CINCINNATI, Ohio – Sophomore RB Kordell Young (West Deptford, N.J.) rushed for 78 yards and threw a touchdown pass, however, Rutgers (1-5, 0-2 BIG EAST) was unable to erase an early deficit as Cincinnati (5-1, 1-0 BIG EAST) won 13-10 on Saturday afternoon at Nippert Stadium.

The Rutgers defense limited Cincinnati to 0-for-11 on third down conversions and a season-low 13 points and 15 first downs.

Young made his return to the gridiron after missing the previous four games with a lingering knee injury. The second-year back earned his second career start since getting the nod in the Scarlet Knights’ season opener against Fresno State.

Kordell Young completed his first career pass on a 17-yard touchdown pass to junior FB Jack Corcoran. Photo by Frank Victores

Cincinnati converted a field goal (19 yards) and scored a touchdown on its fourth and sixth drives, respectively of the first half to take a 10-0 lead into the intermission.

The Scarlet Knights emerged from the locker room and went right to work, scoring on their first drive to start the third quarter. The eight-play, 90 yard march to pay dirt was RU’s longest scoring drive of the season and was capped by a 17-yard pass from Young to junior fullback Jack Corcoran (Atlantic City, N.J.).

From its own 10-yard line, Young got things started with a seven yard carry followed by a 22 yard pass from senior QB Mike Teel (Oakland, N.J.) to junior WR Tim Brown (Miami, Fla.). Young went on to rush four more times for 27 more yards, while Teel added another pass of 17 yards to TE Kevin Brock (Hackensack, N.J.) as the Scarlet Knights reached the red zone.

Facing a third-and-two on the Cincinnati 17 yard line, Rutgers went to the halfback pass as Young found Corcoran in the end zone, pulling RU within three points to make the score 10-7. It was the first pass attempt and touchdown of Young’s career and the first touchdown score of Corcoran’s.

The Bearcats extended their lead with a 50-yard field goal on their next possession, cushioning the advantage at 13-7. Freshman San San Te (Conover, N.C.) matched Cincinnati’s effort with a 50-yard field goal of his own, thrusting the Scarlet Knights back to within three points of UC (13-10). Te split the uprights for the fifth-straight time this season and his attempt was also a career-long, topping his previous best, a 34-yarder against North Carolina (Sept. 11).

RU and UC traded several possessions through the remaining minutes of the game; however, Cincinnati maintained its three-point lead in the fourth quarter and held on for the eventual victory.

Following back-to-back road opponents, Rutgers will return to Piscataway next week to host Connecticut in its homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 18. The contest is slated for a noon start and will be televised nationally on ESPNU.

POSTGAME NOTES

Team Notes
Rutgers’ eight-play, 90-yard touchdown drive to open the second half at Cincinnati was its longest touchdown drive of the season. The Scarlet Knights’ previous season-long touchdown drive was 86 yards against Morgan State on Sept. 27.

The Rutgers defense posted a season-high four sacks at Cincinnati.  The Scarlet Knights previous high sack total this season came against Morgan State on Sept. 27 with three sacks. It marked the most sacks for the Scarlet Knights since registering six sacks vs. Ball State in the 2008 International Bowl.

The Rutgers defense forced a three-and-out on the opponent’s first two possessions of the game for the first time this season at Cincinnati.

Rutgers defensively held the Bearcats to 0-for-11 on third down conversions. The defense also limited the Bearcats to season lows in first downs (15) and points (13).

Cincinnati entered the game averaging 412.6 yards per game and 32.2 points per game. Rutgers limited the Bearcats to 336 yards of total offense and 13 points Saturday.

Player Notes

Redshirt sophomore RB Kordell Young (West Deptford, N.J.) started at running back for the second time in his career. He started the 2008 season opener against Fresno State. He finished the Cincinnati game with 78 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Young also completed his first career pass on a 17-yard touchdown pass to junior FB Jack Corcoran (Atlantic City, N.J.). The touchdown was the first score of Corcoran’s career.

Redshirt senior QB Mike Teel (Oakland, N.J.) passed Ray Lucas (908 attempts from 1992-95) and moved into fourth place on the Rutgers career pass attempts list. He now has 930 attempts in his career after attempting 35 passes at Cincinnati.

Teel is now in third place in career completions at Rutgers with 520 career completions.

Junior WR Kenny Britt (Bayonne, N.J.) passed Andrew Baker (127 receptions from 1981-84) and moved into seventh place on the Rutgers career receptions list. He now has 128 career receptions after a four-catch performance for 51 yards at Cincinnati.

Redshirt sophomore K/P Teddy Dallaganna (Templeton, Calif.) recorded his first career touchback as a Scarlet Knight on the game’s opening kickoff.

Dellaganna also had a career-long punt with his 61-yard kick in the first quarter. Earlier in the quarter, he boomed a 58-yarder. He also had a 60-yard punt in the second quarter. He averaged 46.6 yards in 10 punts at Cincinnati. 

Redshirt freshman PK San San Te (Conover, N.C.) converted his fifth-straight field goal with a career-long 50-yard field goal in the third quarter at Cincinnati. His previous career long was 34 yards against North Carolina on Sept. 11. 

True freshman Art Forst (Manasquan, N.J.) made his first career start at Cincinnati. He lined up at right guard to open the contest. He is the first true freshman to start for the Scarlet Knights this season and the first true freshman offensive lineman to start since Anthony Davis (Piscataway, N.J.) started against Ball State in the 2008 International Bowl last season. He is the third true freshman to start on the offensive line in the last five years. Former Scarlet Knight Jeremy Zuttah started as a true freshman during the 2004 season.

Senior TE Kevin Brock (Hackensack, N.J.) set a new career-high with seven receptions for a season-high 51 yards. His previous career-high receptions total was six last season at Connecticut.