Comments on: Rutgers Wins Its Third Straight Bowl Game http://www.jerseysmarts.com/2008/12/30/rutgers-wins-its-third-straight-bowl-game/ How to Survive in the Garden State Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:49:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jacob Spades http://www.jerseysmarts.com/2008/12/30/rutgers-wins-its-third-straight-bowl-game/comment-page-1/#comment-2531 Jacob Spades Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:17:58 +0000 http://www.jerseysmarts.com/?p=2762#comment-2531 This was a fantastic bowl game! Both teams started so disappointingly and were able to turn their seasons around. Like you said, neither team has anything to be ashamed of because at the midpoint of the season, neither team had any hope to even go to a bowl game. Back in Week 3 (September 13) I wrote the following in a blog about Rutgers being one of the week's biggest losers: <i>Rutgers had everything going for them against North Carolina on Thursday night: more 1st Downs, more Total and Passing Yards, and nearly equal rushing yards. So how could the Big Red lose 44-12?! Here's how- Rutgers did not convert a single 3rd down play (out of 9 attempts) and turned the ball over FOUR times, giving UNC 13 points. Rutgers has added to the woes of the Big East this year with two straight losses to open the season. Unless there is a miracle potion in Jersey, Greg Schiano's team will be making plans for a New Year's party rather than a bowl game.</i> Greg Schiano definitely found that miracle potion! Comparing their bowl game to the poor performance against the Tar Heels, you can see that they took care of the ball better (4 turnovers vs. 1 turnover), and they were able to continue the domination on the stats sheets, racking up 21 first downs and controlling the ball for nearly 10 more minutes than NCST. Great job, Rutgers' Scarlet Knights! This was a fantastic bowl game! Both teams started so disappointingly and were able to turn their seasons around. Like you said, neither team has anything to be ashamed of because at the midpoint of the season, neither team had any hope to even go to a bowl game.

Back in Week 3 (September 13) I wrote the following in a blog about Rutgers being one of the week’s biggest losers:

Rutgers had everything going for them against North Carolina on Thursday night: more 1st Downs, more Total and Passing Yards, and nearly equal rushing yards. So how could the Big Red lose 44-12?! Here’s how- Rutgers did not convert a single 3rd down play (out of 9 attempts) and turned the ball over FOUR times, giving UNC 13 points. Rutgers has added to the woes of the Big East this year with two straight losses to open the season. Unless there is a miracle potion in Jersey, Greg Schiano’s team will be making plans for a New Year’s party rather than a bowl game.

Greg Schiano definitely found that miracle potion! Comparing their bowl game to the poor performance against the Tar Heels, you can see that they took care of the ball better (4 turnovers vs. 1 turnover), and they were able to continue the domination on the stats sheets, racking up 21 first downs and controlling the ball for nearly 10 more minutes than NCST.

Great job, Rutgers’ Scarlet Knights!

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