Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Host Rutgers scored touchdowns on all six of its second-quarter possessions, tallying 42 points to break open a close game and en route to a 59-0 win over Norfolk State on Saturday afternoon at Rutgers Stadium.
The 13th-ranked Scarlet Knights (3-0) tallied 277 yards of offense in the second quarter, with quarterback Mike Teel accounting for 244 of those through the air. Teel tossed three touchdown passes, and Heisman Trophy candidate running back Ray Rice scored on a trio of runs in the quarter.
The Spartans (1-1), playing the first game against a Division I-A (FBS) team in school history, went toe-to-toe with the Scarlet Knights for the first quarter. Rutgers' only points came after an NSU special teams miscue. A bad punt snap set up Rutgers at the NSU 30-yard line late in the first quarter. Jeremy Ito capped a seven-play, 17-yard drive with a 30-yard field goal, putting Rutgers ahead 3-0 with 2:44 left in the quarter.
But the Scarlet Knights' offense came to life in the second quarter. An interception by RU defensive lineman Eric Foster set up the Scarlet Knights at their 48. Two plays later, Teel found Kenny Britt on a 43-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second quarter, giving RU a 10-0 lead.
On its next possession, NSU attempted a fake punt on fourth down from its 24. Punter Brian Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) completed a 4-yard pass to Marquez Davis (Newport News, Va.), but Davis was stopped short of the first down. That set up the Scarlet Knights at the NSU 28. On the next play from scrimmage, Teel found Tiquan Underwood on a 28-yard TD pass, giving Rutgers a 17-0 lead with 13:42 left in the first half.
NSU earned three first downs on its next drive, two on the arm of Hansen, and reached the Scarlet Knights' 27. But a holding penalty bogged down the drive, and NSU was forced to punt.
After a 65-yard completion from Teel to Underwood, Rice found the end zone from 22 yards out. He also scored on runs of 7 and 4 yards in the period. Teel capped the first-half scoring with a 34-yard TD pass to Britt with 2:17 left before halftime.
Reserve quarterback Jabu Lovelace scored on a pair of second-half TD runs to cap the scoring for Rutgers.
Rice ended the day with 12 carries for 72 yards, all in the first half, ending his string of five consecutive 100-yard rushing games. Underwood (4-148) and Britt (4-121) both exceeded 100-yards receiving. Rutgers out-gained NSU 537-122.
Offensively, the Spartans were led by Hansen, who was 12-of-26 for 108 yards. Daryl Jones (Richmond, Va.) had 12 carries for 38 yards and two catches for 40 yards.
Terrell Whitehead (Virginia Beach, Va.) led the NSU defense with seven total tackles.
“Rutgers is a fine football team, and they beat us handily,” NSU head coach Pete Adrian said. “But I'm proud of our football team because they did not quit. If we can play for four quarters like we did in the first quarter in the rest of our games, then we will be a good football team.”
NSU returns to action next Saturday against Bethune-Cookman in the 60th annual Fish Bowl Classic at Dick Price Stadium. Kick-of is at 4 p.m.
