Joe Klatt believes Rutgers is not just vastly improved, but that this Scarlet Knights team under head coach Greg Schiano can play Michigan tough.
Now a FoxSports analyst, Klatt is a former quarterback at Colorado. In speaking to the Big Ten Network this week, Klatt highlighted just why he thinks Rutgers has a chance to play No. 2 Michigan tough.
Three years ago in the first season of Schiano’s return to the program, Rutgers took Michigan to triple overtime before losing. Two years ago, they nearly won in Ann Arbor. Last year, Rutgers had a halftime lead before Michigan’s quality just rolled over them.
Klatt said that Rutgers is a good foil for Michigan.
“Everyone is talking about Colorado and rightly so, I think, because of the improvement that they’ve shown from a year ago. I think if you were to create a list of the teams most improved year over year, Rutgers would be on that list. Rutgers is a good football team. The reason Michigan has trouble with them is the same reason that Michigan had trouble with Illinois last year,” Klatt told the Big Ten Network.
“It is because they are built to be physical and to match the physicality that Michigan brings to the table. Michigan doesn’t see that a lot. Let’s face it, they bully a lot of people at the line of scrimmage and Rutgers is one of those teams under Greg Schiano that will stand in there and be tough.
“They’ll be versatile in the secondary, they can play man, they can play zone. They can switch up the looks. It’s that type of styles makes fights type of mantra of why Michigan has struggled with Rutgers a little bit. They don’t generally see a team that wants to stand in there and throw blows. This Rutgers team will do that. I think Rutgers is a lot better than people will give them credit. It won’t shock me at all if this one is a close game in the second half. Won’t shock me.”
Host Dave Revsine said that Rutgers “is improved” in what was the set-up Klatt for his thoughts on the team.
Rutgers (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) will play at Michigan on Saturday (12:00 PM ET, Big Ten Network). So far this season, Rutgers has beaten two Power Five teams including conference rival Northwestern.
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For Michigan, this game is their Big Ten opener.