NO. 19 MICHIGAN 20 (4-0, 1-0), RUTGERS 13 (3-1, 0-1)
MICHIGAN STADIUM • ANN ARBOR, MICH.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2021 • ATTENDANCE: 106,943

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Despite a late-game rally and an opportunity to tie in the closing minutes, Rutgers football (3-1, 0-1) lost its Big Ten Conference opener at No. 19 Michigan (4-0, 1-0), 20-13, on Saturday in Ann Arbor.
 
The Scarlet Knights' defense held the country's top rushing offense (350.3 yards per game) to just 112 yards on the ground and kept the Wolverines off the scoreboard in the second half. Michigan tallied just 42 total yards in the final 30 minutes of the game and worked just two first downs against the stout RU defense.
 
The 106,943 fans in attendance at Michigan Stadium marked the fourth-largest crowd to watch a Rutgers game, as the road tilt broadcast in front of a national audience on ABC.
 
Quarterback Noah Vedral finished 18-of-31 for 156 yards and a 14-yard touchdown pass to running back Aaron Young. Running back Isaih Pacheco added his first 100-yard rushing game of the year with 107 out of the backfield, becoming the 15th player in program history to reach 2,000 career rushing yards.
 

FIRST HALF

After Michigan scored on the first drive of the game, Rutgers went right down the field on its opening possession. The Scarlet Knights churned out a 13-play, 53-yard scoring drive that ended with a 40-yard field goal from kicker Valentino Ambrosio. Ambrosio's longest conversion of the season made it 7-3 with 1:08 left in the quarter. Vedral completed three passes on the opening drive, including a 24-yard connection with wide receiver Aron Cruickshank on a third down.
 
The Wolverines produced 13 points in the second quarter, as RU held UM out of the end zone on back-to-back redzone trips before the half. A 20-yard field goal from Jake Moody gave Michigan a 20-3 lead heading into the locker room.

SECOND HALF

Rutgers responded out of the break with its longest scoring drive of the season, capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Vedral to Young. The 12-play drive over 91 yards took 5:31 off the game clock, as the touchdown made it 20-10 with 6:30 left in the third quarter. The Scarlet Knights converted four first downs during the scoring sequence, as Pacheco produced four carries for 25 yards, while wide receiver Isaiah Washington hauled in two catches for 18 yards.
 
RU then held Michigan to a three-and-out on its next possession and tacked on another impressive scoring drive. The 58-yard march into UM territory was finished off by Ambrosio, who drilled his second field goal of the day – this one from 25 yards out – to bring Rutgers within a touchdown. The Scarlet Knights trailed Michigan just 20-13 with 14 minutes left in the contest after Ambrosio's conversion.
 
Rutgers once again entered Michigan's red zone but missed a 29-yard attempt to keep it a seven-point game with just over nine minutes to play.
 
Both teams would trade possession before the Wolverines had an opportunity to make it a two-possession game. However, Moody's kick from 47 yards out went wide right to keep it a one-possession game with 1:49 left on the game clock. With an opportunity to tie, RU suffered its first turnover of the season as Michigan held on for the win.

UP NEXT

 
Rutgers hosts No. 10 Ohio State Oct. 2 at SHI Stadium, presented by Provident Bank. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
 

NOTES

• Rutgers debut (2): DB Keenan Reid, DB Patrice Rene
• First career start (1): OL Troy Rainey
• Consecutive games played: Bo Melton (49), Billy Taylor (49), Julius Turner (49)
• The crowd of 106,943 marked the fourth-most to ever witness a Rutgers football game.
• Rutgers has not allowed a point in the fourth quarter this season.
• Rutgers held Michigan, who entered the game averaging 350.3 rushing yards, to a season-low 112 yards on the ground.
• The defense forced four-straight three-and-outs to start the second half, allowing just 42 yards and two first downs after halftime. 
• RB Isaih Pacheco rushed for 107 yards, his seventh career game in triple figures. He now ranks 13th in program history with 2,054 career rushing yards.
• PK Valentino Ambrosio connected for a 40-yard field goal on the Scarlet Knights' opening drive, his fourth career make of at least that distance. It capped a 13-play drive, tying the offense's longest of the season. Ambrosio added a 25-yarder in the fourth quarter to make it four career games with multiple makes.
• RB Aaron Young caught a 14-yard touchdown pass for his first collegiate receiving score. The drive spanned 91 yards, the longest for the Scarlet Knights in 2021.
• WR Bo Melton recorded four catches, his 14^th consecutive game at least three catches and 25^th with at least one. He passed Tiquan Underwood for ninth in program history with 133 career receptions.

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