Michigan Wolverines at Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Injuries noted

Michigan Wolverines: Kendrick Bell (out) — WR #0 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Rod Moore Jr. (questionable) — S #1 listed Questionable on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Jordan Young (questionable) — S #6 listed Questionable on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Dom Nichols (questionable) — DE #8 listed Questionable on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Jo'Ziah Edmond (out) — CB #16 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Enow Etta (questionable) — DT #17 listed Questionable on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Troy Bowles (probable) — LB #18 listed Probable on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Braydon Alford (out) — WR #22 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Micah Ka'apana (out) — RB #25 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Julius Holly (out) — DE #37 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Ace Hamilton (out) — OL #52 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Jake Guarnera (probable) — OL #53 listed Probable on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Andrew Sprague (out) — OL #54 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Blake Frazier (questionable) — OL #77 listed Questionable on the Big Ten Update 2 report; John Henry Daley (questionable) — DE #90 listed Questionable on the Big Ten Update 2 report

Rutgers Scarlet Knights: Kaj Sanders (out) — DB #1 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Kevin Levy (questionable) — DB #7 listed Questionable on the Big Ten Update 2 report; KJ Duff (questionable) — WR #8 listed Questionable on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Ty Morris (questionable) — LB #10 listed Questionable on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Zahmir Dawud (out) — DB #12 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Dylan Lonergan (out) — QB #12 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Joey Kopec (doubtful) — LB #38 listed Doubtful on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Tyler Needham (doubtful) — OL #56 listed Doubtful on the Big Ten Update 2 report; Keshon Griffin (questionable) — DL #96 listed Questionable on the Big Ten Update 2 report

QUARTERBACK

• Tommy Carr is MICH's projected starter

  6.33 Y/A

  Tommy Carr is MICH's projected starting quarterback. Athlon Sports (Oct 28) and EssentiallySports (Oct 28) both say Michigan is expected to start true freshman Tommy Carr at Rutgers, citing On3's Pete Nakos, with Bryce Underwood as the backup for a second straight game. The On3 page itself could not be opened. Whittingham did not name a starter publicly. On Oct 26 he said it would be decided 'in the next couple of days' and that he would keep it private (Detroit News, Oct 26). On Oct 27 he said it was 'to be determined' and would be decided Tuesday morning (SB Nation via Yahoo). On Oct 30, Detroit Sports Nation said he still faced questions about the quarterback spot and named no confirmed starter. In the Indiana loss on Oct 24 (13-6, overtime), Carr went 20-of-32 for 167 yards with 1 interception. No source reports a Carr injury from that game or a limited practice this week, and he is not on the Big Ten availability report. That is unverified, not a statement that he is healthy. 2026 line: 228 passing yards, 69.4% completions, 6.33 yards per attempt, 1-1 TD-INT over 3 games.

TRENCHES

• MICH: 95 rushing yards allowed per game to RUTG's 199.9

  104.9 YPG

  Michigan allows 95 rushing yards a game over 7 games, and Rutgers gives up 199.9 over the same stretch. That is a solid run defense against one that leaks most weeks. Rutgers will have trouble staying ahead of the chains on the ground, and Michigan's offense should be able to lean on the run. Spots where one team can run and the other cannot tend to shorten the game and favor the side controlling the clock.

PACE & SCRIPT

• MICH: 15.7 points allowed per game to RUTG's 33.3

  17.6 PPG

  Michigan allows 15.7 points a game, Rutgers allows 33.3, so one defense is shutting doors and the other is leaking. Michigan improved from 20.4 last season, while Rutgers is close to its 31.8 from last year, which makes the Rutgers number look like who they are. Over 7 games both marks look stable. The question for this game is whether Rutgers can score enough to make it competitive with Michigan's offense facing a soft defense.

• MICH @ RUTG carries a 44.5 market total

  44.5

  At 44.5, this total sits 7 points under the 51.5 median across 33 games, so the market expects a physical, lower-scoring game decided by the run game and defense. Points are priced to come slowly. For that to crack, one team needs explosive passing plays or a turnover-driven short field that flips the script early.

