Wolverines discover offense in win at Rutgers
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PISCATAWAY, N.J -- Michigan’s season-long offensive woes finally eased Saturday as freshman quarterback Tommy Carr led the Wolverines to 427 yards of offense in a 28-21 win over Rutgers.
It marked the second most yards the Wolverines (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) have accumulated this fall and the most in a conference game. The 28 points are the most Michigan has scored in a Big Ten game this season.
Carr, who started his second game for the Wolverines since taking over for Bryce Underwood, was 23 of 28 for 266 yards. He passed for one touchdown and ran for two, including a 9-yard score that broke a 21-21 tie with 4:19 remaining.
“He’s (Carr) unflappable, he never panics, he’s very calm and collected,” said Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham. “His pocket presence was outstanding. He kept his eyes downfield a bunch of the times to find some receivers. He tucked it and ran. He did a lot of good things.”
Carr engineered the Michigan offense despite battling a cold all week. He showed no ill effects, especially on the game-winning drive when he led the Wolverines on an 11 play, 75-yard march that took up 7:19 of the fourth quarter.
“I think you definitely get more comfortable with more experience,” Carr said. “You have to just get better each and every week. I think you always gotta be ready, taking every rep in practice like it’s a game.”
His 15-yard run in the third quarter gave Michigan a 21-13 lead. He hit JJ Buchanan on a six-yard TD in the first quarter.
Rutgers (2-6, 1-4) tied it at 21 on Clay Thevenin’s 1-yard run with 11:43 to play.
AJ Surace, who was filling in for Rutgers’ starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan, who was out with an undisclosed injury, completed just 3 of 12 passes for 123 yards. But one of those completions was an 80-yard touchdown to wide-open Jourdin Houston.
Michigan, which was 12 of 16 on third down conversions, scored on its first two possessions for the first time this season.
Michigan quarterbacks Bryce Underwood, left, and Tommy Carr exchange pleasantries during pregame warmups before playing Indiana on Oct. 24 in Ann Arbor. (AP file photo)
Up next
Michigan hosts Michigan State on Saturday.
Rutgers is at No. 25 Wisconsin on Saturday.