The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have faced their first loss of the 2023 season against the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines won 31-7, pushing them to 4-0, while the Scarlet Knights fell to a 3-1 record. Rutgers did start off well, being the first team to score, but the offense could not get any more points after that. Here is a look at the loss for the Scarlet Knights and where the team goes from here.

Rutgers on the Board First

The Scarlet Knights got the ball first to start the game. The first play of the game was an incomplete pass thrown by quarterback Gavin Wimsatt. The second play was a completed pass to Isaiah Washington, but short of the first down. On the third play, Wimsatt completed the pass to wide receiver Christian Dremel, who took it all the way. The play ended up going for 69 yards, and with the good extra point, Rutgers was up 7-0 just one minute into the game. This was a great start to the match by Rutgers, and by Dremel, who had a solid day for the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers RB Kyle Monangai (5) – Dustin Statloff/Rutgers Athletics

Run Game Can’t Get Going

The Michigan Wolverines knew that the Scarlet Knights would continue to run the ball this week, and they prevented Rutgers from getting that run game going. The Scarlet Knights ended the game with just 77 yards, according to ESPN. Running back Kyle Monangai had just 28 yards. The Michigan defensive line put up big stops, which took a big part of the Scarlet Knights offense away.

The offense slowed down with the run game in the second half, which is unusual for them. They were trying to catch up to Michigan, keeping track of the time as well, but usually, they are a run-first team. Next week, the Scarlet Knights will most likely be favorites to win, but will still need to work on how they break up the run game with the passing game.

Gavin Wimsatt’s Opportunities

Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt did not have a bad game despite the loss. His passing was better than it was last week. There were mistakes made, but given the number of opportunities that he got, he was able to make some big plays. By the end of the game, Wimsatt completed 11 passes out of 21 attempts for 180 yards, according to ESPN. He had that one big passing touchdown, but he did throw a bad pick-six on a fourth-down play. Wimsatt also ended the game with 28 rushing yards.

Not every pass was great, and there were a couple of dropped passes, too. Some of the passing plays on fourth down were definitely questionable. It was good to watch Wimsatt get these opportunities, though. As the game went on, his passes were much smoother and more accurate. That is not to say he was the perfect player, but there was improvement in his throws, and that is an important takeaway. Heading into game five, if Wimsatt uses this game’s significant passes as motivation, he could have a big week.

Rutgers WR Christian Dremel (6) – Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports

Christian Dremel Had Himself a Game

While the Scarlet Knights may have lost, one player stood out among the others, and that is wide receiver Christian Dremel. As previously stated, Dremel was the player to score the lone Rutgers touchdown of the game. He only had three receptions, but they were strong plays. According to ESPN, he ended the game with 85 receiving yards, averaging 28.3 yards in the three receptions. Rutgers may be a run-first team, but between Dremel, JaQuae Jackson, and Isaiah Washington, this team could have potential while passing the ball more.

Defense Can’t Make the Stop

This Rutgers defense has been having a great season. They made some key stops, forcing Michigan to go for the field goal or even punt. The issue was while they did well, Michigan ran them down too many times. The Wolverines ended up rushing the ball for 201 yards and two touchdowns, according to ESPN. J.J. McCarthy was able to run the ball himself for 51 yards, as the defense struggled to stop him when he scrambled out of the pocket. This was also the first game that the defense did not force a turnover, though they did come close at times. Hopefully, next weekend the defense will come back strong, as fans know they can.

Scarlet Knights

Rutgers DL Kenny Fletcher (12) – Andrew Mills/NJ Advance Media

What’s Next for Rutgers

Next up, the Scarlet Knights will head back home to SHI Stadium. They will be facing the Wagner Seahawks, a team they defeated 66-7 in 2022. They will need to avoid penalties, which pushed their offense back, hurting their drive. They should also take advantage of their special teams, who had some big punts against Michigan. Now that the Scarlet Knights are 3-1, they will look for not just a win but a big comeback game.