Michigan 31, Rutgers 7.

[WingsFan]

Tuck ain’t leaving without his bag. Good chance of a lawsuit against MSU. He's also using the Urban Meyer playbook - MSU refused his requested leave for a “serious health condition”.


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[lineygoblue]

You had to know something was terribly wrong when the best QB and WR on the team hit the portal during the off season.

[WingsFan]

I have to say -- from what I've seen of M, the OL isn't where it has been.

The Hinton experiment looks to be over. He's was taken out (benched? ) and didn't return for the second half. Rutgers has played Michigan tough the last 2 years, I'm thinking 27-9 type game.

[WM Wolverine]

Yeah, Hinton has been a liability. So much that his backups are likely better.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Rutgers has two capabilities on offense, albeit very good ones, that if you shut them down there is no Rutgers offense, lots of 3 & outs and a huge number of punts. Rutgers has a solid run game duo. First is the QB Winsett. He played last year and was a passing game liability with limited running skills, He remains a poor passer but his run game has exploded. Schiano and the Rutgers new OC has revamped the offense to feature Winsett's skill set. The second is their running back, Kyle Monangi. He is 6th nationally in total rushing yards, 5 and 4 are just one and 2 yards respectively behind him. The other top 3 have already played 4 games to Monangi's 3. He's GOOD. So, its a one-two punch using those two guys with a smattering of dink and dunk passing. Winsett isn't trusted to throw the ball more than 5 yards and that's no exaggeration.

Schiano will approach Michigan knowing that he's out-talented and will use the same strategy as M's 3 OOC opponents: stop the run, burn clock with long drives, don't give up field position. He's going to have some wrinkles in his typical 4-2-5 defense that lost two starting Ss that are now on NFL rosters. Still, I expect them to line up initially with 2 Ss near the LOS. They'll play a C1 Zone concept until McCarthy either obliterates it forcing them to switch up the scheme or Corum and Edwards defy expectations of the Rutgers run defense , beat the run-blitzes and carve it up.

There's potential here for low scoring close game. That can be erased if McCarthy is dealing it, the offense plays fast and forces Rutgers to play from behind. That's a more aggressive game than any of us have seen JH play so, I'm not holding my breath.

[THE_WIZARD_]

JFC.

HARBAUGH!!!!!!!! 38 Ruts-gers 7

[WingsFan]

Michigan was trailing last year vs Rutgers at halftime, and won 20-13 in 21 at home - Both years went on to win the B10. Schiano is a good coach, I have no doubt it will take the 4th to finish them off.

Didn't think I would say this, he seems refreshed and has been giving lots of cheerful interviews. Says he has a new respect for the press...

Good to have HARBAUGH!!! BACK!

[THE_WIZARD_]

pfffffffft

[Mike]

FREE HARBAUGH!!

[Hannibal]

My prediction -- we'll win a brutally unwatchable contest. 27-10. Something like that.

[iam416]

You're all forgetting one incontrovertible fact...

....HARBAUGH!!!!!!

Something like 45-6 depending on when HARBAUGH!!!!! takes his foot off the gas. This is a heads on stakes game. Notice will be served.

[THE_WIZARD_]

I'm saying 38-7.

Agreed on the HARBAUGH!!!!!!! factor though.

[Hannibal]

We operate way too slow to score 40 points this year on a Div-1 team. The new clock rules are especially potent against a team like Michigan that plays posession and get lots of first downs. And our offense isn't good enough to score on every posession.

[Mike]

I don't think the score will be that lopsided but I do expect much better execution and fewer mistakes with Harbaugh on the sideline. It will certainly give the team a little extra boost. Couple that with the beginning of conference play and I expect a far better product on the field than what we saw the first 3 games. But Rutgers is also considerably better than anyone we've played so far which, honestly, is hard to type with a straight face. But it's true.

[THE_WIZARD_]

If I'm HARBAUGH!!!!!!! I would lobby M admin to buy a free hamburger for every ticket holder on Saturday...that would be classic...