The Big Ten Network has spent as much time this week talking about Rutgers football and their strong start to the season as they are about what this game means for Michigan football. The times, they are a-changin.
Rutgers football has yet to beat Michigan since the return of Greg Schiano to the program. But there is some buzz that things could be trending that way for the Scarlet Knights ahead of this weekend’s trip to Michigan.
Rutgers (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) faces No. 2 Michigan (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) in Ann Arbor on Saturday at noon on the Big Ten Network. Michigan received one first place vote in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll.
Three years ago, Rutgers had a 48-42 loss to Michigan in triple overtime. In 2021, they nearly beat Michigan on the road. Then last year, Rutgers had a halftime lead on Michigan before the quality of the Wolverines showed itself in the second half.
This week, the Big Ten Network talked about if Michigan should be on upset alert.
“I think this is a good Rutgers team,” said Pat Forde while appearing on B1G Today on the Big Ten Network.
“They’ve shown this is a Greg Schiano woodchopper special, man. Run the ball. Stop the run. Don’t beat yourself. They lead the Big Ten in rushing obviously – Kyle Monangai does. They’re second in rushing defense. So Gavin Winstead hasn’t thrown an interception yet. Rutgers is one of only 14 teams in the country in the country that has not thrown a pick. If they can get Michigan into that kind of game where you’re not giving up big plays, and the really Michigan hasn’t been that spectacular offensively…I think they absolutely can be competitive for the long haul in this game.”
Rutgers has tested themselves this season. In Week 1, they beat a Big Ten rival (Northwestern) and last week, they beat another Power Five team in Virginia Tech.
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For Michigan, this is their Big Ten opener and the first Power Five opponent they will have faced this season. It is an opportunity for a Michigan team that is projected to return to the College Football Playoff to make a bit of a statement.
Michigan has a legitimate claim to be the top team in the nation.
Former Iowa defensive end Anthony Herron built on Forde’s points about what Rutgers brings to this match-up and how offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca’s offense is balancing this team.
“For Michigan-Rutgers, facing each other – you mentioned a couple of names that are key in there not only Kyle Monangai but to me, the effect the impact that Gavin Wimsatt can have on the availability for Monangai to find running lanes,” Herron said on the Big Ten Network.
“Wimsatt is coming off of a career-high in carries, a career-high in yards. He’s healthy right now. And so there’s no reason to believe that the Rutgers passing attack would really be able to be a huge threat to Michigan with that Wolverines pass rush and with the secondary that Michigan will throw at you. But the way that Wimsatt and his mobility within that Kirk’s Ciarrocca RPO system – can he become the maestro of the mess point and being able to do that will actually allow not only Wimsatt to gain yardage, which should open up some run lanes for Kyle Monangai. I think that can be a huge key for this game – how the rushing attack of Rutgers can try to out-ball control what you’re used to when Jim Harbaugh is on the sidelines.”