RU Escapes Big East Opener vs. USFComes Away 22-20 Victor

No. 23 Rutgers squeeked past South Florida in both teams’ Big East opener Friday night by a score of 22-20. Ray Rice rushed for 202 yards and scored two TDs to help the Scarlet Knights remain undefeated. Jeremy Ito kicked field goals of 32, 40 and 53 yards.

South Florida failed on a two-point conversion that would have tied the score with just 15 seconds left in the game.

The Scarlet Knights squandered a golden opportunity late in the fist half. RU led 7-0 at the time and had South Florida pinned deep in their own end. Forced to punt from their own 8-yard line, the ball went out of bounds on the USF 26 after traveling just 18 yards. RU could not score a touchdown despite the great field position and had to settle for a 32-yard Jeremy Ito field goal with just 6:45 on the clock.

Matt Grothe then rallied the USF Bulls to two quick TDs on drives of 80 and 70 yards that required just 2:05 and 1:40 respectively and gave the Bulls a 14-10 lead going into the half.

Grothe almost pulled it out for the Bulls when, after a blocked RU field goal attempt with 2:32 remaining in the game, he led his team on a 66-yard scoring drive to make the score 22-20. Unfortunately for him, the two-point conversion attempt failed and the Bulls came up short.

Rutgers dominated the time of possession with a 37:16 to 22:44 edge.

Rice rushed for over 100 yards for the seventh straight game tying “JJ” Jennings mark set in 1972-73.

Brian Leonard and Clarke Harris each caught passes to continue their consecutive game streaks. Leonard has now made at least one reception in 39-straight games (second in Big East history) and Harris’ streak reached 35 games (fourth in Big East history).

Ito’s 53-yard field goal is the longest in his career and second longest in school history. Only John Benestad’s 55-yarder against West Virginia in 1990 is longer. Ito also has 41 career field goals and needs to make just five more to tie the mark of 46 set by Kennan Startzell in 1976-79.

(Game Story and stats here.)

NATIONALLY RANKED RU

It’s got a nice ring to it.

Rutgers is ranked in both national polls for the first time since 1976. They are number 23 in both the AP Poll Top 25 and the USA Today/Coaches Poll The 1976 team went undefeated at 11-0 and finished the season ranked No. 17 in the AP Poll.

RU No. 23 in both polls.

With RU appearing in the top 25, the Big East Conference now has three teams that are nationally ranked: No. 4 West Virginia, No. 8 Louisville, and No. 23 Rutgers. All three are undefeated at 4-0. Only RU plays this weekend. Their Big East game against Southern Florida will be broadcast on ESPN2 on Friday night

College Football Firsts

Anyone who is a true college football fan knows that Rutgers played the first officially recognized college football game against Princeton way back in 1869 (Rutgers won that contest by a score of 6-4. RU History)

But how many folks out there know who played in the first night football game?

Mansfield Classical Seminary and Wyoming Seminary—two north central Pennsylvania schools—played the first game under the lights back on September 28, 1892 in Mansfield, PA. For the past 15 years, the University and town celebrate that historic night with The Fabulous 1890’s weekend filled with games, music, entertainment, hot air balloons, food, fireworks and more. It starts this Friday in Mansfield, PA.

“It Happened One Night”: September 28, 1892
The History of Football at Mansfield
Fabulous 1890’s Weekend

It ain't all USC, Notre Dame, Alabama, Oklahoma, etc.

Log Home Update: part 44Midweek Report

Having received the building inspector’s blessing on the electrical work last Friday, we’ve dived right in on the ceiling.

Adam and Don installed polyurethaned tongue-and-groove boards in the foyer (6” width boards here), the master bedroom and were working on the cathedral ceiling above the dining/living rooms when I left them this afternoon (Wednesday).

Their application speed is far outstripping the speed with which boards can be prepared. Preparation requires four steps: 1- sanding, 2- application of first coat and at least one day of drying, 3- light sanding of dried first coat, and 4- application of a second coat and at least one day of drying. As you can see, it takes at least two days to prepare a board for installation. We can do about 40 boards at a time. Don and Adam can apply 40 boards in about a day. They have almost caught up to the stack of prepared boards. Luckily, they can move over to sheetrocking the walls for a day or two to give those polyurethaning the boards a chance to gain ground.

The foyer ceiling. So far, it’s the only ceiling composed of 1x6 boards.


Half of the master bedroom ceiling.


The other half of the master bedroom ceiling.


A full drying rack. This is only the first coat on these boards. They’ll need a sanding and second coat before they’re ready to be installed.


This is one of several walls that awaits sheetrock. (Also note some ceiling still needs insulation. The pink stuff is the styrafoam eave vent.)