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NCAAF · October 31, 2026

Michigan Wolverines vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Preview & Odds — October 31, 2026

Michigan Wolverines logo
4-3
Quarterback Tommy Carr
at
Rutgers Scarlet Knights logo
1-5
Quarterback AJ Surace
Saturday, October 31 · 12:30 PM ET
MICHOffense2026 regular season to dateRUTG
96th−0.005
EPA/play
−0.062115th
58th47.9%
Success %
47.8%60th
108th20.3
PPG
23.882nd
MICHDefenseRUTG
5th−0.175
EPA/play allowed
+0.207123rd
17th41.8%
Success % allowed
50.8%117th
11th15.7
Opp PPG
37.7129th
MICHRecent formRUTG
Wvs UTEP 52-17Lvs Iowa 19-20L@ Minnesota 14-20Wvs Penn State 21-18Lvs Indiana 6-13
Resultsoldest to newest
Lvs USC 35-42Wvs Howard 58-7Lvs Indiana 15-47W@ Maryland 37-30L@ Northwestern 14-42
4-3
Record
2-5
3-4
ATS
3-4
1-6
Over–under
5-2
MICHHome and roadseason to dateRUTG
4-2
Home record
1-3
0-1
Road record
1-2
3-3
Home ATS
2-2
0-1
Road ATS
1-2
1-5
Home O/U
4-0
0-1
Road O/U
1-2
MICHLast 10 gamesRUTG
+1+7+35-1-6+3-7
Game by game
-16-7-7+51-32+7-28
4-3
Last 7
2-5
+32
Net points
-32
Top third of the leagueMiddle thirdBottom thirdBar = league rank (full = 1st)
Rest & travelrest and travel
MICHRest & travelRUTG
7 days
Days of rest
7 days
496 mi798 km
Travel to the game
Home
Venue
SHI Stadium
About these numbers

2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.

Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.

Margin of each of the last 7 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.

Distance is straight-line from each team's home arena; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.

Matchup preview

Michigan (4-3) visits Rutgers (1-5) on Saturday, October 31 at 12:30 PM ET.

Michigan has the 96th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 5th-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, Rutgers has the 115th-ranked offense and the 123rd-ranked defense. When Michigan has the ball, a 96th-ranked offense (−0.005 EPA per play) meets a 123rd-ranked defense (+0.207 allowed); when Rutgers has it, a 115th-ranked offense (−0.062) meets a 5th-ranked defense (−0.175 allowed).

By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Michigan offense is at 47.9% (58th) and the Rutgers offense at 47.8% (60th). Michigan scores 20.3 points per game (108th) and allows 15.7 (11th); Rutgers scores 23.8 (82nd) and allows 37.7 (129th).

Michigan is 4-3 and 3-4 against the spread; its last game was a 13-6 loss to Indiana. Rutgers is 2-5 and 3-4 against the spread; its last game was a 42-14 loss to Northwestern.

Michigan is a 14.5-point road favorite, with Rutgers getting the points at home. The spread has not moved since it opened. The total is 46.5, down from 47.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the moneyline (Michigan -625, Rutgers +450) prices Michigan at 83% and Rutgers at 17%.

Built from public team and player data; ranks are league-wide and update daily until kickoff.

Market

Odds and line movement

Spreadno move
OpenRutgers +14.5 (-108)
Michigan -14.5 (-112)
NowRutgers +14.5 (-113)
Michigan -14.5 (-107)
Totaldown 1
Open47.5 (o -110 / u -110)
Now46.5 (o -112 / u -107)
Moneyline
OpenMichigan -683 84%
Rutgers +486 16%
NowMichigan -625 83%
Rutgers +450 17%

Consensus of US sportsbooks. The Now column updates from our odds board. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.

Best available prices on Oct 28

  • Michigan -14.5+108Novig
  • Rutgers +14.5-110theScore Bet
  • Over 46.5-106Novig
  • Under 46.5+100Novig
  • Michigan-525Novig
  • Rutgers+510BetRivers

Members

G&W Line

G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics

Projected score
Spread
Total
Win %

Matchup

Players to watch

Michigan Wolverines logo
Michigan
QB · Tommy Carr
  • Attempts32
  • Completion %68.8%
  • Passing yards199
  • Yards per attempt6.2
  • TD–INT1–1
Leading rusher (RB) · Jordan Marshall
  • Rushing yards319181st
  • Season line81 carries, 319 yds, 4 TD
Leading receiver (WR) · JJ Buchanan
  • Receiving yards53941st
  • Season line33 catches, 539 yds, 4 TD
Leading tackler (LB) · Troy Bowles
  • Tackles5579th
Rutgers Scarlet Knights logo
Rutgers
QB · AJ Surace
  • Attempts60
  • Completion %56.7%
  • Passing yards474
  • Yards per attempt7.9
  • TD–INT5–5
Leading rusher (RB) · Antwan Raymond
  • Rushing yards64823rd
  • Season line123 carries, 648 yds, 6 TD
Leading receiver (WR) · KJ Duff
  • Receiving yards7747th
  • Season line45 catches, 774 yds, 9 TD
Leading tackler (DB) · Chris Joines
  • Tackles34434th

Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 264 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured October 28, 5:34 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.

Success by situation

SituationMichiganRutgers
Early-down success rateMichigan offense vs Rutgers defense44.3%53rd45.6%106th
Early-down success rateRutgers offense vs Michigan defense38.3%13th45.9%35th
3rd-down conversion rateMichigan offense vs Rutgers defense39.1%82nd44.6%104th
3rd-down conversion rateRutgers offense vs Michigan defense35.2%31st40.9%63rd
Explosive play rateMichigan offense vs Rutgers defense4.5%130th8.9%125th
Explosive play rateRutgers offense vs Michigan defense4.7%12th5.8%104th
Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks44.0%114th-highest50.1%76th-highest

On 3rd down Michigan converts 39.1% (82nd) against a Rutgers defense allowing 44.6% (104th).

On 3rd down Rutgers converts 40.9% (63rd) against a Michigan defense allowing 35.2% (31st).

2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.

Coaching staff

StaffMichiganRutgers
Head coachKyle WhittinghamGreg Schiano
Tenureat this school1st season7th season
Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below4–3101–113
Career recordas an FBS head coach181–91101–113
Offensive coordinatorJason BeckKirk Ciarrocca
Defensive coordinatorJay HillTravis Johansen

Staff list as of October 27, 6:50 a.m. ET.

Head-to-head

The teams have met 3 times since 2021: Michigan won 3 and Rutgers 0.

DateScoreLineTotal
Sep 23, 2023Rutgers 7, Michigan 31
Michigan won


Nov 5, 2022Michigan 52, Rutgers 17
Michigan won


Sep 25, 2021Rutgers 13, Michigan 20
Michigan won


Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.

Result

After the final: score vs the closing line, Drive X-Ray and the graded official play, if there was one, appear here on this same page.

Teams

Michigan Wolverines

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

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