Game 8: Football at Wisconsin
Oct 26 | Football
RUTGERS (3-4, 1-3) at WISCONSIN (6-2, 3-1)
October 31, 2015 • Noon ET
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, Wis.
• Notes: Game 8 
• Coach Flood News Conference
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: BTN
Web: BTN2Go
Rutgers vs. Wisconsin will broadcast on BTN with Kevin Kugler (play-by-play), Matt Millen (analyst) and Lisa Byington (sideline) on the call.
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network
WOR 710-AM, WCTC 1450-AM, WENJ 97.3-FM, WTMR 800-AM
Satellite Radio: Sirius 118 and XM 202
The Rutgers IMG Sports Network pregame show begins at 11 a.m. with hosts Marc Malusis and David Milewski. Game broadcast starts at noon with Chris Carlin and Ray Lucas in the booth, while Anthony Fucilli will provide sideline coverage.
ALL-TIME SERIES
• Rutgers and Wisconsin will meet for the second time in the all-time series.
• The Scarlet Knights hosted the Badgers in the first-ever meeting last season, falling 37-0 at High Point Solutions Stadium.
• Saturday's matchup will be the final regular season meeting until the 2018 season.
• Rutgers is 4-4 all-time against teams currently in the Big Ten West division.
RUTGERS TRAVELS TO WISCONSIN
The Scarlet Knights will make their first trip in program history to the state of Wisconsin to face the Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. It will be Rutgers' first game against a Big Ten West opponent this season and third overall since joining the league in 2014.
NEWS AND NOTES
• Rutgers has played 1,308 games, the most in major college football. The program is in its 146th year and 145th season of action.
• Rutgers has won its last three games played on Halloween - 2009 at Connecticut, 1998 vs. Temple and 1992 vs. Virginia Tech.
• Rutgers is in a stretch of eight consecutive Saturdays with a game that started versus Michigan State. That is the most games without a bye since playing 10 straight weeks in 2011, with one contest on a Friday during that stretch. The Scarlet Knights last played on eight consecutive Saturdays in 1994.
• Rutgers is 38-of-55 (69 percent) on fourth down conversions in the last three seasons, including 7-of-11 this year (63.6 percent). Opponents are only 5-for-17 (29.4 percent) on fourth down versus the Scarlet Knights, third best in the league.
• Since 2011, Rutgers is 27-6 when attempting at least 35 rush attempts in a game.
• Rutgers is 48-5 since 2000 when holding opponents to less than 300 yards of total offense.
• Since 2000, the Scarlet Knights are 56-19 when going over the 150-yard mark on the ground.
• Since 2000, Rutgers is 50-16 when holding the opponent below 100 yards rushing in a game.
• Since 2000, Rutgers is 25-3 when limiting the opponent to less than 50 yards rushing in a game.
• Rutgers reached over 200 yards both rushing and passing in the wins over Norfolk State, Kansas and Indiana. That happened twice last year against Washington State and Indiana.
LAST TIME OUT
• Rutgers fell 49-7 to No. 1 Ohio State in a primetime game broadcasted on ABC. It was the Scarlet Knights' fifth game in program history against the top-ranked team in the nation and first time hosting No. 1 since 2002 versus Miami. A sellout crowd of 53,111 attended the game, the fourth-largest mark in stadium history.
RUTGERS COMEBACK AT INDIANA
• The Scarlet Knights rallied back from a 25-point deficit in the second half to beat Indiana on the road, 55-52, in the highest scoring game in regulation in the history of Rutgers football. RU trailed by 25 with 5:25 left in the third quarter and scored 28 unanswered from there to win. It tied the school record for points overcome to win, also happening at Maryland (down 35-10 with 2:52 left in the second quarter, won 41-38) in the 2014 regular season finale. Both Rutgers road Big Ten wins involved erasing a 25-point deficit.
• It was the largest comeback in the NCAA this season, as teams were 0-121 entering that week when trailing by 25 points in a game. (ESPN Stats & Info)
• Kyle Federico kicked a 26-yard field goal on the final play of the game to seal the victory. It was the first game-winning kick for RU since San San Te in 2007 versus USF. Federico now has three go-ahead field goals in the fourth quarter in his career.