• RUTG: 28.7 points per game to MICH's 20.3

  8.4 PPG

  MICH is at 20.3 points per game over 7 games; RUTG is at 28.7 over 7 games. Those are this season's games through Oct 30. Last season MICH was at 27.5 over 13 games and RUTG at 28.7 over 12 games.

MISMATCH

• MICH: 15.7 points allowed a game to RUTG's 33.3

  15.7 VS 33.3

  Michigan is allowing 15.7 points a game, better than its 20.4 last season, while Rutgers gives up 33.3, about where it was at 31.8. Rutgers' defense has been leaky two years running, so that number should hold. Michigan's offense gets a defense that has let teams score all season, and Rutgers needs its own offense to carry the night. Think about whether Rutgers can keep this one low enough to stay in it.

COVERAGE

• MICH: 149.3 passing yards allowed per game to RUTG's 217.6

  68.3 YPG

  MICH is at 149.3 passing yards allowed per game over 7 games; RUTG is at 217.6 over 7 games. Those are what each defense has allowed in this season's games through Oct 30.

REPLACEMENT

• Kendrick Bell (WR) is out for MICH

  OUT

  WR #0 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report Big Ten availability report (Update 2, published 2026-10-30 19:00:00 CT) (2026-10-30)

• Jo'Ziah Edmond (CB) is out for MICH

  OUT

  CB #16 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report Big Ten availability report (Update 2, published 2026-10-30 19:00:00 CT) (2026-10-30)

• Braydon Alford (WR) is out for MICH

  OUT

  WR #22 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report Big Ten availability report (Update 2, published 2026-10-30 19:00:00 CT) (2026-10-30)

• Micah Ka'apana (RB) is out for MICH

  OUT

  RB #25 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report Big Ten availability report (Update 2, published 2026-10-30 19:00:00 CT) (2026-10-30)

• Julius Holly (DE) is out for MICH

  OUT

  DE #37 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report Big Ten availability report (Update 2, published 2026-10-30 19:00:00 CT) (2026-10-30)

• Ace Hamilton (OL) is out for MICH

  OUT

  OL #52 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report Big Ten availability report (Update 2, published 2026-10-30 19:00:00 CT) (2026-10-30)

• Andrew Sprague (OL) is out for MICH

  OUT

  OL #54 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report Big Ten availability report (Update 2, published 2026-10-30 19:00:00 CT) (2026-10-30)

• Kaj Sanders (DB) is out for RUTG

  OUT

  DB #1 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report Big Ten availability report (Update 2, published 2026-10-30 19:00:00 CT) (2026-10-30)

• Zahmir Dawud (DB) is out for RUTG

  OUT

  DB #12 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report Big Ten availability report (Update 2, published 2026-10-30 19:00:00 CT) (2026-10-30)

• Dylan Lonergan (QB) is out for RUTG

  OUT

  QB #12 listed Out on the Big Ten Update 2 report Big Ten availability report (Update 2, published 2026-10-30 19:00:00 CT) (2026-10-30)

SITUATIONAL

• RUTG: 242.1 team passing yards per game to MICH's 164.6

  77.6 YPG

  Rutgers throws for 242.1 yards a game, down from 266.1 last season, while Michigan is at 164.6, down from 186.8. Michigan leans on the run, so its low passing number reflects style more than weakness. At home, Rutgers will likely look to throw against that identity. Expect Michigan to control tempo if its ground game works, which limits Rutgers' passing chances.

• RUTG: 3.43 fourth-down attempts per game to MICH's 1.14

  2.29 ATT/G

  Rutgers goes for it on fourth down about three and a half times a game, Michigan barely once. Both match last season, 2.83 for Rutgers and 1.38 for Michigan, so this is coaching philosophy rather than noise. Rutgers' aggressiveness at home adds extra possessions and swing plays, while Michigan tends to punt and lean on field position, a split that matters for live and drive-based markets.

TEAM RECORD

• Big Ten game: MICH 1-3, RUTG 1-3 in conference

  CONFERENCE

  These two share the Big Ten. MICH is 1-3 against it, RUTG is 1-3. 2026 standings through 2026-10-31.