Scarlet Knights Squeek By Terps
Rice Puts Team On Back After Slow Start
September 30th, 2007
Written By: Kirk Herbstreit
ESPN College Football Analyst
[New Brunswick, New Jersey]-- It wasn't until approximately midway through the second quarter that
Ray Rice would break the fifty yard mark on the ground. For the first time all season, the Rutgers offense was being challenged. Maryland, who entered the day at 3-1, held Rice to thirteen yards on five carries through the first quarter. Had you given Ray Rice the ball five times last week, you would've expected eighty or so yards out of him. That wasn't the case this week, at least not this early.
Luckily for the Scarlet Knights, quarterback
Mike Teel brought his A game to the table, as he was able to complete sixteen of nineteen passes on the day for a 185.1 QB rating, as well as 189 yards through the air and a touchdown strike. That touchdown strike came about two thirds through the first quarter, when Teel found
Kenny Britt heading towards the corner of the endzone. Just like that, seven nothing Rutgers.
Maryland's ensuing possession led to a drive down the Rutgers field, and in for the touchdown at the start of the second quarter, as Maryland wide receiver Isaiah Williams caught the touchdown pass from Jordan Steffy to tie the game at seven a piece.
When Rutgers got the ball back, it seemed as if they knew to pass the ball. Nothing was stopping Teel from completing passes all day, and they opened the drive with three consecutive completions, putting them in Maryland territory. The very next play would be a handoff to Ray Rice. A handoff to Rice? With the way Teel's throwing the ball, are you serious? Yes, dead serious, and so was Ray Rice. Thirty one yards later, Rutgers had regained the lead at 14-7.
After Maryland responded with yet another touchdown, the Scarlet Knights got the ball back with a minute and three seconds remaining in the half. They drove into field goal position, where Jeremy Ito would nail a thirty nine yard field goal, to put Rutgers up 17-14 going into the half.
"We fealt confident going into halftime. We know we're a good unit, and we know we could hold these guys down, we weren't that worried," said defensive back
Devin McCourty.
Hold them the defense did. Neither team would score again until late in the third quarter, where Maryland got a big reception from, once again, Isaih Williams. The drive stalled and led to a Maryland field goal, tying the game up once again. This took us into the fourth quarter, where Ray Rice would get the majority of the carries in the next Rutgers drive. Rice would march the Scarlet Knights right down the field, capping it off by pounding the ball in from seven yards out. 24-17, Rutgers.
Unlike every other time, Maryland wasn't able to answer this time. Steffy threw an interception which landed in the hands of Devin McCourtey.
Jeremy Ito would add an ensurance field goal with 3:57 remaining in the game, but once again, those persky Terps, wouldn't go away. Maryland answered with another touchdown, bringing the score to 27-24, with forty three seconds remaining.
"Out comes the Rutgers hands' team, and there's the Terps onside kick team. Here we go, the kick is up, it takes a nasty hop.. It's recovered by..I can't quite make it out, No, it's Jean Beljour! Rutgers' ball, Rutgers' ball!!!," said the Rutgers radio announcer.
With the win, Rutgers improved to 4-0 overall, and will be tested from within the Big East for the first time next week when they take on the 4-1 Bearcats here at Rutgers Stadium.