INDIANA 37 (2-0, 2-0), RUTGERS 21 (1-1, 1-1)
SHI STADIUM • PISCATAWAY, N.J.
OCTOBER 31, 2020
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers (1-1, 1-1) fell to No. 17 Indiana (2-0, 2-0), 37-21, on Saturday afternoon at SHI Stadium, presented by PNC Bank. Wide receiver
Bo Melton and running back
Kay'Ron Adams contributed touchdowns for the Scarlet Knights, as
Greg Schiano coached his first home game "On the Banks" since returning as head coach.
Linebacker
Olakunle Fatukasi posted a career-high 14 tackles with 2.5 for loss, with safety
Brendon White contributing 12 stops. Defensive end
CJ Onyechi registered a sack, one of seven Scarlet Knight tackles-for-loss, in his first start of the season.
FIRST QUARTER
Rutgers struck first, as quarterback
Noah Vedral connected with Melton for a 23-yard touchdown to put the Scarlet Knights up 7-0 with 7:35 left in the quarter. It capped a five-play, 43-yard scoring drive and marked the second consecutive outing RU took the first lead of the game.
Indiana responded with an impressive drive into Rutgers' territory, but linebacker
Rashawn Battle stuffed a third-down run from Michael Penix Jr. behind the line of scrimmage to force a Hoosier field goal. The Scarlet Knights held a 7-3 lead at the end of one.
SECOND QUARTER
The Hoosiers scored 14 unanswered points during the second quarter, as a 15-yard touchdown pass from Penix Jr. to Ty Fryfogle gave Indiana a 20-7 lead at halftime.
THIRD QUARTER
After an IU field goal, Rutgers used a 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive finished off with a 37-yard touchdown run from Adams. Vedral then found running back
Isaih Pacheco on a swing pass to the right side to convert the two-point attempt, as Rutgers trailed Indiana, 23-15, with 5:34 to go in the third quarter. Quarterback
Johnny Langan contributed on the scoring drive, as he hauled in a six-yard reception for a first down and added two rushes for nine yards.
Though Indiana responded with a touchdown on the following possession, Rutgers followed with a 55-yard kick return from wide receiver
Aron Cruickshank to give the Scarlet Knights possession inside IU territory. The Hoosiers held RU out of the end zone and held a 30-15 lead at the end of the third quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER
Indiana used a touchdown – Penix Jr.'s third touchdown pass of the day – to take a 37-15 lead with 12:37 left in the game.
Rutgers never let up, tacking on a touchdown with 3:21 on the clock as Vedral found Melton for the second time of the game, this time with a 16-yard pass. RU would follow up the score with a recovered on-side kick by defensive back
Christian Izien. However, the late energy from the Scarlet Knights was not enough to overcome the Hoosiers.
UP NEXT
Rutgers returns to the road to face No. 3 Ohio State inside Ohio Stadium on Nov. 7.
The game is set for a 7:30 p.m. start on Big Ten Network.
PARTICIPATION
• Collegiate debut (2):
Bryan Felter,
Aaron Lewis
• Rutgers debut (3):
Jameer Campbell,
Bryan Felter,
Aaron Lewis
NOTES
•
Bo Melton had his first career multi-score game with touchdown receptions in the first and third quarters. He has now recorded a reception in 14 consecutive games.
•
Kay'Ron Adams reeled off a career-long 37-yard rush for a touchdown, his second career score. He ended with a career-high 64 rushing yards in the game.
•
Isaih Pacheco scored on a two-point conversion on a pass from
Noah Vedral in the third quarter. It was the first two-pointer for the Scarlet Knights since Chris Laviano connected with Leonte Carroo in the 2015 game versus Washington State.
• Defensively,
Olakunle Fatukasi reached double-digit tackles for the second-straight week and for the fourth time in his career. His 14 tackles set a new career high.
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