Rutgers Rallies to Upset #2 South Florida

The Scarlet Knights limited South Florida to just two of 14 conversions on third downs and sacked Bulls quarterback Matt Grothe seven times for 60 yards in losses.

Tiquan Underwood scores a first-half touchdown for the Scarlet Knights. Photo courtesy: Rutgers Athletics

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Heisman Trophy candidate Ray Rice rushed for 181 yards on 39 carries to help Rutgers to a 30-27 victory over No. 2 South Florida before a school-record 44,267 fans Thursday evening at Rutgers Stadium.

Wide receiver Tiquan Underwood supplemented Rice’s performance with five catches for 115 yards and two scores, as the Scarlet Knights overcame a halftime deficit to earn the victory before a national television audience on ESPN.

The Scarlet Knights (5-2, 2-1 Big East) limited South Florida (6-1, 1-1 Big East) to just two of 14 conversions on third downs and sacked Bulls quarterback Matt Grothe seven times for 60 yards in losses.

Fittingly, the game was settled on a defensive highlight, when Zaire Kitchen intercepted USF’s last gasp pass on a fourth down play with 0:49 seconds remaining.

“I thought the defense played hard all night,” said head coach Greg Schiano. “We made some mistakes, which makes beating a team like South Florida tough, but they played hard. I’m very proud of their effort. They didn’t stop chopping all night.”

The workhorse effort of Rice and highlight reel play of Underwood was underscored by clutch performances from unlikely sources via trick plays.

A 36 yard pass from Jeremy Ito on a fake punt led to the opening score, while holder and reserve signal caller Andrew DePaola threw a key third quarter touchdown pass on an apparent field goal attempt.

In addition to his opportunistic toss, Ito made three field goals, including a 51-yarder in the fourth quarter that ultimately provided the game’s three point differential.

Rutgers generated 400 total yards, while South Florida amassed 362. The Bulls committed 10 penalties for 99 yards, while the Scarlet Knight were flagged for five penalties (40 yards).

After the game’s opening drive stalled at midfield, the Scarlet Knights wasted little time dipping into their bag of tricks.

When Ito accepted the deep snap on an apparent punt on a fourth-and-eight play, he instead looked left toward a streaking James Townsend. The senior threw a strike to the fifth-year wide out, producing a first down at the USF 13-yard line.

After Rice carried for 12 yards two plays later, the home squad was on the brink of an early touchdown. The Bulls, however, forced RU backwards and the Scarlet Knights settled for a 26-yard Ito field goal with 10:08 remaining in the opening stanza.

The kick capped a 12 play, 72-yard drive and marked the second time this season Rutgers had scored on its initial possession.

The Scarlet Knights three point advantage was short lived. The Bulls also scored on their opening possession via a split of the uprights. Delbert Alvarado was good from 47 yards to conclude an eight play, 34 yard drive and knot the score at 3-3.

South Florida took its first lead of the game courtesy of a five play drive that consisted of four plays of 10 yards or better.

The final effort was an 18-yard scramble by Matt Grothe, who ran left under pressure and was able to enter the end zone due to the opportunistic blocking of wide receiver Marcus Edwards. The score produced a 10-3 advantage for the visitors with 3:58 showing on the first quarter clock.

Rutgers would tie the score on its next possession with the help of some tough running by Rice. The junior carried seven times on the scoring drive, including a 14-yard rush and a 13-yard carry inside the red zone where he powered through several white and green jerseys.

Faced with a third and goal at the three-yard line, Mike Teel connected with Underwood to cap the 13 play, 73-yard effort and enable a 10-10 tie to 13:02 remaining before intermission.

The Scarlet Knights were poised to regain possession, but a special teams error would prove costly. Return man Tim Brown fumbled a punt in traffic and the Bulls recovered at the RU 18.

After a holding penalty, Grothe connected with Jessie Hester on a 28-yard touchdown pass to provide the visitors a 17-10 lead after the Alvarado extra point.

A second miscue on special teams by Rutgers generated another offensive opportunity for USF and produced an unusual play that took several minutes to review.

A 48-yard Ito field goal attempt was blocked and the ball bounded towards the home end zone. Two South Florida players attempted to gain possession, aiding the ball downfield, before a third Bull scooped-up the bouncing pigskin and entered the end zone. An official signaled touchdown, but the play immediately went to the booth for a review. It was ruled that the second USF player to touch the ball performed an illegal forward pass and USF gained possession at the RU 44.

Eight plays later, the Bulls attempted a 45-yard field goal, but the try was wide left.

The first half scoring came to a close on the foot of Ito. A 40-yard field goal with :05 seconds remaining before halftime provided a 17-13 score as the Scarlet Knight headed to the locker room at the midpoint facing a deficit for the first time this season.

They did so also holding a 222-202 advantage in total yards, thanks in great part to Rice, who rushed 21 times for 94 yards prior to the break.

Rutgers took the field in the second half in purposeful fashion and the results were positive and immediate. After holding South Florida to a single yard on a three-and-out, the Scarlet Knights required just three plays to find the end zone. The score was the result of a highlight reel connection between Teel and Underwood.

After hauling in an aerial at the home 40-yard line, Underwood raced 60 yards down the right sideline to produce a 20-17 lead before a raucous, Scarlet crowd waving white rally towels.

With the momentum on its side and the spectator volume on high, Rutgers once again fell victim to a special teams turnover. Thanks to a strong defensive effort, however, the Scarlet Knights second muffed point inside its own 30 would not lead to USF points.

A 27-yard field goal attempt by the Bulls was blocked by Eric Foster, and the ball recovered by Brandon Renkart at the RU 30-yard line.

This time, it would be the home squad benefiting from a specialty miscue.

With Rice carrying the load, Teel engineered a nine play drive that looked to culminate in another Ito field goal attempt. As the Bulls and a national television audience would find out, however, Rutgers was not done exhibiting its ability to orchestrate a trick play.

DePaola accepted the snap and stood to rifle the ball to Kevin Brock, who made a reaching grab. The result was a 15-yard touchdown and a 27-17 lead for the Scarlet Knights with 4:09 remaining in the third quarter.

South Florida reduced its deficit to a touchdown on a 34-yard Alvarado field goal.

The kick capped a 10 play, 62 yard drive and snapped a string of five consecutive scoreless possessions for the visitors.

The contest was converted to a two possession game once again thanks to Ito.

A line drive attempt from 51 yards cleared the crossbar to give Rutgers a 30-20 lead with 11:59 showing on the game clock. It marked his fifth career field goal of 50 yards or more, including his second against the Bulls. The drive that produced the field goal initiated at the visitor 39 yard-line due to a 15-yard personal foul penalty whistled against the Bulls on a fair catch.

Facing a 10 point fourth quarter deficit, South Florida refused to relent.

Grothe engineered an eight play, 70-yard drive, highlighted by a 23-yard Benjamin Williams rush and a 23-yard pass to Cedric Hill. A one yard Mike Ford touchdown run concluded the drive that consumed just 2:37 off the clock and the Bulls were within three, 30-27, with 9:17 remaining. The score, however, would close out the game’s scoring.

The Rutgers defense answered a late challenge from the visitors to seal the win.

A sack by Big East Defensive Player of the Week Joe Lefeged helped keep the Bulls out of field goal range before an offensive pass interference call further diminished the visitors’ hopes of a late comeback. Kitchen’s aerial theft proved the ultimate measure.

Source: Rutgers Athletics

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports