Rutgers Scarlet Knights game

Read on for the staff predictions. Can the Scarlet Knights keep the season alive with a big win over Michigan (6-2)?

UNDER CENTER: Wolverines quarterback Jake Rudock is expected to start after getting knocked out of last week’s game at Minnesota with what coach Jim Harbaugh has described as a torso injury. It’s also a game they have to win. The days of losing to bad teams has to be over.

Maryland hosts Michigan on Sunday in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Could this be the week that he finally connects on a deep pass? After closely contested losses to Indiana and the Spartans, Rutgers lost its last two games by a total of 80 points.

Without a legitimate passing threat, the Scarlet Knights have been on the wrong side of lopsided scores in each of its last three games. Now it is matched against the 16th-ranked Wolverines, who are first or second nationally in five defensive categories. With road games against Indiana and Penn State to follow, this is a bit of a breather – the next home game is Ohio State. This tough remaining schedule for the Badgers could provide Michigan with the insurance it needs to make up that ground should they prevail Friday. “They have a few of the most dynamic attacking players in the nation and for us to neutralize them the way we did today was rewarding”.

In last week’s matchup, Michigan won a tight one against Minnesota 29-26. The running backs will need to get going if Rudock will succeed in play-action, and the deep ball still hasn’t been there. On most occasions, the Wildcats have gotten what they needed.

Despite finishing in third place in the conference’s regular season standings, at #7, Rutgers is the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the NSCAA Coaches Poll. This isn’t a great Wolverines team, but they are 6-2 and play in a stadium only slightly smaller than Lake Superior. Regardless if Carroo is able to suit up, it will be a blowout in Ann Arbor, 34-13. It was his first game over 200 passing yards since the season opener against Utah, and the third time all season Michigan relied heavily on the pass.

“I thought that play was trapped behind the line of scrimmage”, Harbaugh said, adding that he told Peppers he was “really good”, on Saturday. “I think I can do it”, Claeys said. I doubt Carroo will score on a TD pass unless Lewis falls down or gets picked.

For the Wolverines to have a shot at the Eastern Division crown, they would have to win their final four games, while Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State would have to crumble. But the Knights rank 100th in punt return coverage, allowing 11.6 yards per return. Top rusher De’Veon Smith (451 yards), however, has only 120 yards in his past three games. Michigan 35, Rutgers 10.