Rutgers Can’t Slow Down USC
Rutgers suffered its fourth straight defeat, falling 42-20 on the road at USC in the first ever match-up between the two squads. Rutgers and USC both have even records at 4-4 on the year. Rutgers is now 1-4 in Big Ten play.
“Disappointed in the result, but there were a lot of good things I saw out there from our team. Those will be the building blocks to get it back on track,” Head Coach Greg Schiano said. “Our guys battled. It just wasn’t enough.”
Rutgers trailed the Trojans 28-9 late in the second quarter, before mounting a comeback to bring the game to within one score.
Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis had a career day, completing 27 passes for 313 yards. He guided the Scarlet Knights on a brilliant seven-play, 86 yard drive, culminating in a Christian Dremel 28-yard touchdown with 8:11 to go in the third quarter.
Rutgers succeeded on a two-point conversion when Chris Long hit Kaliakmanis on the Philly Special to cut the deficit to 28-20.
Unfortunately for Rutgers the defense once again couldn’t get the big stop.
“We are struggling on defense,” Schiano admitted. “There are a lot of reasons for that. Some of them I know. Others I have to work with our staff.”
It didn’t take long for USC to answer Rutgers’ challenge. The Trojans marched down the field in four plays thanks in major part to a 70-yard completion between Miller Moss and receiver Makai Lemon to set up the Trojans at the Rutgers five. A few plays later, Moss was in for the score on a seven yard run to make it 35-20.
The Trojans added one more score on a 40-yard hook-up between Moss and Lemon to push the score to 42-20.
The loss was the third straight game by which Rutgers had surrendered 35 points or more in a game; and the second time in three weeks Rutgers allowed exactly 42 points in a game.
While Rutgers amassed 434 yards of total offense, they gave up 443 yards to USC. Schiano remarked consistently throughout his press conference that while he was pleased with Rutgers offensive output, the defense is a major concern.
Rutgers will have a bye week next week. Their next game is scheduled for November 9, at home against Minnesota.
