No 15. Rutgers rebounds, downs Orange

Nov 25, 2006, 20:35 GMT

Piscataway, NJ - Brian Leonard ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns and Ray Rice had 107 yards and a score on the ground as 15th-ranked Rutgers routed Syracuse, 38-7, at Rutgers Stadium.

Mike Teel completed 10 of his 15 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns for the Scarlet Knights (10-1, 5-1 Big East), who rebounded from a 30-11 upset loss to Cincinnati last week.

The Scarlet Knights travel to Morgantown next week for a showdown with West Virginia in each team's regular-season finale, and with a win, can clinch the Big East and a berth in the BCS.

Rutgers also finished the season undefeated at home (6-0) for the first time since 1984.

Kenny Britt finished with four receptions for 94 yards and two scores in the win.

Perry Patterson Jr. threw for just 49 yards on 7-of-16 passing with one interception and Andrew Robinson went 3-for-3 for 20 yards and the lone touchdown for the Orange (4-8, 1-6), who finished their campaign losing six of their last seven games.

It was all Rutgers in this one, as Syracuse was outgained in total yards, 363-191, and couldn't get anything going offensively until the fourth quarter.

Rutgers went up 7-0 on its first possession of the game on Rice's 10-yard touchdown run. The eight-play, 88-yard march was highlighted by Teel's 22-yard pass to Britt at the Syracuse 43-yard line.

On the Orange's ensuing drive, Patterson was intercepted by Courtney Greene and the Scarlet Knights took over at Syracuse's 38. Rutgers then needed just one play to take a 14-point lead as Teel connected with Britt down the right sideline for a 38-yard touchdown toss.

Both teams traded punts for most of the second quarter, but with 1:17 left in the frame, Rutgers took a 21-0 advantage. On 1st-and-10 from the Orange 27, the duo of Teel and Britt hooked up again for a score to finish off a seven- play series that lasted just over four minutes.

The Scarlet Knights increased their lead early in the third by driving 48 yards, all of which came on the ground, and culminated with Leonard punching it in the end zone from two yards out. Leonard carried the ball four times for 16 yards while Rice picked up 32 yards on five touches.

Jeremy Ito's 32-yard field goal capped a nine-play, 51-yard march just over three minutes into the fourth quarter. Sam Johnson's 23-yard reception keyed the drive.

Syracuse finally got on the scoreboard on J.J. Nesheiwat's 13-yard touchdown catch with 7:44 left in the period. Robinson rushed four times for 35 yards during the 10-play, 80-yard possession.

Leonard's two-yard TD run with eight seconds left capped the scoring.

Game Notes

Leonard carried the ball 19 times while Rice had 23 touches.

Leonard also had four catches for 27 yards.

Syracuse's Curtis Brinkley ran for 51 yards on 12 carries.

© 2006 The Sports Network