Michigan
7-2 , 4-1
Rutgers
3-6 , 1-5
Rudock Has Career Day against Knights as Wolverines Prevail
11/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
» The Wolverines scored 35 points in the first half, including three touchdowns in the second quarter.
» Quarterback Jake Rudock went 18-for-25 for a career-high 337 yards and three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing).
» Six different Michigan players scored touchdowns -- four rushing (Rudock, De'Veon Smith, Drake Johnson, Jabrill Peppers) and two receiving (Jehu Chesson, Amara Darboh).
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: #16 Michigan 49, Rutgers 16
Records: U-M (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten), RU (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten)
Attendance: 109,879
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 14 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), Time/TV TBA
• Kornacki Postgame Feature: Rudock Turns Question Mark into Exclamation Point
• Kopko Postgame Feature: Michigan Pass Defense Shuts Down Rutgers
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football team (No. 16 AP, No. 17 Coaches) put up 35 points in the first half and saw six different players score touchdowns in a comfortable 49-16 win over Rutgers on Saturday (Nov. 7) at Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines were explosive on offense with eight plays of 20-plus yards and stout on defense, permitting only 97 passing yards. They outgained the Scarlet Knights, 487-225.
Graduate student quarterback Jake Rudock had his best game as a Wolverine, going 18-for-25 with a career-high 337 passing yards and three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing). He threw touchdown passes to senior wide receivers Amara Darboh (three receptions, 53 yards) and Jehu Chesson (three receptions, 36 yards), though junior tight end Jake Butt was his favorite target with four receptions for a career-best 102 yards.
Junior running back De'Veon Smith led the team on the ground with 73 yards on 15 carries. He was one of four Michigan players with rushing touchdowns, along with Rudock, senior running back Drake Johnson (seven rushes, 27 yards) and sophomore safety Jabrill Peppers (two rushes, eight yards), who continues to see snaps on offense as a multi-dimensional player.
Fifth-year senior linebacker Desmond Morgan led the team with eight tackles, while senior defensive end Chris Wormley added a pair of sacks. With two more pass breakups on Saturday, junior cornerback Jourdan Lewis became the school's all-time leader in that category, surpassing Leon Hall (2006) and Marlin Jackson (2002).
The Wolverines started fast, as Rudock connected with Chesson for a 13-yard touchdown on the team's second possession to put U-M up, 7-0. Rutgers responded with a 32-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.
Michigan topped off the first quarter with its second touchdown, sparked by a fake end-around screen pass to Smith that went for 31 yards down to the Rutgers seven-yard line. Three plays later on third down, Rudock escaped the pocket and scrambled left, beating a defender to the pylon for the touchdown, making the score 14-3.
Each team put up points in a high-scoring second quarter. With Michigan in the red zone, Peppers was deployed and did not disappoint, making several Rutgers defenders miss on a shifty 18-yard touchdown run. But the visitors answered on the ensuing kickoff as Janarion Grant returned it 98 yards for a touchdown to put the score at 21-10.
A failed onside kick set Michigan up with great field possession on the next drive. On the third play, Rudock found a wide-open Darboh down the left side for a 28-yard gain, putting U-M on the doorstep at the one-yard line. The Wolverines were turned back on the first two attempts, but thanks to a key block from senior fullback Sione Houma, Johnson was able to walk into the end zone on third down for the score. After another Rutgers field goal brought the lead back to 28-13, Rudock threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Darboh, upping the score to 35-13.
The Scarlet Knights tacked on another field goal -- set up by a 67-yard punt return by Grant with nine seconds left -- to close the first-half scoring at 35-16.
The Wolverines did not let up in the second half. On their first possession, Rudock connected with Butt, who broke through two Scarlet Knight defenders down the center of the field for a 56-yard gain, setting up a four-yard run by Smith. Rudock topped it off with a successful two-point conversion run into the far right corner of the end zone to increase the lead to 43-16.
Senior kicker Kenny Allen added a pair of field goals (28 yards, 34 yards) to bring the score to 49-16 to close the scoring.
Michigan is back in action next Saturday (Nov. 7) at Indiana. The kickoff time and TV designation have not yet been announced.
Team Stats
RU 0, MICH 7
MICH - Chesson, Jehu 13 yd pass from Rudock, Jake (Allen, Kenny kick) 3 plays, 46 yards, TOP 1:16
RU 3, MICH 7
RU - Federico, Kyle 32 yd field goal 8 plays, 58 yards, TOP 3:20
RU 3, MICH 14
MICH - Rudock, Jake 4 yd run (Allen, Kenny kick), 9 plays, 58 yards, TOP 4:28
RU 3, MICH 21
MICH - Peppers, J. 18 yd run (Allen, Kenny kick), 7 plays, 60 yards, TOP 3:19
RU 10, MICH 21
RU - Grant, Janarion 98 yd kickoff return (Federico, Kyle kick)
RU 10, MICH 28
MICH - Johnson, Drake 1 yd run (Allen, Kenny kick), 6 plays, 43 yards, TOP 2:23
RU 13, MICH 28
RU - Federico, Kyle 29 yd field goal 9 plays, 69 yards, TOP 4:06
RU 13, MICH 35
MICH - Darboh, Amara 8 yd pass from Rudock, Jake (Allen, Kenny kick) 4 plays, 40 yards, TOP 2:00
RU 16, MICH 35
RU - Federico, Kyle 27 yd field goal 2 plays, 0 yards, TOP 0:09
RU 16, MICH 43
MICH - Smith, De'Veon 4 yd run (Rudock, Jake rush), 2 plays, 60 yards, TOP 0:40
RU 16, MICH 46
MICH - Allen, Kenny 34 yd field goal 7 plays, 60 yards, TOP 2:30
RU 16, MICH 49
MICH - Allen, Kenny 28 yd field goal 9 plays, 72 yards, TOP 4:06
