Michigan vs Rutgers kicks off Saturday: injury woes and a 16-point spread
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Michigan visits Rutgers on Saturday, Oct 31, at 12:30 PM ET. The game is at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.
- Rutgers is without starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan. Michigan has its own defensive injury questions.
- Big Ten Network carries the game on TV. Michigan is favored by 16 points.
Michigan visits Rutgers on Saturday, Oct 31. Kickoff is 12:30 PM ET at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Big Ten Network carries the game on TV.
Fubo and the Fox Sports app carry the stream. Both teams are 1-3 in Big Ten play, and both arrive with long injury lists.
What happened
Michigan comes in at 4-3 overall after a painful loss. The Wolverines fell 13-6 to Indiana in overtime last week.
True freshman Tommy Carr started at quarterback in place of Bryce Underwood. Carr flashed at times. The offense failed to score a touchdown on four red-zone trips, per 247Sports.
Rutgers is 2-5 and has lost three of its last four games. The Scarlet Knights lost 42-14 at Northwestern last week. Starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan left that game with a head injury in the first quarter.
He did not return. FOX Sports reports he has been ruled out for Saturday.
That leaves Rutgers with a backup under center. Either AJ Surace or Sean Ashenfelder will start. Surace has played most of the backup reps.
Rutgers has allowed 18 sacks this season. Eleven of them came against Surace on 71 pass attempts, according to FOX Sports.
The injury news cuts both ways. The Detroit Free Press reports a mixed injury picture for Michigan. The list includes center Jake Guarnera and linebacker Troy Bowles.
Tackle Blake Frazier and safety Rod Moore are on it too. Frazier missed the entire Indiana loss, and Moore played only six snaps.
But Michigan's defensive line is still a worry. Dom Nichols, John Henry Daley, and Enow Etta are all game-time decisions. Nichols missed the Indiana game.
Daley has been on the availability report most weeks. He missed the end of 2025 with an Achilles injury that needed surgery. He spent more than seven months in rehab before fall camp.
Rutgers has its own star in doubt. Wide receiver KJ Duff was listed as doubtful early in the week. He moved to questionable on Friday.
He will test his availability before kickoff. Duff is Rutgers' best offensive weapon. He has 45 catches for 774 yards and nine touchdowns, per the Free Press.
Why it matters
This is a get-right game for Michigan, and the pressure is real. The Wolverines' offense has been poor for weeks. Wolverines Wire calls the next two games must-win games, because the season is already sliding.
The matchup favors Michigan's defense. The Wolverines allow only 15.7 points per game, according to FOX Sports. Rutgers' offense is now led by a backup quarterback.
Star pass rusher John Henry Daley leads Michigan with four sacks. Rutgers' patchwork line has struggled to protect the passer.
Duff's status could swing the game. He leads Rutgers with 774 receiving yards. Michigan's defense allows only 154.6 passing yards per game and has seven interceptions.
If Duff plays at less than full speed, Rutgers' passing game gets thin fast.
Rutgers needs its ground game to travel. Running back Antwan Raymond has been up and down. Maryland held him to 29 yards on 16 carries on Oct 17.
One week later, he ran for 150 yards on 18 carries. FOX Sports reported both games. Clay Thevenin added 116 yards in that game.
Michigan allows just 95.6 rushing yards per game. Rutgers needs the good version of Raymond.
Michigan's offense must do the simple things. Tommy Carr needs to settle in. JJ Buchanan caught six passes for 57 yards against Indiana.
He leads Michigan with 539 receiving yards. Rutgers allows 217.6 passing yards per game, so Carr has room to find him.
This is also a game of streaks. Michigan has won nine straight against Rutgers. The run goes back to 2014 in Piscataway, per 247Sports.
A tenth straight win would calm a nervous fan base.
What happens next
The stakes are simple. A Michigan win lifts the Wolverines to 5-3. It keeps them on track for six wins and bowl season. A loss at 4-4 would make the bowl fight real.
Rutgers is at 2-5 and running out of chances. A win over Michigan would be the season's high point. A loss drops the Scarlet Knights to 2-6, and bowl math gets very hard.
The result also matters for the Big Ten table. Both teams sit at 1-3 in the conference.
The winner moves out of the basement group. The loser stays near the bottom.
For more college football, read our Rutgers-Maryland comeback story. For another big Saturday game, see our Chelsea vs Manchester United preview. Also see the Nuggets vs Suns NBA Cup opener.
Where to watch: Saturday, Oct 31, 12:30 PM ET, SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey. TV: Big Ten Network. Stream: Fubo, Fox Sports app. Jason Horowitz, Jake Butt, and Brooke Fletcher call the game, according to Wolverines Wire. Oddsmakers favor Michigan by about 16 points, with a total of 45.5, according to BetMGM via Wolverines Wire.
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