Did you know Michigan football had a very famous honorary captain for the Rutgers game, despite it being on the road? How insane has the Wolverines’ rush defense been? When was the last time that the maize and blue had a pick-six?
You may have asked yourself one of the above questions during the 52-17 win over the Scarlet Knights. In fact, you may not have asked any of the above. That’s the great thing about MGoBlue.com, as it compiles all kinds of facts about the games.
Here are some things you may not have known about the lopsided win in Piscataway.
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Facts/tidbits:
• The Wolverines have achieved the program’s first 9-0 start since the 2016 season.
• Legendary director/filmmaker Spike Lee was U-M’s honorary captain at Rutgers.
• First-time starters in today’s game included left tackle Jeffrey Persi on offense and cornerback Will Johnson on defense.
• Starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy won his eighth straight start to begin his career, all this season. McCarthy is the first U-M quarterback to begin his career 8-0 since Wilton Speight (9-0 start) in 2016.
• Running back Blake Corum recorded his sixth consecutive 100-yard rushing game. Corum is the first back in the modern statistical era (since 1949) to have at least 25 carries and 120 yards in six consecutive games.
• The offense was efficient in the red zone, with six touchdowns on seven possessions
• After limiting Rutgers to 14 yards on the ground, U-M has kept four of its last five opponents below 50 yards rushing. The Scarlet Knights had one rushing yard at the half.
• Michigan held Rutgers to 57 yards in the second half.
• After trailing at the half for the first time this season (17-14), U-M’s defense promptly forced a three-and-out, followed by two interceptions, another forced punt, and a third interception to begin the second half (five possessions).
• The Wolverines are outscoring teams, 84-6, in the third quarter this year, including today’s 28-0 surge.
• Linebacker Michael Barrett‘s third-quarter interception was the first of his career. The ensuing 21-yard return helped set up Michigan’s fourth touchdown of the day.
• Following the touchdown that came on the possession after Barrett’s interception, U-M had scored 14 points in 1:31 of game clock action.
• Soon after, Barrett recorded U-M’s first pick-six since DJ Turner against Maryland in 2021. Barrett had a 31-yard interception returned for a touchdown. He’s the first Wolverine with multiple interceptions in a single game since Delano Hill against Maryland (2016). That gave U-M 21 points in 1:42 of game action.
• Not long after, freshman Will Johnson recorded his first career interception and returned it 31 yards to set up another touchdown.
• Running back Blake Corum scored his 15th rushing touchdown of the year on a one-yard score at 8:47 in the first quarter. It marked the eighth time in nine games this year that U-M scored on its first possession (seven touchdowns, one field goal). Corum would later add his 16th rushing score (17th overall).
• Rutgers scored via a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. That was the first time U-M allowed a blocked punt to be returned for a touchdown since the 2018 season.
• Quarterback J.J. McCarthy recorded his second rushing touchdown of the season (and first since Week 1 against Colorado State) near the end of the first quarter, matching his 2021 total.
• Donovan Edwards‘ 14-yard touchdown reception at 8:24 in the third quarter was his second touchdown catch of the year, and the third of his career.
• As a team, Michigan recorded more than 200 yards rushing for the sixth time this season in nine games.
• Kicker Jake Moody became the fifth player in Michigan history to reach 300 career points with his third-quarter extra point (his third of the game). Moody trails only Mike Gillette (307 points) and Garrett Rivas (354 points) for the most points by any kicker in Michigan history.
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