PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Michigan overcame a lack of sharpness early with an electric third quarter allowing the Wolverines to remain unbeaten.
They played their worst half of the season Saturday night at Rutgers’ SHI Stadium and trailed 17-14 before flipping a switch and taking over in the second half, riding the wave of three interceptions, including two by Michael Barrett. Michigan piled up the points and shut out the Scarlet Knights in the second half to win, 52-17.
The Wolverines, ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll and No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings, entered this game as heavy favorites. The Wolverines are 9-0 overall, 6-0 in the Big Ten and have now won eight straight against Rutgers (4-5, 1-5).
Running back Blake Corum had two touchdowns runs, and now has 16 this season. He had 20 carries for 109 yards. His backfield sidekick Donovan Edwards also ran for 109 yards on 15 carries and had three catches for 52 yards and a 14-yard touchdown reception from J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy was 13 of 27 for 151 yards and had two touchdown passes, including a 6-yarder to Cornelius Johnson. Barrett returned an interception for a score and Jake Moody added a 29-yard field goal after missing two 50-yarders in the first half. Isaiah Gash scored a TD on a 4-yard run in the closing minutes.
Michigan entered the game without four starters, two on offense and two on defense, who didn’t make the trip for undisclosed reasons. Perhaps that was one reason for the uneven first-half effort, but the Wolverines made up for it in the second half.
They went on a third-quarter scoring spree with 28 points to build a 42-17 lead.
Michigan shook off the first-half sluggishness, and regained the lead, 21-17, on a 14-yard pass from McCarthy to Edwards with 8:24 left. Barrett then got the first of his two interceptions and gave Michigan the ball at the Rutgers 10-yard line. Corum scored on a 2-yard run with 6:53 left.
It was Barrett again 11 seconds later scoring on a pick-6 on a 31-yard interception return for the 35-17 lead.
Freshman Will Johnson then recorded his first career interception — Rutgers sophomore quarterback Gavin Wimsatt entered the game with three interceptions and equaled that total — to give Michigan great field position again at the Scarlet Knights 31-yard line. Corum ran 28 yards and two plays later McCarthy connected with Cornelius Johnson for a 6-yard touchdown.
Rutgers built a 17-14 lead, first scoring on a blocked punt and then benefiting from a lackluster offensive performance by the Wolverines and McCarthy feeling the heat from an all-out effort by Rutgers’ defense. Moody, coming off a stellar performance last week, missed two 50-yard attempts, including one in the final seconds of the half.
Among the players who didn’t make the trip to Rutgers were left tackle Ryan Hayes, replaced by Jeffrey Persi, making his first start. Receiver Roman Wilson and edge rusher Jaylen Harrell also missed the game.
