Rutgers Rebounds With Convincing Win Over UConn
Three Ito Field Goals and Two Kordell Young TD's Enough To Win
11/04/2007
Written By: Kirk Herbstreit
ESPN NCAA Football Analyst
[New Brunswick, New Jersey]-- The Rutgers Scarlet Knights had their National Championship hopes smashed last week, when they suffered a heart-breaking loss to #4 West Virginia, 28-26. It seemed as if after the first quarter of the game yesterday against UConn, that they were still thinking about that loss.
After one, Rutgers was only beating the 3-5 Huskies 3-0, thanks to a twenty-nine yard field goal from
Jeremy Ito. Yet, that Rutgers offense that has put up points all season came to life in the second quarter, including two scores from
Kordell Young who will be filling in for the injured
Ray Rice for the remainder of the season.
Young scored first on a fifteen yard option toss from quarterback
Jabu Lovelace, who spelled
Mike Teel just for that play. The next drive would end with Teel hooking up on a twenty-nine yard lobb pass into the endzone with Kordell Young, bringing the score to 17-0.
It wouldn't end there. After UConn scored their lone touchdown of the evening, and missed the extra point, Rutgers ended the half with a drive. It resulted in another Ito field goal, this time from forty-eight yards out.
Mike Teel came right out and put the game away early in the third, as he found a streaking
Tiquan Underwood from fifteen yards out for another touchdown pass, his second of the day.
The Rutgers defense failed to create turnovers today, but were solid in stopping both the pass and run, resulting in a lot of possession time for Mike Teel and the offense. They were able to add another field goal in the fourth quarter, putting them ahead 30-6, giving them their eighth win of the season.
"It's nice bouncing back like this, but that loss last week was still on all of our minds. It crushed us," said receiver
Kenny Britt.
Next week Rutgers will take on the Army, in what should be another win for the Scarlet Knights.