Oct. 4, 2014
By Tom Luicci
ScarletKnights.com
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - This time, Gary Nova didn't just make history for himself. He helped make some for Rutgers as well.
The senior quarterback, in one of his finest performances, threw for a career-high 404 yards and three touchdowns as the Scarlet Knights earned their first Big Ten victory with a 26-24 win over Michigan tonight before a sellout crowd of 53,327 at High Point Solutions Stadium.
LUICCI: Nova's Big Game Caps Memorable Night
But the historic win wasn't secured until Kemoko Turay blocked the potential go-ahead field goal - a 56-yard attempt - with 3:01 to play. It was Turay's third blocked kick this year, with the redshirt freshman leaping high to deflect Matt Wile's long try with his left hand.
On a night when Rutgers' running game managed just 74 yards, Nova - who last week set the school record for career touchdown passes -- was up to the task of making up for it in helping the Scarlet Knights move to 5-1 overall (1-1 in Big Ten play) as they head into a bye week.
It was his third touchdown pass of the game, a 14-yard pass to Andrew Turzilli with 13:12 to play, that proved to be the game winner. That gave Rutgers a 26-17 lead and was the result of Davon Jacobs' interception off Devin Gardner - the senior quarterback's only turnover of the game.
Because of Gardner and a revived running game, however, Michigan wasn't done yet.
Gardner (13-of-22 for 178 yards) drove the Wolverines immediately following the Rutgers score, capping the drive with a 19-yard scramble for a touchdown that made it 26-24 with 9:17 to play.
Michigan then reached the Rutgers 39-yard line with 3:07 to play when a third and nine pass from Gardner to Aamara Darboh was ruled incomplete and held up upon review.
That left the Wolverines (2-4 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten for the first time since 1967) in no-man's land, with coach Brady Hoke opting to try for the potential game-winning 56-yard field goal on fourth and nine.
With the best of Nova on display right from the outset - and the senior showing he can do damage with his feet as well as his arm - Rutgers had been able to claim a 19-17 halftime lead.
In addition to throwing for 282 yards and two touchdowns against the nation's No. 9-ranked defense through the first two quarters, Nova was also the Scarlet Knights' leading rusher in the first half with 26 yards on two scrambles.
Nova and Rutgers' offense answered the call every time it needed to through those first 30 minutes, too.
After building a 6-3 first quarter lead on the strength of two Kyle Federico field goals, the Scarlet Knights were quickly down 10-6 when Michigan drove 75 yards in seven plays. Gardner, the quarterback who came into the game with the reputation as a dual threat, completed that drive by racing four yards for a touchdown off a play-action fake.
Two series later, Rutgers answered - needing just one play to do so.
That happened on an 80-yard strike from Nova to a wide-open Turzilli, who caught the pass in stride at the Michigan 41 yard line and raced in for what would be a 12-10 Scarlet Knights lead after the extra point try was blocked.
Both teams would have one more response left in an eventful first half.
Despite being limited to 218 yards of total offense in the first half, the Wolverines capitalized on a failed Rutgers fake punt to re-take the lead at 17-12 just 1:43 before halftime.
De'Veon Smith capped that short 43-yard drive with a one-yard run, and when Rutgers took over at its 25 yard line with 1:43 to play the Scarlet Knights' hopes of moving into scoring position depended on getting a couple of first downs.
That's exactly what happened, with Nova first finding Janarion Grant on a critical third and six play for a 27-yard pass play.
But Nova would save his best for last. Facing a third and goal from the Michigan seven yard line, Nova was forced to backpedal to the 21 as defensive lineman Frank Clark came charging up the middle with a clear shot. Nova shrugged off Clark and fired a strike to John Tsimis in the end zone for a touchdown just 22 seconds before halftime.
That gave the Scarlet Knights the lead back at 19-17.
Nova finished the half 14-of-25 passing with no turnovers and no sacks.
And he did that despite a non-existent running game, with Desmon Peoples and Justin Goodwin combining for one yard on seven carries.
Rutgers managed just 43 rushing yards on 10 carries in the half, with Nova and wide receiver Janarion Grant, on a 16-yard end around, accounting for all but one of those yards.
Gardner, meanwhile, was 10-of-15 for 149 yards with two sacks. Michigan managed just 69 rushing yards on 20 carries through the first two quarters.
