Michigan Football: 3 things the Wolverines need to improve after Rutgers

The first half is against Rutgers for Michigan football is one I’d love to forget. JJ was beaten to a pulp, Corum was throwing up, and Brad Robbins, likely due to the fact that he had punted once within the three weeks prior, had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown.

The first half at Rutgers was the perfect formula for a huge upset. And then Jim Harbaugh talked some sense into the guys, and they remembered that they’re Michigan. Overall, just about everything went wrong in the first half, giving us plenty to improve on.

The halftime adjustments, like they’ve been all year, were masterful. Jesse Minter yet again held an opponent scoreless in the second half, and the Wolverines outscored Rutgers 38-0, ending any dreams of a monumental win for Greg Schiano.

With #1 Tennessee, #4 Clemson, and #6 Alabama all losing, along with #2 Ohio State nearly losing against the mighty 1-8 Northwestern Wildcats, Michigan football needed to capitalize on the lousy week at the top and steal some momentum. The dominant second half will be more than enough to show the committee how wrong the #5 ranking was.

While the Wolverines will likely find themselves at #3, there’s a lot of confidence that this team has what it takes to compete for a national championship. While Georgia is undoubtedly the favorite at the moment, they’ve looked very vulnerable at times.

Michigan football has the tools to compete for a national championship this year. But first, they must use these final two home games to prepare for The Game in Columbus. Last week, I talked about four things I was looking for as we approach The Game. After watching the Rutgers tape, here are three things that Michigan must improve on in the coming weeks.