PISCATAWAY, N.J. - With less than eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter and a tie score, Rutgers junior quarterback Giovanni Rescigno connected with fifth-year senior running back Gus Edwards for a 23-yard touchdown to lift the Scarlet Knights to a 31-24 victory over Maryland on Saturday evening at High Point Solutions Stadium. It was the third win in the last four outings for RU.

Maryland (4-5, 2-4) kicked off the back-and-forth battle with a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. Rutgers (4-5, 3-3) responded with 17 consecutive points in the second quarter for a 17-7 lead. The Terrapins added a touchdown with a little over a minute until halftime, bringing the Scarlet Knight lead to 17-14 at the break.

UMD reclaimed the advantage, 24-17, with a touchdown and field goal in the third quarter. However, RU tied things up, 24-24, with a touchdown of its own to open the fourth, going on to take the lead back for good later in the frame.

Rescigno was responsible for two touchdowns, including his first rushing touchdown of the season. Edwards registered the first receiving touchdown of his career, while leading RU with 109 rushing yards. Senior running back Robert Martin also contributed a rushing score of his own.

Junior defensive back Kiy Hester added his third interception of the season, taking a pick 52 yards for a touchdown, his second pick-six on the year. Overall, the defense totaled four sacks, as junior linebacker Trevor Morris assisted on one to go with a team-high 12 total tackles.

Late in the first quarter, Maryland tacked on the first points of the game. UMD's quarterback Max Bortenschlager connected with Ty Johnson for a six-yard touchdown pass to give the Terps a 7-0 lead with a minute to go in the quarter. Rutgers would quickly even the score early in the second quarter. Rescigno added a touchdown with a nine-yard rush to knot the contest at 7-7 with 12:37 left on the clock until halftime.

The Scarlet Knights didn't stop there, claiming the lead 10-7 on a 50-yard field goal from Andrew Harte at the 7:40 mark.

On Maryland's following drive, Hester registered a pick-six to push the Rutgers advantage to 17-7 with five minutes remaining in the first half.

With a minute left in the frame, the Terps cut into the Scarlet Knight lead with a two-yard rushing touchdown by Lorenzo Harrison III to set the margin at 17-14 at the break.

UMD reclaimed the lead in the third quarter with a four-yard touchdown rush by Johnson followed by a 30-yard field goal by Henry Darmstadter, setting its advantage at 24-17 with 4:29 on the clock.

RU would go on to erase the lead, as Martin used a 10-yard rush to tie the score, 24-24, less than a minute into the fourth quarter. With 7:30 to go in the game, Rescigno found Edwards in the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown pass and a 31-24 lead for the Scarlet Knights.

After a holding penalty on the UMD offense called back a touchdown, the Rutgers defense registered back-to-back pass break-ups by Hester and redshirt sophomore defensive back Jawuan Harris. On fourth down for the Terps, redshirt junior defensive back Isaiah Wharton would break up the final pass to seal the win for the Scarlet Knights.

Up next, Rutgers travels to No. 7 Penn State on Saturday, Nov. 11. Kickoff is set for noon live on Big Ten Network.