#4 Michigan (7-0, 9-1) at rutger (0-7, 1-9) Post Game

[Anonymous Coward]

That's right. Ash was being defiant about Harbaugh hosting a satellite camp in his area and, rather than benefiting from the collaboration that was offered, stood defiant and talked a big game.
It riled up his fans enough to ... put a bunch of R-shaped cut outs at midfield of Michigan Stadium.
What a time to be alive!

[Mdot21]

RutgersAl has spoken. https://247sports.com/college/rutgers/Board/104069/Contents/Placing-Michigan-on-Upset-Alert-124324410/

We’re 1-8, but I think we beat Michigan. There’s no question that Rutgers has struggled its first nine games, as our freshman QB struggled to acclimate to this level, we played lots of young players, and we struggled to find the right personnel on defense. Thankfully, we’ve played much better over the past two weeks, barely falling to Northwestern 18-15 during that time, and played competitively with Wisconsin.
This week, we’re ready to take things to the next level and defeat Michigan. Here’s why:
- After a big win vs PSU, this is the quintessential trap game, and Michigan will overlook Rutgers
- Michigan has so little respect for Rutgers, they run variations of the same power play over and over again, much of the time. They pull the backside guard, #50 350 pound OL Onwenu, who drills the LB in the hole. With Ash now taking the reigns on defense, The defense will be more effective against this play.
- Raheem “The Dream” Blackshear is ready to make a name for himself as one of college football’s biggest playmakers. I don’t think Michigan can stop him.
- Rutgers QB, Artur Sitkowski has an NFL future and will be the best quarterback in Saturday’s game, just like in 2014. Against Wisconsin, he threw for 261 yards and no interceptions.
- Rutgers defense played its best ball of the season these past two weeks and is poised to shut down Michigan, as Coach Chris Ash is now coaching the defense
- Michigan’s secondary is over matched against Rutgers receiving Corp, which also was the case in 2014.
- our young ones are ready to shine
I don’t doubt that Michigan will give us a good game, but it won’t be good enough.
Rutgers 27
Michigan 19

[Anonymous Coward]

Quantum mechanics is probablistic; anything is possible.

[ELA]

#4 Michigan Wolverines (6-0, 8-1) at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (0-6, 1-8)

3:30 - Piscataway, NJ - BTN

I hate to punt on these, but honestly, what is there to say?  Michigan looks comfortably like the best team in the conference right now, while Rutgers looks as bad as any Big Ten team in memory.  And I say that with full awareness of the fact that 2 years ago Rutgers finished last in the Big Ten and lost 49-0 to a Michigan State team that was the second worst.  This team to me looks worse.  In fairness, the Scarlet Knights defense has held up respectfully well all things considered, and particularly over their past two games acquitted themselves well.  But the Rutgers offense against the Michigan defense?  Good lord.  The Scarlet Knights are averaging just 4.0 ypp in conference play, including 4.4 ypa passing.  Bill Connolly ranks them #128 in S&P+ out of 130 FBS teams offensively, ahead of only UTSA and Central Michigan.  That's why their defense looks pretty at #94.  So you got the third worst offense in the FBS against the best defense.  The word against Michigan was get to their defense early, it takes them time to settle in.  Notre Dame jumped on them 14-0, and Northwestern got out to a 17-0 lead.  Well so much for that.  The Wolverines defense hasn't allowed a first quarter point over their last four games.  Ty Johnson got them with a 98 yard kick return in the first quarter a month ago, but that's it.  In the past two games they held Michigan State scoreless through halftime, and then had Penn State shutout through 58 minutes.  There's really no weakness right now, not that Rutgers could exploit it anyway.  Michigan is staying ahead of the sticks, and letting Patterson play from his comfort zone.  He's got all of his tools to work with.  Roll him out for easy first down pickups, let him run, or just give it to Higdon.  He hasn't been anything special, but he hasn't really needed to be with an offense that isn't blowing anyone away, but is just staying on schedule and eating the scraps the defense throws them.  If Michigan were at home, at least this would be worth watching, with the new 4 game rule, to see which redshirting freshmen Michigan stuck in the game, but with their travelling roster, we don't even have that to look forward to.  With McCaffrey suffering a season ending injury, I'd suspect Harbaugh will turn to Brandon Peters a little earlier than he may usually sit Patterson for the day, but that's about it.  This feels like a pick your score, where Michigan could slog their way through comfortably, or win 77-0 again.  Either way this one will never be in doubt, and the only goal is stay healthy, and maybe get Peters solid reps.

MICHIGAN 42, RUTGERS 3

[Anonymous Coward]

National "Passing down sack rates":

1. Michigan - 19.2%
2. Boise State - 14.4%

(...) 

For a margin of 4.8%. Note: that you have to travel all the way to #40 nationally until you've moved down the list another 4.8 percentage units.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm starting to think that the most significant flaw in Michigan's offense is tight end blocking**. Which makes me even more sad that Devin Asiasi had to transfer to a crappy UCLA (albeit because of family issues that of course meant that he made the right decision personally). But still. That guy, as a TrFr, blocked like a quality tackle. High star TEs like that (with run blocking expertise >>> FLEX skills) are *rare*. And Asiasi is too seldom mentioned as an unmistakable loss for Michigan.


**(a real testament to the work Warinner and McElwain have done)

[Mdot21]

I'm starting to think that the most significant flaw in Michigan's offense is tight end blocking**. Which makes me even more sad that Devin Asiasi had to transfer to a crappy UCLA (albeit because of family issues that of course meant that he made the right decision personally). But still. That guy, as a TrFr, blocked like a quality tackle. High star TEs like that (with run blocking expertise >>> FLEX skills) are *rare*. And Asiasi is too seldom mentioned as an unmistakable loss for Michigan.


**(a real testament to the work Warinner and McElwain have done)

Ya he was a DOMINANT blocker as a true freshman. 
He’d have kept that crappy TE Sean McKeon on the bench too. 
Sucks that he left.

[Anonymous Coward]

Mgoblog has started arguing, based on UFRs, that after ND, the offense changed, a LOT more got put on McKeon's plate than other players on O, especially as a blocker, and these were likely things he did not have the luxury or repping in camp. And I think there's something to that.