PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Rutgers would possibly bear in mind Friday evening’s 38-28 loss to Iowa as the sport wherein the Scarlet Knights beat themselves.
With a document crowd of 55,942 at SHI Stadium and an opportunity to acquire arguably their largest win within the Greg Schiano 2.0 period, the Scarlet Knights did themselves in time and time once more, with premature penalties and missed alternatives.
None was extra pricey than the defensive holding they took late within the fourth quarter whereas clinging to a 28-24 lead. Right down to third-and-8 on their very own 33-yard line, the Rutgers protection appeared as if it had made the most important cease of the evening, forcing Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski to throw an incomplete cross on the run.
As an alternative of lining up for a punt, Iowa stored the drive alive, and Gronowski led the Hawkeyes down the sphere for what would turn out to be the game-winning landing with 5:39 left.
The sport was all however sealed when Jaxon Rexroth picked off a cross by Athan Kaliakmanis moments later, which led to Iowa’s fifth landing of the sport.
Rutgers appeared as if it will be on a path to victory after their offense had been giving the Hawkeyes bother, particularly early on.
Kaliakmanis completed the sport with 330 passing yards — marking the second consecutive recreation that he’s had a minimum of 300 by means of the air — and large receiver Ian Sturdy, who was unclear if he’d play on Friday on account of an harm, had a profession excessive 151 receiving yards.
However it was the error that value the Scarlet Knights ultimately, as Rutgers was referred to as for six penalties on Friday on the expense of fifty yards. Rutgers kicker Jai Patel additionally missed two area targets, which included a 37-yarder within the second quarter that hit the upright after the scarlet Knights received pushed again after his first try was negated on account of a delay of recreation penalty.
A 29-yard kick try by Patel within the third quarter was blocked.
If anybody had been anticipating a low-scoring affair, they have been sorely mistaken, because the Hawkeyes and Scarlet Knights mixed for 42 factors by means of the primary half alone and traded touchdowns by means of the primary half-hour of the sport.
The evening didn’t begin nicely for Rutgers as they watched Kaden Wetjen return the opening kickoff 100 yards to provide Iowa the early lead and seemingly sucking the air out of SHI Stadium and the sold-out crowd occupying it. However the Scarlet Knights didn’t path for lengthy.
Kaliakmanis orchestrated a six-play, 75-yard drive that included a 40-yard cross to DT Sheffield and ended with a 5-yard run by Antwan Raymond for the tying landing.
The Scarlet Knights took their first lead of the evening after an enormous defensive cease on the Hawkeyes’ second drive of the sport, and Kaliakmanis marched the Rutgers offense down the sphere and ran the ball 4 yards for his first of two landing rushes of the evening.
That’s when the shootout actually started, with Iowa operating again Kamari Moulton speeding for a landing to tie the sport at 14, and Kaliakmanis gave Rutgers the lead, 21-14, after making his approach over the aim line with the Scarlet Knights breaking out the tush push early within the second quarter.
Gronowski tied the sport again up with eight minutes left within the half on a two-yard rush of his personal.
