CINCINNATI, Ohio (November 20, 2010) – True freshman QB Chas Dodd (Lyman, S.C.) threw for a career-best 335 yards and connected with sophomore WR Mark Harrison (Stratford, Conn.) for four touchdowns as the Scarlet Knights (4-6, 1-4 BIG EAST) totaled their highest points of the season in a 69-38 setback to Cincinnati (4-6, 2-3 BIG EAST) in a wild scoring affair at Nippert Stadium Saturday night in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Dodd spread the ball to four different receivers in the offensive outburst as Harrison finished with career-bests in receiving yards (240), receptions (10) and touchdowns (four), while sophomore Keith Stroud (Brooklyn, N.Y.) totaled career-bests in yards (63) and receptions (six) in the contest. Harrison’s touchdown total tied the school record originally set by Chris Brantley against Virginia Tech on Oct. 31, 1992, while his receiving yardage mark was the second-most in a game in Rutgers history, eight shy of the school record.
The Rutgers defense held the Bearcats in check with a quick three-and-out to open the game and the Scarlet Knights offense fed off the momentum with a quick strike to open the contest’s scoring. Lining up as the Wild Knight QB, sophomore WR Mohamed Sanu (South Brunswick, N.J.) took the snap and drew the offense to the line of scrimmage before finding a wide open Jordan Thomas (Endicott, N.Y.) with a quick pass and the freshman running back raced into the end zone for a 51-yard touchdown 1:13 into the contest. The passing touchdown was the third of the season for the sophomore wide receiver, while the receiving touchdown was the first score of Thomas’ career.
Cincinnati responded with touchdowns on their next three possessions to surge out to a first-quarter lead. Isaiah Pead scored on a 34-yard pass from Bearcat QB Zach Collaros 1:32 after the Scarlet Knights’ score. RU blocked the ensuing extra-point attempt by kicker Jacob Rogers as senior DE Jonathan Freeny (Tampa, Fla.) broke through the line to get his hand on it.
Pead rumbled down the sidelines for a 24-yard score on the ground and the Bearcats converted the extra-point to give UC a 13-7 advantage on their next possession.
The Scarlet Knights marched down the field with a 69-yard drive, producing a San San Te (Conover, N.C.) 28-yard field goal to cut the Bearcats advantage to 13-10.
On the ensuing possession, Cincinnati capped a six-play drive that covered 74 yards with a nine-yard touchdown run from DJ Woods to build the Bearcat lead to 20-10 with 23 seconds showing on the first-quarter clock.
After an opening stanza that saw 30 points light up the scoreboard, the scoring barrage continued in the second quarter. Rutgers cut the lead back to three 1:08 into the second quarter with a 52-yard touchdown pass Dodd to sophomore Harrison to cap a four-play drive and Te followed with the extra-point to make it 20-17.
After a three-and-out for Cincinnati, the Scarlet Knights took over midway through the second and drove into UC territory to the 29 yard line, before a Dodd pass was picked off at the six-yard line.
The Bearcats capitalized on the turnover, using a nine-play, 94-yard drive as Collaros capped it off with a two-yard run into the end zone to make it 27-17.
Cincinnati added a Pead nine-yard rushing touchdown with three minutes remaining in the first half to open a 34-17 advantage in the first of three touchdowns in the final three minutes of the opening half.
The Scarlet Knights took the ensuing kickoff and marched 74 yards on 11 plays where Dodd found Harrison on a lob pass in the corner of the end zone to pull RU back within 10 points at 34-24 with 43 seconds remaining in the opening half.
UC responded with a six-play, 62-yard drive that eat up just 33 seconds of the clock with Woods on the receiving end of a Collaros touchdown pass from 16 yards out with five seconds left on the first half clock.
In a first-half that saw a combined 65 points and nearly 700 combined yards of offense, the Bearcats went into the locker room with a 41-24 advantage.
The Scarlet Knights picked up where they left off in the first half as the first play from scrimmage of the second half saw Dodd and Harrison hook up for a third time in the ball game for a touchdown. Harrison hauled in a 66-yard touchdown from Dodd to cut the lead to 41-31.
Pead found the end zone for the third time in the contest with a 24-yard run to put the Bearcats back up by 17 points, 48-31 with 11:14 to play in the third quarter.
Collaros connected with Guidugli on a 10-yard pass with 3:35 left in the third stanza as UC built a 55-31 lead.
Dodd and Harrison opened the fourth quarter with their fourth touchdown of the game as the sophomore signal caller hit Harrison for a 36-yard strike to make it 55-38.
Pead scored on the ground from 24 yards out and Collaros found Anthony McClung from four yards to provide the final score of the contest.
Sophomore DB Khaseem Greene (Elizabeth, N.J.) tied his career-high with 10 tackles and an interception to lead RU’s defense.
Rutgers returns home where it will host Louisville next Friday at 11 a.m. on Senior Day at Rutgers Stadium.
POST GAME NOTES
Team Notes
• Rutgers lost 69-38 Saturday night at Nippert Stadium to Cincinnati. It was the highest scoring game in BIG EAST history. The Scarlet Knights dropped to 4-6 overall and 1-4 in the BIG EAST while Cincinnati moved to 4-6 and 2-3 in the conference.
• Cincinnati now leads the all-time series 8-7-1.
• Rutgers scored on its first offensive play for the first time this season as Wild Knight QB Mohamed Sanu hit RB Jordan Thomas on a 51-yard touchdown pass.
• The Sanu-to-Thomas touchdown tied for the shortest scoring touchdown drive of the season in terms of time of possession for Rutgers with the eight-second scoring drive. Sanu scored on a 24-yard touchdown run at FIU which lasted eight seconds.
• Rutgers scored a season-high 24 first half points vs. the Bearcats. The previous season-high for first half scoring was 17 points, which occurred twice in 2010.
• The Scarlet Knights set season-highs in first half total offense (258 yards) and first half passing yardage (266).
Player Notes
• Mark Harrison had the second-best receiving day in Rutgers history with 240 yards receiving vs. Cincinnati. Harrison totaled 10 receptions for 240 yards and four touchdowns – all career-highs for the sophomore wide receiver. He missed equaling Tiquan Underwood’s school record for receiving yards in a game by eight. Underwood had 248 yards receiving vs. Buffalo in 2007.
• Harrison became just the second player in school history to post four receiving touchdowns in a game. Chris Brantley shares the school record with four receiving touchdowns vs. Virginia Tech in 1992.
• Harrison tied a BIG EAST record with four touchdown receptions and his 240 yards receiving ranked third in the conference single-game annals.
• Harrison moved into a tie for sixth place in Rutgers single-season history with seven touchdown receptions this season.
• Chas Dodd started the night 7-of-8 passing for 121 yards. He finished with a career-high 335 yards passing and a career—best four touchdowns. It marked the second 300-yard passing game of Dodd’s brief career.
• Dodd passed for the second-most yards by a Rutgers true freshman in school history with 335. The four touchdown passes established a new school record for single-game passing touchdowns by a true freshman.
• Jordan Thomas scored his first touchdown as a Scarlet Knight with his 51-yard reception from Mohamed Sanu on the first offensive play for Rutgers.
• Mohamed Sanu was 2-of-3 passing for 65 yards and a touchdown in the first half. This season, he is 6-of-9 passing for 160 yards and three touchdowns.
• Sophomore WR Keith Stroud posted career-highs in receptions (six) and receiving yards (63).
• True freshman WR J.T. Tartacoff made his first career start tonight vs. Cincinnati.
