Michigan Football: 3 key takeaways from Wolverines win over Rutgers

Defensive Demolition

Michigan football’s last shutout came three years ago in New Jersey with a 78-0 wipe-washing of this same Rutgers squad. It has absolutely owned the Scarlet Knights ever since Harbaugh has taken over. The defense has held Rutgers over that span to 37 points in five affairs. That averages out to about seven points an outing.

Shutouts are hard to come by no matter who the opponent is. So for the Wolverines to do it to Rutgers again is an impressive feat regardless. Rutgers was not able to move the football consistently. Michigan’s defense bent, but never broke and that spoke volumes today. It’s a tremendous step in the right direction for them that can pay dividends with the nasty schedule on the horizon.

Don Brown can sleep a little easier after this one knowing that his guys did their respective jobs today. He now has to turn his attention to doing it on a consistent basis from this step on. Iowa will bring in a similar attack that they saw in Wisconsin, so the defense must find a way to slow down the Hawkeyes unlike what occurred in Madison.