Sept. 24, 2016
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery 
14 
7 High Point Solutions Stadium | Attendance: 44,061
PDF Book | Season Stats
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - A 14-yard touchdown catch by wide receiver Andre Patton tied Rutgers football and Iowa early in the fourth quarter, but the game's lone turnover was the difference in a 14-7 Hawkeye win over the Scarlet Knights Saturday at High Point Solutions Stadium.
Rutgers (2-2, 0-1) fumbled the ball in its own territory with 8:42 on the clock, and on the very next play Iowa (3-1, 1-0) took advantage, using a 26-yard touchdown rush from running back Akrum Wadley to go ahead, 14-7.
Junior quarterback Chris Laviano, who finished 13-for-24 passing for 190 yards and a touchdown, connected with Patton over the middle, but the RU wideout was stripped by Iowa's Brandon Snyder, who also collected the recovery. A play later Wadley took the ball off tackle and tip-toed up the sideline and into the end zone.
RU drove needing a touchdown to tie the game with less than five minutes remaining, but was stopped on fourth-and-2 from the Iowa 17-yardline. The Hawkeyes went on to burn the remaining 4:40 of clock to snap the Scarlet Knights' two-game winning streak.
Junior running back Robert Martin led the Scarlet Knights in rushing for the second-straight game with 106 yards on 21 attempts - the fifth time in his career he eclipsed the century mark.
The Rutgers offense found the end zone with 12:45 left in the game, meshing for a 13-play drive that culminated with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Patton, his third-straight game with a scoring reception. The drive began with 2:21 left in the third quarter and saw a heavy dose of running back Justin Goodwin, who rushed five times for 55 yards on the series.
Iowa took a 7-0 lead into the locker room at halftime, punching in a score as the second quarter wound down. The nine-play Hawkeye drive began at the 1-yardline and was capped by a 36-yard touchdown pass to tight end George Kittle, giving Iowa the lead with 0:34 seconds left in the first half.
Prior to the Iowa score the Scarlet Knights took the ball to the Hawkeye doorstep after an electric play from Janarion Grant. Laviano slung it out left to the Trilby, Florida, native and he took it up field to the 3-yardline, breaking numerous tackles along the way.
Despite the career-long catch and throw from Laviano to Grant, Iowa held up on the next four plays, thwarting a Laviano rush attempt at the 1-yardline on fourth-and-3.
Earlier in the second quarter Iowa strung together a long drive looking for points, but the RU defense held strong with a key fourth-down stop in the red zone. The Hawkeyes took the possession 70 yards on 13-plays and opted not to kick on fourth-and-5 from the RU 10-yardline. Instead Beathard sought Smith in the back of the end zone, overthrowing the wideout for a turnover on downs.
The Scarlet Knights marched to the Iowa 12-yardline on a 16-play opening drive, but the possession stalled on an offensive pass interference play and sack of Laviano, forcing RU to punt.
Rutgers travels for a meeting against No. 2/2 Ohio State next Saturday in Columbus. The noon game will broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
