Predicting Final Score of Michigan Football vs. Rutgers: Will Offense Finally Show?

Michigan heads East to play Rutgers. Can the Wolverines score some points?

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After yet another one-possession loss, Michigan enters Piscatway with a 4-3 record and is looking to turn the ship around. The Wolverines are the big favorites in this game, but Michigan hopes it can have some of its star players back in the lineup against the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers will be down at least one player, quarterback Dylan Lonergan, and possibly its best playmaker, wide receiver KJ Duff. But the Wolverines' defense has been great this season, so it might not matter who Rutgers has out there offensively.

Michigan's offense has been the story, Jason Beck in particular, and this has to be the Wolverines' get-right game. Here's how Michigan on SI sees the game going.

Trent Knoop

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I've seen people say that Michigan caught a break that Rutgers won't have starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan and potentially start wide receiver KJ Duff. Sure, but the Wolverines' defense isn't the problem. Michigan just held Indiana to 13 points in overtime this past weekend, and the Hoosiers are way more loaded than Rutgers is.

The offense is the problem. Maybe, just maybe, this is the game the Wolverines can put something together. Rutgers has the worst offense in the Big Ten and if the Wolverines can't run against the Scarlet Knights, oh boy. Until we can see some sort of explosion from Michigan's offense, it's hard to predict the Wolverines scoring many points. But the defense will allow them to win comfortably.

Final score: Michigan 24, Rutgers 3

Justice Steiner

This game should be the easiest conference game to date for the Wolverines. Rutgers enters the weekend with just two wins and one in Big Ten play, which came against Maryland (37-30).

However, with how bad this Michigan offense has played, it is hard to predict how this game will go. I think Michigan wins, but I am not sure it’ll be the blowout that it should be. If somehow Michigan does lose this game, sound the alarm because the panic meter will be a 10. On that note, I think the defensive side of the ball is too good for the Maize and Blue for them to fall on Saturday.

Final score: Michigan 20, Rutgers 7

Lucas Reimink

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Michigan will travel to Piscataway to take on a struggling Rutgers team. This version of Rutgers has a very poor defense, and hasn't been much better on offense either. They do have a star wide receiver though in KJ Duff who Michigan’s defense will have to worry about — if he plays. On paper, this should be a game where Michigan “gets right” but I don't have a lot of confidence that will actually happen. I think Michigan’s offense still looks fairly bad, but Michigan wins

Final score: Michigan 20, Rutgers 7

Jacob Westendorf

Rutgers' defense is terrible, but Michigan's offense has given zero indication they are capable of doing almost anything well, regardless of who the opponent is. Rutgers' offense took a heavy blow this week with injuries to their starting quarterback and their top playmaker on the outside.

This game will be ugly, but Michigan's defense will remain dominant against a bad team while a bad offense puts just enough points on the board to get Michigan to 5-3 before their rivalry matchup against Michigan State.

Final score: Michigan 17, Rutgers 3

Jason B. Hirschhorn

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights represent one of the final two soft spots on the Michigan Wolverines' remaining schedule. Rutgers enters the weekend 2-5, and those victories seem like miracles in the context of the larger season. The most recent win came over a Maryland Terrapins team that fired its head coach days later. The other came against the Howard Bison, a MEAC program.

While Michigan certainly has concerns after its last four games, none of those should meaningfully matter in this matchup. Tommy Carr and/or Bryce Underwood shouldn't experience too many hurdles against a Rutgers defense ranked 124th nationally by ESPN's SP+. Likewise, the ground game of Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter should also find its footing in Saturday's matchup. Even on the road, this looks like a near-ideal get-right opportunity.

If the Wolverines cannot withstand a challenge from a team that has a minus-83 point differential against FBS opponents in 2026 and managed to lose back-to-back games to UMass and Boston College to open the season, then their coaches will face more-immediate questions about their future in Ann Arbor.

Prediction: Michigan over Rutgers

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