Rutgers Dominates Texas Southern in 42-0 Homecoming Victory
Oct 10 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers (4-1) defense limited Texas Southern (1-4) to negative 25 rushing yards and five different Scarlet Knights entered the end zone in a convincing 42-0 homecoming win over the Tigers Saturday afternoon at Rutgers Stadium. Joe Martinek (Hopatcong, N.J.) rushed for two touchdowns, while freshman De’Antwan Williams (Woodbridge, Va.) carried for 132 yards and a score, in helping the Scarlet Knights to their fourth consecutive victory.
The Rutgers offense fed off the production of a defense that registered seven quarterback sacks en route to 14 tackles-for-losses. The Scarlet Knights forced four turnovers which resulted in 14 points. RU’s average field position was the home 47-yard line, 25 yards better than TSU’s average field position. The Tigers entered RU territory just once, advancing to the home 46-yard line in the fourth quarter.
Junior defensive end Jonathan Freeny (Tampa, Fla.) was especially disruptive, notching 2.5 sacks for 14 yards, two pass break-ups and four quarterback hurries. He paced a front four that also saw George Johnson (Glassboro, N.J.) and Justin Francis (Opa-Locka, Fla.) both registered a pair of sacks.
Rutgers posted the contest’s initial points courtesy of the defense. Sophomore cornerback David Rowe (Cocoa, Fla.) picked-off an Arvell Nelson pass and returned the aerial theft 56 yards to pay dirt. The score enabled a 7-0 advantage with 8:47 remaining in the opening stanza. It signaled the third consecutive game that the Scarlet Knights defense had provided a score.
Rutgers extended its lead to a pair of touchdowns as the first quarter wound to a close. Martinek carried-in from nine yards to cap a six play, 57-yard drive. An acrobatic, 18-yard catch by Tim Brown (Miami, Fla.) highlighted the series, which sent the Scarlet Knights into the second stanza holding a 14-0 advantage.
RU wasted little time adding to its tally. Tom Savage (Springfield, Pa.) engineered an eight-play, 67-yard drive, which including a career-long 28-yard scramble by the true freshman signal caller. Martinek carried five times during the possession, including a rugged, 15-yard touchdown scamper that produced a 21-0 score with 9:39 remaining before the break.
The final score of the opening half also belonged to the Scarlet Knights. Savage managed a 10-play, 53-yard drive that was capped by a five yard scoring run courtesy of Jourdan Brooks (Germantown, Md.). The scoring scamper marked the seventh carry of the possession for the sophomore running back.
Rutgers entered the locker room at the midpoint with a commanding 28-0 lead after holding Texas Southern to negative 15 yards rushing. The Tigers managed just 69 total yards in the opening 30 minutes against an RU defense that forced three turnovers.
The lone score of the third quarter was etched in the home column. After forcing a three-and-out, RU gained possession in TSU territory at the 41-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-three, Savage connected with Brown on a 34-yard scoring toss to extend the lead to 35-0 with 9:13 showing on the clock.
The Scarlet Knights tacked-on a fourth quarter touchdown to produce the 42-0 final score. A 44-yard rushing score by Williams capped a five play, 61-yard drive. It marked the first career touchdown for the freshman running back.
Savage had an efficient day under center, completing 14 of 21 passes for 150 yards and a score. He completed passes to six different receivers before being relieved by Domenic Natale (Sea Girt, N.J.) in the fourth quarter.
The Scarlet Knights return to the gridiron next Friday for an 8:00 p.m. kickoff versus BIG EAST foe Pittsburgh at Rutgers Stadium. The game will be televised live nationally on ESPN.
Post Game Notes
Team Notes
Rutgers recorded its 600th victory in program history with the 42-0 victory over Texas Southern. The Scarlet Knights are now 600-591-42 in 140 years of football.
Rutgers allowed minus-25 yards rushing; the lowest total by an opponent during Greg Schiano’s nine-year tenure at Rutgers. The previous low by an opponent under Schiano was -23 yards rushing by Cincinnati in 2005. Over the previous three games, Rutgers has allowed 45 rushing yards combined.