• Robert Martin rushed for three touchdowns and Leonte Carroo had three reception touchdowns. It was the first time in school history that Rutgers had a player with three rushing touchdowns and a player with three receiving touchdowns in the same game.
• RU out-gained IU 200-25 in the fourth quarter and held the ball for 11:31 on the clock, making it the second time the Scarlet Knights held the ball for at least 10 of the last 15 minutes (Kansas). The offense went 5-for-5 on third down before setting up the winning field goal. The defense forced three turnovers in the quarter, including a 26-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Kemoko Turay on an errant punt snap.
• Rutgers had 596 total yards, its most in a game since racking up 671 against Louisville in 2008.
• Chris Laviano went 7-for-8 passing in the fourth quarter and totaled 386 yards for the game, tied for the fifth-best passing mark in school history. The third-year sophomore completed two third-down passes to Carlton Agudosi in the final drive.
NOTING THE KANSAS WIN
• In front of a Homecoming crowd, Rutgers earned a 27-14 victory over Kansas at High Point Solutions Stadium. It was the first meeting on the gridiron between the programs.
• Rutgers recorded a season-high 31 first downs, with 15 through the pass and 13 in the air.
• The offense topped 500 total yards for the second time this season with 513 versus Kansas, also putting up 539 versus Norfolk State.
• The 312 rushing yards were the most by Rutgers this season. The last time the offense reached 300 yards on the ground was in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl (340). Josh Hicks (113) and Robert Martin (102) each surpassed 100 yards rushing. They also did that in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl.
NOTING THE NORFOLK STATE WIN
• Rutgers put up 63 points vs. Norfolk State, the most for the team since scoring that many against Louisville in a 2008 win. It was the highest number of points in a season opener since tallying 68 versus Colgate in 1993. The 63-point total was also the highest number under head coach Kyle Flood, surpassing the 55 recorded in a 2013 win at SMU.
GRANT SPECIAL TEAMS POW
• Junior Janarion Grant was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 14 and was tabbed as one of four players to the weekly Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll. Grant posted a school record 337 all-purpose yards, including two special teams touchdowns versus Washington State. He returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score and had a 55 yard punt return touchdown. Grant became the first Rutgers player in the modern era to return both a kickoff and punt for a touchdown in the same game. Grant picked up the fifth weekly award for Rutgers from the Big Ten.
FIRST COLLEGIATE ACTION
• Eighteen Scarlet Knights saw their first Division I collegiate action against Norfolk State, with Kiy Hester adding to the list in the second game versus Washington State.
DB Ronnie James, DB Saquan Hampton, DB Blessuan Austin, QB Hayden Rettig, DB Isaiah Wharton, LB Trevor Morris, DB Jarius Adams, LB Deonte Roberts, LB Eric Margolis, LB Isaiah Johnson, OL Tariq Cole, OL Marcus Applefield, OL Zack Heeman, DL Eric Wiafe, DL Jon Bateky, DL Jimmy Hogan, DL Kevin Wilkins, TE Anthony Folkerts, DB Kiy Hester
• Sixteen players have made their first career start this season (seven on defense, nine on defense).
DE Quanzell Lambert, NT Sebastian Joseph, DT Julian Pinnix-Odrick, CB Isaiah Wharton, CB Blessuan Austin, WR Carlton Agudosi, LG Dorian Miller, C Derrick Nelson, RT J.J. Denman, TE Matt Flanagan, QB Hayden Rettig, FB Sam Bergen, DE Kemoko Turay, DB Kiy Hester, QB Chris Laviano, CB Jarius Adams
OFFENSE
• Rutgers leads the Big Ten with a passing efficiency mark of 150.2 and is second with a third-down conversion rate of 46.2 percent. Also sixth in scoring offense (30.4), fifth in rushing offense (185.6) and fourth in total offense (426.6).
• The team is also sixth in the conference with an average time of possession of 31:51.
• The offense has three games in the same season with at least 500 total yards for the first time since 2007 (happened five times that year).
