Michigan
Rutgers
Michigan Monday: Game 10 at Rutgers
11/5/2018 11:32:00 AM | Football
#4/#4 Michigan (8-1, 6-0 Big Ten) at Rutgers (1-8, 0-6 Big Ten)
HighPoint.com Stadium (52,454) • Piscataway, N.J.
Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018 • 3:30 p.m. EST
Television: BTN
Radio: Michigan/IMG Sports Network
Monday, Nov. 5
Complete Game Notes (PDF)
Coach Harbaugh Weekly Press Conference | Watch
Inside Michigan Football Radio Show (7 p.m. at Pizza House) | Listen
• Michigan holds a 3-1 edge in the all-time series with Rutgers.
• U-M has rushed for more yards (662) in the last three games than the defense has allowed in total (563).
• The Wolverines are fourth nationally in time of possession (34:42 avg.).
• U-M leads the NCAA in total defense, pass defense and pass efficiency.
• Karan Higdon leads the nation with seven consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts, including all six B1G games.
• Josh Uche is 12th nationally in sacks (7 total, 0.88 avg.).
• Michigan leads the NCAA with four interception returns for touchdowns.
Wolverines and Scarlet Knights
• This will be the fifth meeting between Michigan and Rutgers, two of college football's oldest programs.
• The Wolverines lead the all-time series, 3-1, with victories in the last three match-ups.
• Rutgers won the inaugural meeting at home in 2014, and Michigan claimed victories at Michigan Stadium in 2015 and 2017 and on the road during the 2016 season.
• The last time the teams met in New Jersey (2016), U-M defeated Rutgers by a score of 78-0, scoring touchdowns on 11 of its 18 possessions and setting a team record with nine rushing scores.
Series vs. Rutgers: Michigan leads 3-1
Series Streak: Michigan won 3
Last Meeting vs. Rutgers: 2017 (W, 35-14)
Last Michigan Win: 2017 (35-14)
Television Coverage
BTN will broadcast the game to a national audience. Kevin Kugler (play-by-play), James Laurinaitis (color) and Rick Pizzo (sideline) will call the game.
In the Polls
• Following its 42-7 victory over Penn State, Michigan moved into the top four of the national polls for the first time this season.
• Michigan heads into the Rutgers game ranked No. 4 in both the Associated Press and Amway Coaches polls.
• The Wolverines were fifth in first College Football Playoff rankings (Oct. 30).
• U-M has a 3-1 record against ranked teams this fall, defeating No. 15 Wisconsin, No. 24 Michigan State and No. 14 Penn State while falling to Notre Dame.
• The last time Michigan defeated three straight top-25 opponents was 1997.
• Michigan began the season ranked 14th in both national polls.
Game Notes Nuggets
• The U-M roster is loaded with talent from the Garden State. Nine Wolverines claim New Jersey as home: OL Juwann Bushell-Beatty, OL Kraig Correll, DL Michael Dwumfour, DL Rashan Gary, DB Brad Hawkins, DL Ron Johnson, DB Hunter Reynolds, OL Cesar Ruiz and OL Jon Runyan.
• The Wolverines are riding an eight-game win streak and are the only Big Ten team with an unblemished conference record (6-0), coming off wins against No. 15 Wisconsin, at No. 24 Michigan State and No. 14 Penn State. The last time U-M beat three top-25 ranked teams in the same season was 2005. The last time it occurred over the span of three consecutive games was 1997.
• The Wolverines shut down Penn State's potent offense last Saturday, limiting PSU to a season-low 186 yards of total offense and seven points. It was the lowest scoring total for PSU in the series since being shut out 21-0 in 2001 and the eighth time in nine games that U-M has held an opponent to its season low in total yardage.
• U-M has held teams under 100 yards of offense in the first half an FBS-leading eight times in nine games.
