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Final score: Michigan 20, Rutgers 13
Brief recap: This was a tale of two halves. Michigan dominated the opening 30 minutes, taking a 20-3 lead into the break. But Rutgers came out firing in the second half, and got the game down to a one-possession deficit. However, mistakes by Rutgers — a missed field goal and a late fumble — prevented the Scarlet Knights from getting any closer.
Key player: Hassan Haskins. He scored both of Michigan’s touchdowns on the day and finished with 68 yards on 21 carries.
Key moment: Rutgers had a chance to drive and tie the game with under two minutes remaining, but Michigan’s David Ojabo forced a game-clinching fumble. From there, the Wolverines were able to kneel out the clock.
Key stat: 1-for-4. That’s how Michigan performed on 4th downs against Rutgers’ offense on Saturday. The final stop came with just over five minutes left in the game, and it proved to be highly-important. If the Scarlet Knights had been better on key downs, they might have found a way to force overtime against the Wolverines.
What it means moving forward: For Michigan, the Wolverines remain undefeated and will carry a 4-0 record into next week. Michigan has now doubled its win total from last year’s COVID-19-shortened campaign. For Rutgers, this is its first loss of the season but the Scarlet Knights continue to punch above their weight class in the Big Ten. Although this is a loss, it’s also another sign of positive growth for Schiano’s team.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.