Quarterbacks
Chris Laviano
• Leads the Big Ten with passing completion percentage of 67.2 and third with an efficiency mark of 148.9.
• Has completed 47-of-64 attempts on first-down plays, with 26 for a first down and eight touchdowns.
• Threw for a career-best 386 yards at Indiana, tied for the fifth-best mark in school history. Went 7-of-8 for 105 yards in the fourth quarter to help engineer first career last-quarter comeback.
• Completed passes to 10 difference receivers versus Washington State and Penn State and to nine against Kansas.
• Rushed for a season-high 44 yards in the win over Kansas.
Running Backs
Paul James
• Averaging 9.6 yards per carry over last three games (18-172).
• Averaging 6.2 yards per rush this season on first-down carries.
• Reached 1,000 career rushing yards on his 56-yard touchdown run in the second quarter at Washington State in 2014. It took him 174 carries to reach the mark. By comparison, it took Ray Rice 170 career rushes to obtain 1,000 yards (2005 vs. Cincinnati).
• Second in Rutgers history with 5.7 yards per carry (minimum 100 attempts).
• Has rushed for at least 100 yards in five games; owns six career rushes of at least 50 yards and seven of at least 40 yards.
• Had a career-long 72 yards run versus Michigan State and a 40-yard touchdown rush to tie the game at Indiana.
Josh Hicks
• Averaging 5.3 yards per rush overall, including an average of 4.8 on first down, 6.3 on second down and 5.0 on third down.
• Has rushed eight times on third down and converted to a first down each time.
• Picked up 113 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Kansas, reaching 100 yards for the fourth time in his career and second time in 2015.
• Rushed for 202 in the Quick Lane Bowl to become sixth Scarlet Knight in program history to reach 200 yards in a game.
Robert Martin
• Ninth in the Big Ten with 68.6 yards per game.
• Rushed for a career-high 124 yards and three touchdowns at Indiana. Also scored three times last year versus Indiana. Ran 12 times for 51 yards in the fourth quarter against the Hoosiers.
• Ran for 43 yards on game-tying drive versus Michigan State.
• Averaging 6.2 yards per rush overall (third in Big Ten), including an average of 5.5 on first down and 7.6 on second down.
• Has three career 100-yard games, including two this year.
• Led Rutgers with seven rushing touchdowns as a freshman, the most for a Rutgers true freshman since Justise Hairston had eight in 2003.
Wide Receivers
Leonte Carroo
• First in school history with 28 career receiving touchdowns in 28 career games at wide receiver. Needed 24 games to set the record.
• Has nine touchdowns this season in 15 quarters played, one off the school record for touchdowns in a season. The nine receiving TDs lead the Big Ten.
• Averaging a touchdown every 3.82 receptions (107 receptions, 28 touchdowns) in his career.
• Second in school history with 11 career 100-yard receiving games. Kenny Britt owns record with 14.
• Registered at least one reception in last 25 games played.
• Seventh in school history with 2,091 career yards. Recorded 100th career reception at Indiana on opening drive.
• Owns 10 career multiple-touchdown games and five with three scores. No other player in RU history has two games with three touchdowns scored.
• Has five receptions of at least 39 yards this season, all going for touchdowns.
• 18-of-24 receptions this season have gone for a touchdown or first down.
• Totaled a career-high 157 yards at Indiana.
• Scored a touchdown on his first reception of the year for the third consecutive season, totaling 14 catches, 415 yards and seven touchdowns in the last three season openers.
• Has caught all 11-of-13 targets on first down with nine first downs and five touchdowns.
Carlton Agudosi
• Had career-long 58-yard reception against Ohio State.
• Picked up 72 yards on three receptions in the fourth quarter at Indiana, including two third-down receptions on game-winning drive.
• Recorded 80 yards on a game-high six receptions at Penn State.
• Notched first career touchdown versus Kansas.
Janarion Grant
• Set a school record mark with 337 yards versus Washington State (195 kickoff return, 65 receiving, 56 punt return, 21 rushing).
