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Everything you need to know about Michigan football vs Rutgers

By Christopher Mangum

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 29: J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Michigan Wolverines runs with the ball and avoids a tackle by Derrick Harmon #41 of the Michigan State Spartans during the first half of a college football game at Michigan Stadium on October 29, 2022 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 29: J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Michigan Wolverines runs with the ball and avoids a tackle by Derrick Harmon #41 of the Michigan State Spartans during the first half of a college football game at Michigan Stadium on October 29, 2022 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MI – NOVEMBER 07: Jake Rudock #15 of the Michigan Wolverines dives for a first quarter touchdown in front of Julian Pinnix-Odrick #53 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on November 7, 2015 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI – NOVEMBER 07: Jake Rudock #15 of the Michigan Wolverines dives for a first quarter touchdown in front of Julian Pinnix-Odrick #53 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on November 7, 2015 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

All-time history between Michigan football and Rutgers

The series between Michigan and Rutgers all-time is an interesting, but short one. The teams first met in 2014, the year Rutgers joined the Big Ten and has been fairly one-sided since.

Ironically, the first game of the Rutgers-Michigan series went to the Scarlet Knights, 26-14, in the Big House. The Wolverines were in the midst of an embarrassing 5-7 season under Brady Hoke, which eventually led to Hoke’s firing.

Since hiring Jim Harbaugh in late 2014, Michigan is undefeated against Rutgers and riding a seven-game winning streak into this weekend’s matchup.

Biggest wins

Rutgers’ biggest win over Michigan was obviously its first and only win. The Knights won 26-24 in stunning fashion in Ann Arbor.

Michigan avenged this loss with an incredible 78-0 win at Rutgers in 2016, which is one of the largest wins in modern college football history.

Greg Schiano era

Greg Schiano took over as the Knights’ head coach for the 2020 season and has Rutgers playing decent football. The Knights have played Michigan close in both of the matchups that Schiano was involved in, taking Michigan to three overtimes in 2020 and nearly beating the Wolverines last season as well (lost 20-13).

The Harbaugh era

Jim Harbaugh is 7-0 against Rutgers at Michigan, and frankly only the last two games were remotely close. Here are the Wolverines’ wins over Rutgers since 2015:

  • 2015: 49-16
  • 2016: 78-0
  • 2017: 35-14
  • 2018: 42-7
  • 2019: 52-0
  • 2020: 48-42
  • 2021: 20-13

While I do not foresee another 80-point beat-down, I do think Michigan will win by a lot this year. The Wolverines are looking ferocious and are riding an 8-0 record with College Football Playoff hopes into this game.

Rutgers is heading in a good direction with Schiano as head coach, but Michigan is among the nation’s elite teams right now, and this game should not be close. I expect Michigan to cover the 26-point spread, and possibly even more.

Next. Breaking down the Big Ten's CFP rankings. dark

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