Football Closes Spring Practice with Annual Scarlet-White Game

Photo by: Ben Solomon

Football Closes Spring Practice with Annual Scarlet-White Game

Apr 26 | Football

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football finished spring practice with its annual Scarlet-White Game, presented by PNC, on Saturday afternoon at SHI Stadium. The Scarlet defeated the White, 14-13, with Jaylen Jhaveri – the program's Team Impact teammate – scoring the game-winning play to wrap up the afternoon.

QB AJ Surace completed 15 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown. RB Edd Guerrier finished with 13 carries for 43 yards and a touchdown, while RB Ja'shon Benjamin added 44 yards on the ground. TE Mike Higgins hauled in a touchdown for the White. WR Vernon Allen III finished with a game-high five receptions for 98 yards.

LB DJ McClary and DB Jesse Ofurie both produced a game-high four tackles, with McClary adding a tackle-for-loss. DL Djibril Abdou Rahman and DL Raedyn Bruens registered sacks, while DBs Davoun Fuse and Al-Shadee Salaam added multiple pass breakups.

Jaylen Jhaveri has been around the @RFootball program this spring through @GoTeamIMPACT.

The young boy scored on the final play of the spring game 👏#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/Ng92it3AZA
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) April 26, 2025

FIRST QUARTER

Surace orchestrated the first scoring drive of the afternoon. After connecting with WR Ben Black for a 35-yard reception to get into the red zone, Surace found Higgins for a seven-yard touchdown pass. The play put the White up 7-0 with 6:40 remaining in the opening quarter.

Surace finished the quarter with four completions, including an impressive sideline throw to Allen III for a 22-yard reception. Benjamin produced seven carries for 40 yards in the opening 15 minutes of action.

SECOND QUARTER

The second quarter featured several big plays from both squads. Surace completed six passes before halftime, finding Allen III for 22 and 17-yard receptions, respectively. RB Terrell Mitchell hauled in a 16-yard reception, while classmate QB Sean Ashenfelder muscled a 17-yard rush. PK Dane Pizzaro drilled a 38-yard field goal to give the White a 10-0 lead at halftime.

THIRD QUARTER

The White were the first to score out of the locker room, thanks to a 31-yard field goal from Pizzaro with 8:46 on the clock. Surace completed three passes during the drive, including two connections with Allen III to set up the White's second field goal of the day.

Ashenfelder closed the quarter with an impressive drive, finding WR Ben Rosenblatt for a 15-yard reception and connecting with Guerrier for a 28-yard pass out of the backfield. Guerrier tallied back-to-back carries to end the third, as the White took a 13-0 lead into the final 15 minutes.

FOURTH QUARTER

Guerrier continued his impressive afternoon with the Scarlet's first touchdown, cutting up the field for an eight-yard rushing score. An extra point from PJ Jai Patel made it a 13-7 game in favor of the White with 13:52 remaining in the game.

The afternoon was capped with a last-second touchdown from Jhaveri, who put the Scarlet ahead with a touchdown for the 14-13 final.

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