Field Level Media
24 Sep 2023, 05:19 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports)
Blake Corum rushed for two touchdowns, J.J. McCarthy passed for one and No. 2 Michigan eased to a 31-7 win over visiting Rutgers in both teams' Big Ten opener Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Corum carried the ball 21 times for 97 yards. McCarthy, a week after throwing three interceptions, completed 15 of 21 passes for 214 yards without a pick. He added 51 rushing yards.
Cornerback and captain Mike Sainristil returned an interception for a touchdown for Michigan (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten), which welcomed coach Jim Harbaugh back to the sidelines after a school-imposed three-game suspension for NCAA recruiting violations.
Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt completed 11 of 21 passes for 180 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He added a team-high 28 rushing yards. The Scarlet Knights (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) were limited to 3-of-10 on third-down conversions and went 0-for-3 on fourth down.
The Wolverines controlled the ball for 36:08 over just seven offensive possessions.
Rutgers struck early and handed Michigan its first deficit of the season. On the third play from scrimmage, Christian Dremel caught a pass on a slant, Michigan missed a tackle and Dremel sprinted away for the 69-yard touchdown just one minute into the game.
Michigan tied it thanks to a seven-play, 94-yard drive. A double-handoff flea flicker set McCarthy up for a 35-yard connection to tight end Colston Loveland, and on the next play Corum scored from 2 yards out with 5:56 left in the first.
Each side missed a field goal before Michigan marched another 79 yards to take the lead. On third down, McCarthy hit Semaj Morgan for an 18-yard touchdown to earn a 14-7 halftime lead.
The Wolverines drove to a field goal on the opening drive of the second half. James Turner's 46-yarder made it 17-7 with seven minutes left in the third quarter.
The Scarlet Knights had a drive rolling in response, and after gaining three first downs they faced fourth-and-2 at the Michigan 27. Wimsatt attempted a screen pass, but it turned into his first interception of the year. Sainristil jumped in front of it and weaved through several players for a 71-yard pick-6.
Corum scored his second TD of the day from 5 yards out with 12:38 to play, making it 31-7. Rutgers again drove into scoring territory before an incompletion led to another turnover on downs.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Sports Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Sports Sun.
More InformationThis campaign explores ice hockey players' influence and popularity beyond their National Hockey League (NHL) careers. The goal was to ...
Green Bay (Wisconsin) [US], December 4 (ANI): Pop star Taylor Swift attended Travis Kelce's Chiefs Game Against the Packers in ...
(Photo credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports) With Major League Baseball's winter meetings underway in Nashville, the Mariners and Braves announced ...
(Photo credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports) Jordan Love completed 25 of 36 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns, and ...
(Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports) Brad Marchand scored a natural hat trick in the third period as the Boston ...
(Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports) Juuse Saros made 34 saves and the visiting Nashville Predators defeated the Buffalo ...
Green Bay (Wisconsin) [US], December 4 (ANI): Pop star Taylor Swift attended Travis Kelce's Chiefs Game Against the Packers in ...
(Photo credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports) Jordan Love completed 25 of 36 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns, and ...
(Photo credit: Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK) Gardner Minshew hit Michael Pittman with a 4-yard touchdown ...
(Photo credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports) Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans went over 1,000 receiving yards for the ...
(Photo credit: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK) The College Football Playoff is about to expand to a 12-team ...
(Photo credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports) Desmond Ridder completed 12 of 27 passes for 121 yards and the game's only ...