Game of the Week Wrap: Rutgers Wins a Close One, SMU in the Bowl Hunt
Big East: Rutgers 28 UConn 24
With just 38 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Connecticut took the lead for the first time Saturday and the home crowd prepared to celebrate. But it was not to be. With only 22 seconds on the clock, Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage fired an 81-yard touchdown pass to Tim Brown to win the game.
Connecticut trailed from the outset as Rutgers’ Tavon Austin silenced the crowd by returning the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.
Savage, a freshman starting his first away game, threw for 234 yards and three touchdowns. Brown pulled down 162 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
It’s been a rough season for UConn and things only got tougher as starting quarterback Cody Endres left in the first quarter with a shoulder injury and is probably out for the year. Zach Frazer stepped in and threw for 333 yards but also racked up three interceptions.
Brown, who scored the game winning touchdown for Rutgers, was a long time friend of UConn’s Jasper Howard who was killed earlier this season at a school dance. The two grew up together in Miami.
Predict and Win Shout Out: Tim is our winner in this week’s Predict and Win contest. Tim wins two tickets to the St. Petersburg Bowl with his prediction of Rutgers 27/UConn 17. Good job Tim.
Be sure to check back Wednesday for another chance to predict and win!
Conference USA: SMU 27 Tulsa 13
SMU scored a huge win over Tulsa moving them into sole position as the number two spot in the East and only two wins from bowl eligibility. Now 3-1 in the conference and 4-4 overall, the Mustangs haven’t been to a bowl game since 1984.
Tulsa was first on the board and went into the half 7-7 with SMU. In the second half, freshman SMU quarterback Kyle Padron, who stepped in last week for an injured Levi Mitchell, proved he could scramble turning two broken plays into scoring opportunities.
Pedron completed 20 of 30 passes for a total 354 yards.
Tulsa tried to tie it up late in the fourth quarter going for it on fourth and 19 but SMU’s Margus Hunt managed to get a piece of the pass, giving SMU the ball on their own 44. It took SMU seven more plays to seal the game with Zack Line punching it in from the two yard line.
Related posts:
- Conference USA Predict and Win Game of the Week; Tulsa at SMU
- SMU Defeats East Carolina 45-38 in Overtime to Secure Conference USA Title Game
- Game of the Week Recap: Louisville Pulls Out a Close One, UAB Keeps Bowl Hopes Alive
- Game of the Week Recap: Houston Avoids a Close Call, Pittsburgh Extends to 8-1
- Big East Predict and Win Game of the Week: Rutgers at Connecticut
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