The five takeaways from Rutgers at No. 2 Michigan

Rutgers football lost its road opener to No. 2 Michigan, 31-7, in Ann Arbor (Mich.). Here are the five takeaways from Rutgers’ Week 4 loss.

On Saturday, Rutgers football (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten) lost its road opener to No. 2 Michigan (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten), 31-7, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Scarlet Knights struck first with a 7-0 lead, but the Wolverines held Rutgers scoreless in the second half en route to their 31-7 win.

After Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt’s 69-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Christian Dremel on their opening series, the Scarlet Knights went scoreless through the remainder of the game. Rutgers kicker Jai Patel missed a 51-yard field goal in the second quarter, leaving the Scarlet Knights with 7 points on the day.

The Scarlet Knights kept it close at half-time, with the Wolverines leading 14-7, but Rutgers’ inability to convert third downs (30 percent conversion rate) put pressure on their defense to slow down the Wolverines.

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Michigan Mike Sainristil’s 71-yard interception in the third quarter (04:31) was the nail in the coffin for the Scarlet Knights as the Wolverines extended their lead to 24-7.

Below are the five takeaways from Rutgers’ Week 4 loss to the Wolverines.

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