Rutgers Runs Past Indiana Earns Bowl Eligibility
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are bowl eligible for the first time since 2014 after a commanding 31-14 victory over Indiana behind a stellar day on the ground by quarterback Gavin Wimsatt.
While Wimsatt threw for only 39 yards on 12 passes, he more than made up for it by churning out 143 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns, setting a new club record for rushing yards by a Rutgers quarterback.
Wimsatt along with Kyle Monangai (24 carries, 109 yards), and Samuel Brown (nine carries, 31 yards) chewed up the Indiana Hoosiers for 276 yards on 55 total carries, as Rutgers held the football for nearly 38 minutes.
In fact Wimsatt’s 80-yard touchdown put the exclamation point on the afternoon, blowing the door wide open in the fourth quarter.
Wimsatt’s virtuoso performance started in earnest when he guided Rutgers on a 15-play, 75 yard drive on the club’s opening possession, before scoring on a one-yard plunge, tying the game at seven.
A few plays later, Rutgers special teams stood tall when Shaquan Royal blasted off from the right end and blocked a punt. Eric Rogers picked up the loose ball and scored to RU in front.
Out of the half and leading 17-14, Rutgers chewed up over six minutes in another scoring drive to open the third quarter.
Beneficiaries of a huge personal foul on Indiana, Rutgers used a heavy dose of Wimsatt and Monangai runs to overpower the Hoosiers. With 8:45 to go in the third, Wimsatt scored for the second time when he plunged into the end zone from one-yard out to make it 24-14.
Bye Week:
Rutgers enters a well earned bye week after a grueling, but satisfying start to the season. At 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten, Rutgers will face a tough four game stretch to end the regular season.
They will come out of the bye with a home date against Ohio State on November 4, before back-to-back road trips to Penn State and Iowa. The season ends November 25 against Maryland at SHI Stadium.
Rutgers Football vs Michigan State 10.14.23
