Michigan football: 3 expectations for the Wolverines vs Rutgers
Michigan football (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) travels to New Brunswick, NJ, this weekend to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten). With a perfect record and championship hopes on the line, here are three expectations I have for the Wolverines.
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1. Red Zone offense improves
On the season, Michigan football has the 13th-ranked Red Zone offense in the nation. The Wolverines have scored on 41 of their 44 Red Zone trips but are second nationally in field goals made in the Red Zone. Long story short, Michigan football needs to score more touchdowns.
Last weekend against a very bad Michigan State defense, Michigan was forced to settle for five field goals — all of which were made by senior Jake Moody, the best kicker in the sport.
The week before, Penn State came to town and forced Michigan to kick four field goals. Of the nine field goals over the past two games, all but one was kicked within 39 yards away (all within the 22). The only exception to this rule was Jake Moody’s 54-yard bomb last weekend, a personal best for the Wolverines’ legendary leg.
Let me be clear, I do not think Michigan will lose to Rutgers even if the Wolverines struggle in the Red Zone. In fact, I am of the mind the Michigan football can almost exclusively kick field goals, run out clock, play sound defense, and win 10-11 games this year. My benchmark right now is Ohio State, and as we have seen time and time again, you must score touchdowns on the Buckeyes to win.
Michigan football might be in luck this weekend, though. Despite Rutgers’ defense ranking near the top in many defensive categories, the Knights are horrible in one big category: Red Zone defense.
Rutgers ranks dead last — 131 out of 131 — in Red Zone defense this year, and frankly have not played anyone with an adequate offense aside from Ohio State. Rutgers ranks No. 20 in passing yards allowed No. 12 in total defense, No. 44 in scoring defense, and No. 19 in rushing defense. I am not saying Rutgers will stop Michigan, but it needs to be pointed out that RU can definitely play decent defense — unless they’re in the Red Zone that is.
The bottom line is this: if the Wolverines get in the Red Zone this weekend, there is no excuse to come away with less than six points. If you can’t move the football on Rutgers, you definitely won’t be able to on Ohio State later this year.