Game recap: Michigan kicks off Big Ten play with a stifling 31-7 win over Rutgers
The Michigan Wolverines are off to a 4-0 start after a 31-7 win over the visiting Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday afternoon. There were still some mistakes made, but U-M performed well in head coach Jim Harbaugh’s return to the sideline.
Here’s the blow-by-blow recap from Saturday afternoon’s Big Ten showdown from Michigan Stadium.
First quarter
Michigan won the coin toss and deferred its choice to the second half, starting the game on defense. Rutgers struck quickly, scoring on a 69-yard touchdown pass from Gavin Wimsatt to Christian Dremel. The drive went 75 yards in three plays with Rutgers holding a 7-0 lead over Michigan with 14:00 to go in the quarter.
After the kickoff, the Michigan offense took over at its own 37-yard line. Blake Corum rushed for 5 yards on first down, but the Wolverines went three-and-out and punted down to the Rutgers 21-yard line with 12:27 to go. A holding penalty on first down moved the ball back to the 11-yard line and it helped Michigan get off the field after three downs. The Scarlet Knights punted down to the Michigan 6-yard line, a kick of 75 yards. Michigan’s offense would take over from there with 9:27 left in the first.
The Wolverines’ offense shook off some early game cobwebs by taking their next possession 94 yards in seven plays, headlined by long passes to Donovan Edwards and Colston Loveland and finished by a 2-yard touchdown from Corum, his team-leading seventh of the season. Michigan and Rutgers were tied at 7-7 with 5:56 remaining after James Turner‘s extra point.
The first quarter ended with Rutgers driving 57 yards in 9 plays into Michigan territory facing fourth-and-1 from the U-M 28-yard line.
Michigan 7, Rutgers 7
Second quarter
Rutgers would take a false start penalty, moving the ball to fourth-and-6 and forcing a 51-yard field goal attempt, which was no good. Michigan’s offense took over at its own 33-yard line. Despite a 9-play, 42-yard drive, U-M stalled out and settled for a 42-yard field goal attempt from Turner, which was no good. The game stayed tied 7-7 with 9:35 to go in the first half.
Rutgers responded with a three-and-out on its next possession, punting to back Michigan up to its own 21-yard line. Michigan answered with an 11-play, 79-yard drive that took 5:44 off the clock, finishing with an 18-yard touchdown pass from J.J. McCarthy to freshman receiver Semaj Morgan, the first of his career. U-M led 14-7 after Turner’s extra point with 1:41 to go in the half.
Rutgers sat on the ball in its four plays to close out the first two quarters and decided to go to the locker room.
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Michigan 14, Rutgers 7
Third quarter
Michigan took the first possession of the half, starting on its own 10-yard line after the kickoff. What followed was a 14-play, 62-yard drive that ended with a 46-yard field goal from Turner. That extended U-M’s lead to 17-7 after the long drive. Rutgers took over on its own 25-yard line with 7 minutes to go in the quarter.
Rutgers put together a solid following drive, but defensive back Mike Sainristil intercepted a Wimsatt screen pass and returned it 71 yards for a Michigan touchdown. The Wolverines took a 24-7 lead after Turner’s extra point at 4:31 remaining in the third quarter.
Michigan’s defense was able to force a three-and-out on its following possession, and the quarter would end with U-M on its own 44-yard line facing a second-and-10.
Michigan 24, Rutgers 7
Fourth quarter
The Wolverines finished off the drive with their fourth touchdown of the day, this time a 5-yard rush from Corum. The score was his second on the afternoon and eighth this season. After the extra point, U-M led 31-7 with 12:38 to go.
Rutgers would turn the ball over on downs with just under seven minutes to go, and Michigan ran out the clock from there, securing the victory.
Michigan 31, Rutgers 7
Michigan football vs. Rutgers box score, final stats
