Sep 16, 2007, 0:40 GMT
Piscataway, NJ - Mike Teel threw for three touchdowns and Ray Rice ran for three as the 13th-ranked Rutgers Scarlet Knights routed the Norfolk State Spartans, 59-0, in front of a sold-out homecoming crowd at Rutgers Stadium.
Teel finished 8-of-15 for 269 yards and Tiquan Underwood caught four passes for 148 yards and one touchdown while Kenny Britt had four receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns for Rutgers (3-0).
Casey Hansen struggled completing just 12-of-26 passes for 108 yards with an interception while Daryl Jones rushed for just 38 yards on 12 carries for Norfolk State (1-1), a Football Championship Subdivision member.
The Scarlet Knights recorded the biggest second quarter in school history with 42 points against the Spartans' undermatched defense. Rutgers used drives of 52, 28, 92, 46, 42 and 53 yards. The total time of the six drives was one minute, 40 seconds.
Teel began the barrage with touchdown passes of 43 yards to Britt and 28 yards to Underwood.
Rice then scored on runs of 22, seven and four yards and the damage was not yet done. Teel connected with Britt from 34-yards out to cap the scoring in the frame and send the Scarlet Knights to the locker room with a 45-point lead.
Rutgers backup quarterback Jabu Lovelace scored on a 16-yard touchdown run in both the third and fourth quarters for the final margin.
In the first quarter things looked okay for the Spartans, limiting Rutgers to just a Jeremy Ito 30-yard field goal.
Rice, a heisman trophy candidate, finished with 72 yards rushing on 12 carries.
'Although we started slow, once we figured things out, our teamed played very well,' said Rice. 'We were able to make adjustments and began to execute our plays. We felt very prepared for the game today, but we just had to work out the kinks and focus. Once we settled down, our offense did a great job.'
Game Notes
The Scarlet Knights have a week off before hosting ACC foe Maryland on September 29th...Norfolk State, a Football Championship Subdivision member, had never faced a Football Bowl Subdivision member in the program's history...Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano curiously called three timeouts in an attempt to get the ball back at the end of the first half despite holding a 45-0 lead...Rutgers stretched its home winning streak to 10 games.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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