Hey, Rutgers Almost Won A Game Last Week

Published on 29-Oct-2016 by Raoul Duke

Football - NCAA    NCAA Football Daily Review

Share this article


Hey, Rutgers Almost Won A Game Last Week

Those scrappy Scarlet Knights almost defied logic this past week.

Rutgers, still searching in vain for that elusive first Big Ten win of the season, almost pulled it off at Minnesota.

However, it was not to be, as the Golden Gophers booted a short field goal with six seconds left to steal a 34-32 win.

Ouch.

Here's a brutal little fun fact about this crippling defeat.

Rutgers missed a PAT and then attempted a two-point conversion after their next TD to make up for it.

The attempt was unsuccessful.

They lost by two points.

Double ouch.

These proud student-athletes from Piscataway displayed buckets of grit in this game, as they dug out of a 21-3 hole on the road and actually held a late lead before the inevitable gut punch at the end.

This effort by Rutgers represents a significant improvement, particularly when compared to a nightmarish two-game stretch in early October.

Somehow, the Scarlet Knights managed to get outscored 136-0 in successive games at Ohio St. and at home against Michigan.

These numbers seem impossible, but the results have been verified by an independent auditor.

The 78-0 decapitation at the hands of Michigan was particularly grisly, as Rutgers was outgained 600-39 and didn't record a first down until very late in the game.

A cursory glance at the remaining schedule reveals a possible win at home against Indiana next week, but the rest is rather bleak.

Whatever masochists are left rooting for these lovable underdogs, we wish you well.

Godspeed, boys.