Sophomore running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Ray Rice rushed for 202 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead No. 23 Rutgers to its first 5-0 start since 1976 with a 22-20 victory over USF at Raymond James Stadium Friday night.
The Scarlet Knights orchestrated a 12-play, 79-yard scoring drive to open the contest, capped by a three-yard run by Rice who tallied 36 yards on seven carries during the drive while Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel was a perfect 3-for-3 for 29 yards.
After senior punter Joe Radigan pinned USF on its own 10-yard line the Rutgers defense held the Bulls in check and an 18-yard punt by USF gave Rutgers the ball back deep in Bulls territory at the 26 yard line. Teel and Rice went back to work to set up a 32-yard field goal by junior kicker Jeremy Ito to make it 10-0 in favor of the Scarlet Knights with 6:45 remaining.
USF snapped the Scarlet Knights momentum however, as Bulls quarterback Matt Grothe led a USF drive that covered 80 yards on five plays to which the quarterback was responsible for every yard on the drive, including a one-yard TD run to make it 10-7 with 4:40 to play in the first half.
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On the first play of the ensuing Rutgers drive Teel's deep pass was intercepted by USF's Trae Williams, his fifth of the season. Grothe led the Bulls back to the end zone five plays later to give them their first lead of the contest.
Sophomore safety Courtney Greene halted USF's second half opening drive with his third interception in as many games. Rice made the Bulls pay on the first play with a 27-yard burst up the middle to go over 100 yards for the game – tying a school record with his seventh-straight 100-yard performance. Seven plays later Ito punched through his second field goal of the game, this time from 40 yards out to pull RU within a point at 14-13.
The Rutgers defense stymied another USF drive late in the third quarter as junior safety Ron Girault came up with his eighth career interception. The Scarlet Knights once again capitalized on the turnover, marching 31 yards on seven plays with Rice capping the drive with a seven-yard scamper inside the left pylon to re-gain the lead for RU, 19-14, with 13:04 left to play. The Scarlet Knights' two-point conversion attempt failed.
After the kickoff from Ito, Rutgers again stalled the Bulls' offense forcing them into a three-and-out situation. Four minutes into the fourth quarter with the Scarlet Knights holding a five-point edge, RU put together several run plays and took control of the game's pace. Rutgers eventually set up for the second-longest made field goal in school history as Ito converted on a career-long 53-yard field goal with 7:02 to play, putting RU up 22-14.
USF appeared to be on a potential game-tying drive as the Bulls drove the ball 55 yards down field to within Rutgers' 25-yard line. The Scarlet Knights defense rose to the challenge again, this time forcing a turnover as junior linebacker Brandon Renkart delivered a crushing blow to Grothe and recovered the resulting fumble. Rutgers had an opportunity to make it a two-possession game but a 42-yard field goal attempt was blocked by a USF defender, giving the Bulls a second chance at evening the score.
The Bulls got to within two points after a 66-yard drive culminated in a Grothe touchdown pass to make the score 22-20 in RU's favor. Facing a crucial two-point conversion opportunity, sophomore defensive back Jason McCourty shut the door on USF's attempt to upset the Scarlet Knights as he deflected Grothe's pass on the conversion.
