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49 16

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By Tom Luicci
ScarletKnights.com

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Rutgers' bowl hopes may have taken a hit today against Michigan, but they're still standing heading into the final three games of the regular season - with two of those at home.

With Wolverines quarterback Jake Rudock producing a career performance, No. 16-ranked Michigan dealt the Scarlet Knights a 49-16 defeat at Michigan Stadium, handing Rutgers its third straight loss.

But at 3-6 overall (1-5 Big Ten), the Scarlet Knights can still be bowl eligible with a sweep of their final three games (home versus Nebraska next Saturday, at Army, home against Maryland).

Rudock, directing the Wolverines' offense to a season-high 487 yards, was 18-of-25 for a career-best 337 yards, passing for two scores and running for another. He managed all of the latter in the first half as Michigan (7-2 overall, 4-1 Big Ten) built a 35-16 lead at the break before outscoring Rutgers 13-0 in a quiet second half for both teams.

Janarion Grant and Steve Longa proved to be the bright spots for the Scarlet Knights, with Grant totaling 237 yards on six kick returns (five kickoffs and a punt), including a 98-yard kickoff return for a score.

Longa recorded 11 tackles, giving him 102 for the season and making the fourth-year junior just the second player in school history to have three seasons of 100 tackles or more.

Rutgers struggled throughout on offense, particularly in the passing game, with quarterback Chris Laviano going 11-of-26 for 97 yards with an interception. Robert Martin led the rushing attack with 81 yards on 10 carries, but the offense failed to reach the end zone for the second straight game.

The Scarlet Knights again were limited on offense by the absence of injured star receiver Leonte Carroo.

Rutgers' early ability to stay within arm's length through the first half had been a byproduct of big plays, with Grant and Martin combining for three that led to scores.

But Michigan's passing game overcame that - and the Scarlet Knights' stout run defense - and allowed the Wolverines to claim a 35-16 halftime lead.

Grant, who last week became Rutgers' career leader in kickoff return yards, added significantly to that total through the opening 30 minutes, returning a second quarter kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. It was his third kickoff return for a touchdown this season - the first Big Ten player since Indiana's Marcus Thigpen in 2006 to accomplish that - and the fourth of his career. He also has two career punt returns for scores.

Grant, who totaled 222 yards on returns in the first half, was able to get Rutgers within 21-10 with his kickoff return for a score.

His 62-yard punt return just before halftime gave Rutgers possession at the Michigan nine yard line just nine seconds before the break, with the Scarlet Knights settling for Kyle Federico's 27-yard field goal as time expired. It was Federico's third field goal of the half, with the senior earlier connecting from 32 and 29 yards.

But Rudock and the Wolverines' passing game was uncharacteristically productive, accounting for 237 of Michigan's 304 first-half yards. Rudock was 14-of-18 for 226 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another to fuel the Wolverines' 19-point halftime lead.

After misfiring on a 37-yard field goal try on its first possession, Michigan then scored touchdowns on its next five, with good field position resulting in scoring drives that covered 46, 58, 60, 43 and 40 yards.

Rudock's 13-yard touchdown pass to Jebu Chesson staked the Wolverines to a 7-0 first-quarter lead before Martin - 70 yards on five carries in the first half - broke free for a 54-yard run that set up Federico's first field goal, a 32-yarder. Rudock then added a four-yard touchdown scramble to make it 14-3 before Jabrill Peppers' 18-yard scoring run pushed it to 21-3.

That's when Grant cut into the margin with his sixth career touchdown on a kick return and fourth this year.

Michigan, though, quickly responded with Drake Johnson's one-yard touchdown run to make it 28-10 before another Federico field goal, this one from 29 yards, chipped away to get Rutgers within 28-13.

The Wolverines then scored on their fifth straight possession, with Rudock finding Amara Darboh for an eight-yard touchdown pass just 2:00 before halftime.

Grant's punt return shortly after set up that third Federico field goal, which were needed in a half when Rutgers managed just 115 yards of total offense, with Laviano limited to 27 passing yards through the first two quarters.