• Returned both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown versus Washington State, the first Rutgers player to do both in the same game in the modern era.
• Ranks second in school history with 1,963 kickoff return yards on 73 returns. Needs 100 yards to tie Terrell Willis for the program record for return yardage.
• Has career five career touchdowns on special teams (three kickoff return, two punt return).
• Owns five career kick returns of at least 70 yards.
• Has a team-leading 15 plays gaining at least 20 yards this year (11 kickoff return, two receiving, one punt return, one rushing), with three going for touchdowns. Recorded 61 such plays in his career, totaling 34 in 2014 and 12 in 2013.
Andre Patton
• Converted a first down on 17-of-23 receptions.
Tight Ends
• The trio of Matt Flanagan (10 catches for 93 yards with three TDs), Charles Scarff (10 catches for 75 yards) and Nick Arcidiacono (10 catches for 63 yards) have combined for 30 catches for 231 yards and three touchdowns.
DEFENSE
• A Rutgers player has totaled 100 tackles in a season in each of the last five years and in seven of the last eight.
• Rutgers held Norfolk State to -3 yards rushing, the sixth-lowest mark permitted since 2000. It was also the sixth time an opponent registered negative rushing yards during that span and the first time since holding to -25 in 2009 versus Texas Southern.
Linebackers
Steve Longa
• Leads the Big Ten and second in the nation with 12.1 tackles per game.
• Tied for the nation's lead with 8.0 solo stops per game.
• Averaging a league-best 13.5 tackles per game against Big Ten opponents.
• Tallied 49 stops versus the run, 33 against the pass, one sack and one on punt coverage.
• Had a career-best 19 stops versus Ohio State, tied for the most in a Big Ten game this year.
• Has led or tied for team lead in tackles in 24-of-33 career games.
• Leads active team with 310 career tackles, ranked 10th in school history.
• Owns 13 games with at least 10 tackles, including five this season.
Quentin Gause
• Recorded double-digit stops in last three games.
• Leads team with 46 collegiate games of experience.
Secondary
Anthony Cioffi
• Recorded third interception of the season at Indiana and has five for his career.
• The last time a Rutgers player had at least three interceptions in a season was in 2012 (Brandon Jones, 5 and Logan Ryan, 4).
SPECIAL TEAMS
• Since 2009, Rutgers has blocked 43 kicks (field goals & punts) on special teams. The Scarlet Knights have blocked at least four kicks every year since 2007. The 43 blocked kicks are the most by any team in the NCAA during that span. The first one of 2015 came against Michigan State when Djwany Mera swatted away a field goal try.
• Rutgers has two kickoff return touchdowns. All other Big Ten teams have combined for two kickoff return touchdowns. The Scarlet Knights also rank third in the league and 18th nationally 17.96 yards allowed per kickoff on coverage.
• Kemoko Turay ran back a fumble 26 yards for a touchdown on an errant punt snap at Indiana.
Kyle Federico
• Owns 39 career makes, fourth in the school record books.
• Career percentage of 68.4 ranks fifth in program history (min. 29 attempts).
• Connected on game-winner on field play at Indiana from 26 yards out. Has three career go-ahead field goals in the fourth quarter.
• Hit from 48 yards out against Washington State, the longest since making from that distance in 2013 at Fresno State.
• Converted 16-of-21 field goals, the eighth-most made in a season in program history last year. The percentage of 76.2 ranked third in a single season in school history (minimum 15 attempts).
• Made 11-of-12 attempts inside 40 yards in 2014.
• Has led team in points the last two seasons (70 in 2013, 89 in 2014).
• Hit a career-long of 52 yards at USF in 2012.
Joey Roth
• Averaged 42 yards on five tries at Indiana with a long of 47, pinning one at the 3-yard line.
• Punted a career-high eight times at Penn State with an average of 41.9 yards.
• Averaged 49.0 yards with a career-long of 54 versus Washington State.
Kemoko Turay
• Has three career blocked kicks which tied for the most in the NCAA last season.
• Helped seal victory and first-ever Big Ten win with a block on Michigan's go-ahead 56-yard field goal attempt.
