Preview: Michigan at Rutgers

RUSH OFFENSE vs. RUTGERS RUSH DEFENSE
Michigan is #5 in rush offense (246 yards/game) and averages 5.7 yards per carry, which is #8 nationally. Statistically, running back Blake Corum is on a Heisman-level pace with 1,078 yards and 15 total touchdowns through eight games. That puts him on track for 1,617 rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns in twelve games. Backup Donovan Edwards has 26 carries for 215 yards and 2 touchdowns over the past two games. Rutgers is #19 in rushing defense (108 yards allowed/game) and gives up the 20th fewest yards per carry (3.3), but the two best teams on their schedule have run the ball well, with Ohio State racking up 252 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground and Minnesota rushing for 253 and 4. Senior inside linebacker Deion Jennings (6’1″, 230 lbs.) leads the team with 68 tackles, while senior safety Christian Izien (5’10”, 200) sits with 54 stops. Three Scarlet Knights are tied for the team lead with 6 tackles for loss each, including defensive end Wesley Bailey (6’5″, 250), outside linebacker Tyreem Powell (6’5″, 235), and former Michigan signee Aaron Lewis, Jr. (6’5″, 250) at end. This is a solid defense, but it’s tough to hold up for an entire game when the offense can’t do a whole lot.
Advantage: Michigan

Hit the jump for more.

PASS OFFENSE vs. RUTGERS PASS DEFENSE
Michigan is #84 in the country in passing (223.8 yards/game) but tied for #29 in yards per attempt (8.4); the latter number has come down in recent weeks, as quarterback J.J. McCarthy has thrown more checkdowns. He has completed 74.6% of his passes for 10 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Wide receiver Ronnie Bell leads the team with 39 catches – which matches last season’s team leader for the season, Cornelius Johnson – for 482 yards and 1 touchdown. Tight end Luke Schoonmaker was held catchless two games ago, but he still has 18 catches over the past four games. Michigan is tied for #20 at allowing sacks with just 1.13 per game. Rutgers is #107 in sacks per game (1.5); Bailey (3.5) and Powell (3.0) lead the squad in that category. The Scarlet Knights are tied at #21 with 1.13 interceptions per game, led by senior cornerback Christian Braswell (5’11”, 185) with 3, but senior safety Aaron Young (6’1″, 205) is the most talented player on the back end.
Advantage: Michigan

RUSH DEFENSE vs. RUTGERS RUSH OFFENSE
Michigan is #3 in rushing defense (79.75 yards/game) and #6 in yards allowed per carry (2.75). They have allowed just 4 rushing touchdowns on the year, which is tied for #4 in the nation. Michigan State managed just 37 total rushing yards on 23 attempts last week. Inside linebacker Junior Colson (59 tackles) leads the team in tackles by a wide margin over fellow linebacker Michael Barrett (33). Edge Mike Morris has 9 tackles for loss, and fellow edge defender Jaylen Harrell has 5.5. Rutgers is #66 in rushing (150.6 yards/game) and #79 in yards per carry (3.94). Starting running back Samuel Brown V is out for the season, and Rutgers doesn’t have much behind him. Sophomore Kyle Monangai (5’9″, 205) averages just 3.42 yards per carry. Four of Rutgers’s five starting linemen are transfers, and three of the four are in their first season in Piscataway, including 6’7″, 351 lb. left guard Curtis Dunlap, a former Michigan target and starter at Minnesota. The lone homegrown talent is right tackle Hollins Pierce (6’7″, 330), who is bad.
Advantage: Michigan

PASS DEFENSE vs. RUTGERS PASS OFFENSE
The Wolverines are #8 in passing defense (170.8 yards allowed/game) and #2 in passer rating defense. (Side note: #1 in that category is Illinois, who have allowed just 3 passing touchdowns and made 15 interceptions!) Amazingly, the top three defenses in yards per attempt are all in the Big Ten, with Illinois #1, Michigan at #2, and Iowa at #3. The Wolverines are #8 in sacks per game with 3.25, led by edge Mike Morris with 5.5. Michigan may be without starting cornerback Gemon Green, however, after he was beaten over the head with a helmet in the tunnel after the Michigan State game. Presumably, his replacement would be freshman Will Johnson, a 5-star prospect who has been the third corner up until now. Rutgers is #121 in passing offense after firing offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson a few weeks ago. Redshirt freshman Gavin Wimsatt (6’3″, 220) has been named this weekend’s starter over Evan Simon and Noah Vedral, but Wimsatt has completed just 16/40 passes for 185 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions this season. His best value right now is as a runner, where he has 17 carries for 115 yards. Senior wideout Sean Ryan (6’2″, 200) has 16 catches for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns, while fellow senior Aaron Cruickshank (5’10”, 170) has 27 catches for 255 yards and 2 touchdowns. Senior tight end Johnny Langan (6’3″, 235) serves as a short yardage quarterback but also has 20 catches for 178 yards and 1 score from his regular spot. Rutgers is #39 in sacks allowed, so that’s something; it helps that they get the ball out quick and their quarterbacks run pretty well.
Advantage: Michigan

ROSTER NOTES

• Rutgers players recruited by Michigan include: OG Curtis Dunlap (transfer from Minnesota), DE Kenny Fletcher, DE Aaron Lewis, Jr., QB Gavin Wimsatt
• Rutgers DE Aaron Lewis, Jr. signed with Michigan in 2020 before transferring to home-state Rutgers due to personal reasons
• Rutgers DT Mayan Ahanotu is the son of former Cal and Tampa Bay Buccaneers DE Chidi Ahanotu
• Rutgers CB Todd Bowles, Jr. is the son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles
• Offensive coordinator/QB coach Nunzio Campanile is the brother of former Michigan LB coach Anthony Campanile

LAST TIME THEY PLAYED…

• Rutgers held Michigan RBs Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins to a combined 33 carries for 109 yards and 2 scores, both by Haskins
• Rutgers RB Isiah Pacheco ran 20 times for 107 yards
• QB Cade McNamara completed 9/16 passes for 163 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions
• Michigan was up 20-3 at halftime and held on for a 20-13 victory

PREDICTION

• Michigan 38, Rutgers 6

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