Football Battles No. 11 Michigan State on Homecoming

Saturday, October 9

Piscataway, N.J.

Noon

Rutgers University

3-3 , 0-3

Michigan State

6-0 , 3-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan St.

Rutgers

Photo by: Ben Solomon

Football Battles No. 11 Michigan State on Homecoming

Oct 09 | Football

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Scarlet Knights honor the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame Class at Halftime

No. 11 MICHIGAN STATE 31 (6-0, 3-0), RUTGERS 13 (3-3, 0-3)
SHI STADIUM • PISCATAWAY, N.J.
OCTOBER 9, 2021 • ATTENDANCE: 41,117

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football (3-3, 0-3) battled No. 11 Michigan State (6-0, 3-0) in a 31-13 setback on Saturday afternoon at SHI Stadium. The game was presented by RWJBarnabas Health.

Matching up with their third consecutive ranked opponent, quarterback Noah Vedral recorded 208 passing yards to lead the Scarlet Knights. Fellow quarterback Johnny Langan connected with wide receiver Aron Cruickshank for a touchdown grab, while place kicker Valentino Ambrosio posted two field goals for Rutgers.

Defensively, defensive back Christian Izien paced the squad with three tackles-for-loss on 10 stops. Linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi followed with nine tackles with two for a loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Defensive back Alijah Clark recorded an interception for the Scarlet Knights.

FIRST HALF

The Scarlet Knights came out of the gates strong to open the game. Rutgers' defense came up with a stop on Michigan State's first drive, halting the Spartans on fourth down at RU's 28.

No. 11 Michigan State went for the fake FG.

Christian Izien Jr. (@chriscrafty_) and @RFootball were having none of it. pic.twitter.com/ErASiZxqaU
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 9, 2021

From there, Vedral led Rutgers quickly down the field, highlighted by a career-long 33-yard rush to set RU eight yards out of the endzone. Langan capped the drive with a four-yard pass to Cruickshank for an early 7-0 lead at the 6:51 mark of the first quarter.

Let's go!@Noah11_V // @RFootball pic.twitter.com/9llD61x4g3
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) October 9, 2021

HOLLYWOOD!@Ac_Hollywood_ hauls it in on a big @RFootball 3rd-down conversion. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Ee9Gab9jlX
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) October 9, 2021

The MSU offense responded with a score on its return to the field, tying the score at 7-7 with 6:05 to go in the frame.

Moving into the second quarter, RU would add the next points for either side with a 26-yard field goal from Ambrosio with 12:10 on the clock. The back-and-forth continued as MSU tacked on another touchdown to inch in front, 14-10, at 10:18.

Ambrosio connected on a 29-yard field goal to bring Rutgers within one at a margin of 14-13 at the 6:21 mark. Michigan State countered yet again with a touchdown to extend its lead to 21-13. With seconds remaining in the first half, RU kept the pressure on and MSU would miss a field goal to keep the margin at 21-13 entering halftime.

SECOND HALF

The Scarlet Knights and Spartans battled through a defensive third quarter. Michigan State managed to break through the stalemate with a touchdown at the midway point to extend its edge to 21-13.

The Rutgers offense started the fourth quarter with a strong drive. Although the Spartan defense came up with a stop on downs, Clark recorded an interception to return some momentum to RU and bring the offense back on.

MSU, however, held off the comeback and added a final field goal.

How about the Alijah Clark INT?! 😱@cinco_agent // @RFootball pic.twitter.com/6zqWcBgpLh
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) October 9, 2021

UP NEXT

Rutgers will travel to Northwestern for the first time since 1989 to meet the Wildcats on Oct. 16 at noon on Big Ten Network. Ryan Field is the only conference venue the Scarlet Knights have yet to visit as a member of the Big Ten.

Hall of Famer.

We love you, @EricLeGrand52.

pic.twitter.com/G4CMLyJ7P7
— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) October 9, 2021

The kind of play every coach will spotlight in film sessions. 👀@chriscrafty_ // @RFootball pic.twitter.com/4Ni0CJcw5a
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) October 9, 2021

Thing of beauty. 💯
@imjust_bunz // @RFootball pic.twitter.com/pbGRptesYg
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) October 9, 2021

A #ForTheBrand regular, he's @RFootball's @AdamKorsak. pic.twitter.com/FMm5TZrUKw
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) October 9, 2021

NOTES

First Rutgers start (1): WR Brandon Sanders
Collegiate Debut (2): LB Austin Dean, WR Jessie Parson III
QB Noah Vedral recorded a career-long 33-yard rush on the opening score drive.
RB Isaih Pacheco moved past Bill Austin (1956-58) for 12th in program history with 2,109 career rushing yards.
WR Shameen Jones notched his second career game in triple figures with 109 receiving yards.
The Scarlet Knights faced three-straight ranked opponents for the second time in school history, also doing so in 2007.

Follow Rutgers football on Twitter (@RFootball), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel and bookmark Rutgers.Football, the Scarlet Knights' dedicated recruiting site.