Knights entered the game averaging 210.7-yards per game on the ground.

Injury Notes

• Rutgers DB Flip Dixon was injured during the 2nd half.

Rutgers vs. Michigan Box Score