Postgame Notes: #4 Michigan 42, Rutgers 7

• In the College Football Playoff picture for the first time this season, U-M has won nine games in a row and remains the only Big Ten program unscathed in league play (7-0).

• Saturday afternoon's matchup marked the fifth overall meeting between two of college football's oldest programs. Michigan improved to 4-1 in the all-time series with Rutgers. The Wolverines have won four consecutive meetings with the Scarlet Knights.

• U-M has scored 204 points in the last four games against Rutgers, defeating Rutgers by an average score of 51-9.

• The 59 passing yards Rutgers totaled are the lowest by any team against U-M this year. Michigan boasts the No. 1 pass defense in the nation, having allowed 122.3 yards per game through the air heading into today's game.

• The Wolverines have scored in 33 of 40 quarters overall, including all four this afternoon.

• Michigan had scoring drives of eight, 12 and six plays in the first half and scoring drives of eight, five and one play(s) in the second half.

• Michigan's 24 first downs equal a season high, tying the 24 at Maryland.

• Karan Higdon scored a pair of rushing touchdowns in the game, bringing him to 26 for his career (tied for 13th in school history).

• Higdon also cracked the 1,000-yard mark in the second quarter, making him Michigan's first 1,000-yard back since Fitzgerald Toussaint in 2011 and the first player of any kind since quarterback Denard Robinson in 2012.

• Two different players caught receiving touchdowns in today's game (Nico Collins, Oliver Martin). U-M now has eight players with receiving touchdowns this season: Ronnie Bell, Collins, Zach Gentry, Martin, Jake McCurry, Sean McKeon, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Jared Wangler.

• Michigan's touchdown-to-interception ratio of 19:4 was padded by Shea Patterson throwing three touchdowns and zero interceptions in today's game.

• Quarterback Shea Patterson finished the game with a rating of 184.2 after completing 18 passes to six receivers for 260 yards and three touchdowns.

• The second-quarter 36-yard TD throw from Shea Patterson to Nico Collins marked the seventh game this season with at least one catch of 20 yards or more for Collins and his third touchdown this season.

• The third-quarter 32-yard strike from Shea Patterson to Donovan Peoples-Jones marked the fourth time in the last five games this season that Peoples-Jones has made at least one reception of 20 yards or more.

• Tight end Zach Gentry extended his receiving streak to 14 consecutive contests with a reception, dating to last season.

• Collins also scored on a 10-yard pitch-and-catch near the end of the third quarter, bringing him to four touchdowns for the season. Collins and Peoples-Jones (3 vs. SMU) are the U-M pass-catchers with multiple touchdowns in a single game this season.

• Running back/wide receiver Chris Evans ran a season-long 61 yards for his second rushing touchdown in as many games and his fifth career multi-purpose touchdown. The 11-second possession was Michigan's 10th touchdown in under a minute this season.

• Michigan's No. 1-ranked defense was on display, holding the Rutgers offense to 252 total yards (59 passing, 193 rushing), 11 first downs and 4-of-12 on third down while forcing a pair of turnovers.

• Rutgers is the fifth team U-M has held at or below the 10-point threshold this season and third in a row. The U-M defense has surrendered a total of 21 points in its last three contests.

• Over the last four games, U-M has held opponents to 8-of-46 on third-down conversion attempts (17 percent).

• Only 15 percent of Michigan's opponent drives reach the end zone. Rutgers was held without a red-zone opportunity this afternoon.

• Linebacker Devin Gil recovered the first fumble of his career during the game.

• Michigan safety Brad Hawkins, a native of Pennsauken, New Jersey, made his first career start in the defensive backfield in place of Josh Metellus.