For years, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights languished in the basement of Big East football, but in the five years since they hired coach Greg Schiano, the program accomplished what can only be described as a football miracle.
And Thursday saw the culmination of that miracle when Rutgers defeated the No. 3 Louisville Cardinals before 44,000 scarlet-clad screaming fans in Piscataway, N.J.
At the start of the season, many saw the Big East as a two-horse race between the West Virginia Mountaineers and Louisville. The conference was supposed to be decided when the two squared off in Louisville on Nov. 2.
Louisville won that game 44-34, moving into the No. 3 spot in the polls and BCS rankings. This likely meant that if the Cardinals continued their undefeated season, they would have a berth in the national championship game, since No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan play later in the season.
However, no one expected the plot twist that transpired this Thursday. One week after the biggest game in Louisville history, another challenge came the Cardinals' way. Undefeated Rutgers came into the contest with the No. 2 defense in the country, but the Scarlet Knights were considered untested; few believed that the Rutgers' defense could stop the high-flying Louisville offense which put up 44 points against the Mountaineers a week earlier.
But the leader of the Cardinals' offense, quarterback Brian Brohm, could do little against a Rutgers defense that was constantly in his face. Brohm, who passed for 346 yards against WVU, could muster only 163 yards through the air with a touchdown and an interception.
Rutgers' own quarterback Mike Teel had a similar day, only completing eight passes for 189 yards. The difference-maker, though, was Rutgers' Heisman candidate running back Ray Rice. Rice rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 75 yards in the fourth quarter when Rutgers and Louisville were tied at 25.
The win was made even sweeter by the fact that Rutgers overcame an 18-point deficit. With just over six minutes left in the first half, the Knights trailed 25-7 and looked as if they couldn't compete with Louisville's superior athletes.
A Rice touchdown just before halftime reenergized the Scarlet Knights who came out in the second half and dominated on both sides of the ball. The Rutgers defense prevented Louisville from gaining a first down in five of its six second-half possessions while the offense kept at the running game.
With 13 seconds left in the game, Rutgers kicker Jeremy Ito, with the weight of New Jersey resting on his shoulders, connected on a 28-yard field goal to give Rutgers their first lead of the game. Once the final seconds ticked off, the crowd stormed the field to celebrate the astonishing win, carrying Ito off the field on their shoulders.
Rutgers' football program is one of the oldest in the nation, dating back to 1869, but this win was by far its biggest. This year's team looks to be the best Knights team yet. At 9-0, they are on pace for just the second unbeaten season in school history, and the win on Thursday night put Rutgers back in the national consciousness.
Meanwhile, Louisville's loss added another twist to the national championship race, a debate that got even hotter after Saturday's results. In addition to No. 3 Louisville losing, the No. 4 Texas Longhorns, the No. 5 Auburn Tigers, and the No. 8 California Golden Bears all lost as well, opening the door for the dwindling number of one-loss national championship contenders.
The No. 6 Florida Gators survived a thriller by blocking a last-second field goal attempt from the South Carolina Gamecocks in Steve Spurrier's first game back in the Swamp. The Gators are poised to move into third place in the latest BCS rankings.
However, the team that looks to benefit the most from this week's rash of upsets could very well be the loser of the Ohio State-Michigan game. Some pundits believe that with the losses and shaky play of the current one-loss contenders, a close game between Ohio State and Michigan may lead to a rematch for the national championship.
