Freshman Duo Carries Michigan to 28-21 Rutgers Victory

Michigan football players faced a stark choice on Saturday at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, N.J., relying on their most inexperienced players to secure a 28-21 win over Rutgers. Head coach Kyle Whittingham turned to freshman quarterback Tommy Carr and freshman running back Savion Hiter to drive the offense. The two first-year players combined for 10 touchdowns, proving capable of carrying the load as the Wolverines snapped a two-game losing skid.

Carr improved markedly in his second career start. He completed 22 of 27 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, he rushed for 54 yards and scored two more times. Hiter handled the bulk of the rushing workload in the second half. He carried the ball 20 times for 76 yards. Whittingham noted that Hiter had a hot hand, prompting running backs coach Tony Alford to keep him in the game until the final minutes.

"As freshmen, you’ve got to step up when you’re put up to the plate," Hiter said. "I feel like me and Tommy really stepped up in this game. I mean really, we were just looking forward to it all season." Carr also spread the ball out, completing passes to nine different players. That marked a season high for the Wolverines. Freshman tight end Mason Bonner recorded his first career reception, catching a 27-yard pass in the first quarter.

The win leaves Michigan with a 5-3 overall record and a 2-3 mark in Big Ten play. The team is not currently positioned for a playoff run. Whittingham sees the performance as a positive indicator for the program's future. "Two first-year guys having that big of an impact is a positive," he said. "We have a lot of guys who are having significant time and impact on the games, both sides of the ball. That’s a positive thing."

Defensive challenges emerged on the artificial turf. Cornerback Smith Snowden fell while covering Rutgers receiver Jourdin Houston. Houston caught the pass and ran it 80 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. Whittingham acknowledged the fall as the primary issue. "You fall down as a DB and usually bad things happen," he said. Special teams also featured a controversial moment. Rutgers punt returner Quentin Redding bobbled a fair catch. Cornerback Zeke Berry was flagged for catcher interference on the play, which went to video review. Whittingham accepted the call after the game, explaining that the returner is still in the process of making the catch until the ball hits the ground.

Jordan Marshall, the team's leading rusher entering the season, finished with zero net yards on five carries. He did score a two-yard touchdown run to open the second quarter. However, his only second-half carry resulted in a two-yard loss. The team totaled 161 rushing yards on 45 carries, averaging 3.6 yards per attempt.

On the defensive line, freshman Tariq Boney made his first career start. He played opposite sophomore Benny Patterson, who recorded his second career start. Both men filled in for injured starters John Henry Daley and Dom Nichols. Patterson led the team with seven tackles, including one for a loss. Boney did not record a stat in the box score.

Michigan will face Michigan State next Saturday, Nov. 7, at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. The kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., air on Peacock. This marks the fifth straight year the in-state rivals have played a night game. The Spartans enter the contest at 2-6 overall and 0-5 in the Big Ten. Michigan has won the last four meetings in the rivalry.