ILLINOIS 23 (1-3, 1-3), RUTGERS 20 (1-3, 1-3)
SHI STADIUM • PISCATAWAY, N.J.
NOVEMBER 14, 2020
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football (1-3, 1-3) fell in a close contest with Illinois (1-3, 1-3), 23-20, on Saturday afternoon at SHI Stadium, presented by Horizon BCBSNJ. Wide receiver Bo Melton produced a career-high 150 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Noah Vedral's 256 passing yards also marked a personal best. Running back Isaih Pacheco added his first 100-yard rushing performance of the season with his 133 yards on the ground.
FIRST QUARTER
Rutgers went right to work, as Pacheco ripped off a 32-yard run on the Scarlet Knights' second play of the game to get into Illini territory. Facing a fourth-and-three situation four plays later, Vedral took a shot and found a wide open Melton for a 29-yard touchdown to make it 7-0 RU with 13:03 to go in the quarter.
Rutgers produced its first turnover during its second defensive possession, as cornerback
Max Melton recovered a fumble forced by
Mike Tverdov to give the Scarlet Knights the ball inside Illinois' territory at the 7:52 mark in the quarter. Vedral then found wide receiver
Isaiah Washington for a 26-yard gain during the following possession, which set up a 29-yard field goal by kicker
Valentino Ambrosio for a 10-0 Rutgers' lead. RU would hold the margin as it headed into the second quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
The Fighting Illini scored on its opening procession of the second quarter, as quarterback Isaiah Williams converted a three-yard rush for a 10-7 score with 13:45 left in the half.
Both defenses were strong for the remainder of the half, with Ambrosio's second field goal – this one from 26 yards with 4:19 left before halftime – the only scoring before the break. RU produced a promising drive in its final possession of the half, highlighted by a 15-yard rush by Pacheco, but Illinois would keep the Scarlet Knights off the board as RU held a 13-7 lead at halftime.
THIRD QUARTER
Though Illinois was able to get into Rutgers' territory on the first drive of the second half, RU registered an impressive goal-line stand to hold the visitor out of the end zone. The Scarlet Knights stuffed Illinois on three consecutive rushing attempts from the one-yard line and forced the Illini into an illegal formation on fourth down. The effort limited Illinois to just a 24-yard field goal to make it 13-10 with 8:59 left in the quarter.
The Scarlet Knights followed with their biggest offensive play of the game. On third-and-10 from RU's own 34-yard line, Melton split three defenders to haul in a 66-yard touchdown pass from Vedral. His second score of the afternoon – and a career-long reception – put Rutgers up, 20-10, with 7:43 left in the third quarter.
Illinois would close out the quarter with a six-play, 60-yard scoring drive capped by a one-yard rushing score from running back Mike Epstein, as the Scarlet Knights held a 20-17 lead with one more quarter to go.
FOURTH QUARTER
The Fighting Illini tied the game after a 23-yard field goal from James McCourt made it 20-20 with just over 13 minutes remaining.
The RU defense held strong, as UI was left to attempt back-to-back field goals on consecutive drives. Though, the Fighting Illini failed to take a lead after a 54-yard try and a 46-yard effort both missed the mark. The score remained knotted at 20-20 with 7:20 to go in the game.
However, with three seconds left on the clock, UI's McCourt connected on his fourth attempt of the quarter, hitting a 47-yard field goal to inch in front for the win, 23-30.
UP NEXT
Rutgers stays home to host Michigan on Nov. 21 at SHI Stadium in a game presented by RWJBarnabas Health.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
PARTICIPATION
TEAM NOTES
- Rutgers scored 20 points, reaching at least 20 points for the fourth-straight conference game. The Scarlet Knights last posted at least 20 points in four-straight leagues games in 2011 as a member of the Big East.
- WR Bo Melton scored two receiving touchdowns to up his season total to four. He entered the season with two the previous three years. The last Scarlet Knight with at least four receiving scores in a season was Andre Patton with five in 2016. Melton has recorded a catch in each of the last 16 games.
- Melton's 66-yard touchdown reception was the longest catch of his career. He finished with a career-high 150 receiving yards in the game. The total also marked the most by a Scarlet Knight in seven games against Illinois.
- QB Noah Vedral found WR Bo Melton for a touchdown on fourth down on Rutgers' first drive of the game. It was the fourth consecutive conversion on fourth down for the Scarlet Knights dating back to last week. RU has scored first in 3-of-4 games this season.
- QB Noah Vedral recorded a career-high 256 passing yards.
- RB Isaih Pacheco totaled a season-high 133 rushing yards, reaching triple digits for the sixth time in his career.
- LB Tyshon Fogg posted 13 tackles to surpass 200 in his career. It was his seventh game in double figures.
- LB Olakunle Fatukasi added 13 tackles to make it four consecutive games in double figures.
- DL Mike Tverdov tied his career high with seven tackles and forced a fumble for the second time.
- PK Valentino Ambrosio made his college football debut with two field goals and two extra points. He previously appeared with the Rutgers men's soccer team in 2019, playing in 18 games.
- P Adam Korsak had a 66-yard punt, his seventh career attempt of at least 60 yards.
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