Texas Southern finished the game with 126 yards of total offense, the lowest amount by an opponent since Sept. 27, 2008 when Morgan State had 109 yards of total offense.
With the 42-0 victory over Texas Southern, Rutgers has posted a shutout in four-straight seasons. The Scarlet Knights blanked Illinois and Navy in 2006, Norfolk State in 2007 and Morgan State in 2008. RU is one of only two teams (Boise State) in the nation to record a shutout in each of the last four seasons.
Rutgers extended its winning streak in homecoming games to six. The Scarlet Knights own a 52-25-1 all-time record on and an 8-1 mark in homecoming games under head coach Greg Schiano.
The attendance of 50,169 is the second-largest crowd in school history. The Scarlet Knights opened their expanded stadium with a school-record crowd of 53,737 in the season opener on Sept. 7
With four turnovers forced against Texas Southern, the Rutgers defense has forced at least one turnover in each of the last 11 games dating back to last season.
Rutgers posted seven sacks against Texas Southern. It is the most sacks since the Scarlet Knights also recorded seven against USF on Oct. 18, 2007.
The Rutgers defense has posted at least one sack in each of the last 13 games. During that streak, the Scarlet Knights' defensive unit has registered multiple sacks 10 times, including each of the last five games. RU has totaled 41 sacks in the last 13 games.
The 56-yard interception return by sophomore DB David Rowe (Cocoa, Fla.) in the first-quarter against Texas Southern was the ninth-longest return in school history.
With the first-quarter interception return for a touchdown, Rutgers has four defensive touchdowns in five games this season – the most since 2006, when RU posted four defensive touchdowns in 13 games.
Rutgers quarterbacks completed a pass to a season-high seven receivers in the game.
Player Notes
Sophomore DB David Rowe recorded his first career interception and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. The 56-yard return was the ninth-longest interception return in school history
Senior WR Tim Brown (Miami, Fla.) had six catches for 94 yards. He hauled in a 34-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The TD is his second of the season and 13th of his career to move him into a tie with Brian Leonard (2003-06) and Bob Simms (1957-59) for sixth place on the Rutgers all-time receiving touchdowns list. Brown has averaged 41.5 yards on his 13 career touchdowns.
True freshman QB Tom Savage (Springfield, Pa.) recorded a career-long 28-yard run for a first down in the second quarter against the Tigers.
Sophomore RB Joe Martinek (Hopatcong, N.J.) rushed for two first-half touchdowns against Texas Southern, scoring on runs of nine and 15 runs. The two rushing touchdowns tied his career high. He also posted a pair of rushing TDs last time out against Maryland on Sept. 26 and at USF on Nov. 15 of last season.
Redshirt freshman DB Khaseem Greene (Elizabeth, N.J.) had a career-high seven tackles.
On a kickoff in the first quarter against Texas Southern, true freshman LB Steve Beauharnais (Saddle Brook, N.J.) forced his first career fumble and sophomore DT Eric LeGrand (Colonia, N.J.) recovered his first career fumble.
Junior DE Alex Silvestro (Gibbstown, N.J.) recovered a fumble in his second-consecutive game. The recoveries are the first two of his career.
Junior DE Jonathan Freeny (Tampa, Fla.) finished the game with 2.5 sacks. He has recorded multiple sacks in three of five games this season. For the year, Freeny leads the Scarlet Knights with 6.5 sacks.
True freshman RB De’Antwan Williams (Woodbridge, Va.) scored his first career touchdown on a 44-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 132 rushing yards on 19 carries.
Williams is the second Rutgers back this season to rush for 100 yards in the fourth quarter. Williams finished with 124 rushing yards on 16 carries and one touchdown in the fourth quarter vs. TSU. Joe Martinek rushed for 130 yards in the fourth quarter in Rutgers’ 34-13 victory at Maryland.
Williams is one of four Scarlet Knights on the 2009 roster to rush for 100 yards in a game, joining Kordell Young, Jourdan Brooks and Joe Martinek.