• After holding Wisconsin to 2-of-15 and MSU to 0-of-12 on third down, the Wolverines allowed just 2-of-11 conversions from Penn State. Michigan's 88.3 percent stop rate on third down over that three-game span (4-of-34 allowed) is part of its No. 7 national ranking in that category (27.7 percent allowed).
• This season, the U-M offense has moved the chains on nearly twice as many third downs (62) as the Wolverine defense has allowed (33) and has allowed fewer than half as many sacks (14) as the defense has generated (29).
• The Wolverines remain one of the top ball possession teams in the nation (No. 4), holding the ball for 34:42 on average per contest. Michigan held control of the ball for 37:56 against Penn State last weekend after owning it for more than 37 minutes against Wisconsin and more than 34 minutes against Michigan State. U-M has never ranked outside the top 20 in time of possession under coach Jim Harbaugh.
• Running back and captain Karan Higdon has hit 100 yards rushing in seven consecutive appearances, including six Big Ten matchups in a row. Higdon ranks No. 8 nationally, averaging 120.4 yards per game, and sits 37 yards shy of 1,000 on the season.
• Michigan is 12-0 when Higdon hits the century mark on the ground, and U-M is 34-0 under Harbaugh when recording 125 rushing yards or more.
• Quarterback Shea Patterson continues to lead one of the most efficient passing offenses in the nation. He recorded a rating of 174.7 last weekend in his fourth three-touchdown performance in nine starts as a Wolverine (two passing, one rushing) and has a pass efficiency rating of 157.1 on the season.
• Tight end Zach Gentry has at least one reception in 13 consecutive games dating back to last season. Gentry caught his fourth career touchdown and his second of the season on a seven-yard reception last weekend against Penn State.
The Michigan defense SHOWED OUT against Penn State today. pic.twitter.com/aV1mYlcPA1
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 4, 2018
• Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones caught his seventh touchdown pass of the year last weekend on a 23-yard strike with a toe-drag finish against the Nittany Lions. Only Jehu Chesson (nine, 2015) and Amara Darboh (seven, 2016) have as many or more touchdowns receiving in a single season under Harbaugh.
• Wide receiver Nico Collins' explosiveness was on display with a 47-yard reception last weekend. It gives him six games this year with at least one catch of 20 yards or more and four games with a catch of 40 yards or more.
• Linebacker Devin Bush made seven tackles (four solo) last weekend, marking his fifth time this season leading or tying for the lead in tackles. The midseason AP All-American leads U-M with 56 total tackles and ranks second in both tackles for loss (7.0) and sacks (4.5).
• Linebacker Josh Uche recorded 2.0 sacks against Penn State to give him a team-high 7.0 on the season (12th nationally) on just 12 total tackles (8.0 for loss). He has three multi-sack games, including three of the last four games, and now has 4.0 sacks in the last two contests.
• Defensive lineman Chase Winovich padded his team lead in tackles for loss (12.0), and his fumble recovery was the third of his career and the first by any U-M defender this season. U-M has two fumble recoveries via special teams (Ambry Thomas vs. Nebraska; Joe Hewlett vs. Michigan State) and nine interceptions.
• In addition to turning teams over and suffocating them on third down, U-M has dominated field position by generating a steady clip of negative yardage for opponents. The defense's 291 negative yards rushing created include 204 sack yards recorded, and Michigan has another 247 yards in interception returns (538 total yards).
• The Winovich fumble recovery contributed to the Wolverines scoring 21 points off turnovers, bringing the season total to 62 points. Defensive back Brandon Watson's 62-yard interception return for a touchdown made him one of four players in program history with multiple pick-sixes in their careers. He joins teammate Lavert Hill (2017-18), Thom Darden (1971) and Lance Dottin (1989-91) as the only players to accomplish the feat.
• Michigan has four pick-sixes this year, which leads all FBS teams.
Indiana Game Time Still TBA
The start time for Michigan's Nov. 17 home finale against Indiana will not be announced until late Saturday (Nov. 10) or early Sunday (Nov. 11), but it will be either noon or 3:30 p.m.