GAUSE NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY
• Senior Quentin Gause was named a semifinalist for the 2015 William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame announced on Sept. 24. The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation. A journalism and media studies major and digital communication, information and media minor, Gause has worked to a 3.28 GPA and been named to the conference all-academic team the past two seasons. He is on pace to earn his degree in January.
RUTGERS REMEMBERS DR. HOSEA
• Rutgers football will wear a commemorative sticker this season on its helmet in memory of Dr. Timothy Hosea, the Scarlet Knights' orthopedic consultant and team physician. Dr. Hosea passed away suddenly from a heart attack on Saturday, August 8. He worked with the Rutgers program for over three decades.
2015 RUTGERS TEAM CAPTAINS
• Rutgers named four captains for the 2015 season with two-time captain Darius Hamilton along with Leonte Carroo, Paul James and Quentin Gause. Hamilton is the first Rutgers defensive player to be named a two-time captain since Eric Foster (2006-07). He is the ninth two-time captain in the previous 20 years.
PRESEASON WATCH LISTS
• Rutgers redshirt senior running back Paul James was named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List. The award is presented annually to the nation's top running back.
• Rutgers senior wide receiver Leonte Carroo was named to the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which is presented annually to the nation's outstanding college football receiver. Carroo was also named to the watch list for the 79th annual Maxwell Award, given to the America's College Player of the Year.
• Rutgers senior Darius Hamilton was selected to the watch list for the Outland Trophy, presented annually to the nation's most outstanding interior lineman, including centers, offensive guards, offensive tackles and defensive tackles. Hamilton also earned a spot on the 21st annual Bednarik Award list, which is presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year.
• Rutgers redshirt junior linebacker Steve Longa was named to the watch list for the Lombardi Award. The award is given annually to the college football lineman or linebacker who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi.
• Rutgers senior linebacker Quentin Gause was nominated for the 2015 Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has recognized college football players from across the country who exemplifies a superior commitment to community service and volunteerism.
• Rutgers junior Janarion Grant was named to the watch list for the Paul Hornung Award, bestowed to the most versatile player in major college football.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
• The Rutgers football program posted a multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) score of 980 for the 2013-14 academic year, the NCAA announced. The Scarlet Knights ranked in the top ten percentile (12th overall in the FBS) for the eighth-straight year, receiving public recognition for their academic performance.Rutgers was one of 14 FBS schools ranked in the top ten percentile, including one of five Big Ten institutions. The Scarlet Knights were also the lone state university on the list to receive eight nods for their academic progress rate.Rutgers football placed 27 students on the Big Ten All-Academic Team, the fourth-most among the conference teams.
COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY
• For the fourth-straight year, head coach Kyle Flood served as the honorary coach for Special Olympics NJ, while 20 Scarlet Knights joined the athletes for the opening ceremony. Flood also participated in a leg of the Unified Relay Across America, carrying the Olympic torch for the World Summer Games. Rutgers has maintained a longstanding relationship with Special Olympics NJ, dating back over a decade.
RUTGERS CAPTURES LAMBERT CUP
• Following an 8-5 record in 2014 and Quick Lane Bowl victory, Rutgers earned the Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy, emblematic of the top team in the East in the Bowl Subdivision, for the first time in the 79-year history of the award. Established in 1936 as the Lambert Trophy to recognize supremacy in Eastern college football, the award has since grown to recognize the best team in the East in the Bowl Subdivision.
BOWL TRADITION
• Rutgers earned its ninth bowl appearance in the past 10 seasons with a trip to the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit. The 40-21 victory over North Carolina gave the Scarlet Knights their sixth bowl championship, moving the program to 6-4 all-time in postseason play.
SCARLET KNIGHTS IN THE NFL
• Rutgers continued its reputation of preparing players for the National Football League as TE Tyler Kroft and FB Michael Burton became the newest members to join the list of NFL Knights. Kroft was a third round selection (85th overall) of the Cincinnati Bengals, while Burton was taken in the fifth round (168th overall). There are currently 19 former Scarlet Knights playing on 10 different teams in the NFL.
