NORTHWESTERN 21 (3-3, 1-2), RUTGERS 7 (3-4, 0-4)
RYAN FIELD • EVANSTON, ILL.
OCTOBER 16, 2021 • ATTENDANCE: 30,218

EVANSTON, Ill. – Rutgers football (3-4, 0-4) lost to Northwestern (3-3, 1-2), 21-7, on Saturday afternoon at Ryan Field.
 
Quarterback Noah Vedral completed 18 passes for 152 yards and an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bo Melton. In his first game back from injury, Melton produced his second 100-yard receiving game (eight catches for 101 yards) of the season and the fifth of his career to pace the offense.

On defense, Olakunle Fatukasi produced a game-high 13 tackles to go along with a tackle-for-loss in the first half. Defensive back Robert Longerbeam led the secondary with four pass breakups.
 

FIRST HALF

Defense played a factor for both teams in the opening minutes, as a touchdown reception from Northwestern wide receiver Malik Washington at the 6:36 mark in the quarter served as the only scoring for both teams during the first 15 minutes of action. Punter Adam Korsak drilled three punts in the first quarter, including one within the NU 2-yard line and another within the opponent 5-yard line. With his performance to begin the game, Korsak secured the most punting yards in school history.
 
Still trailing 7-0 midway through the second quarter, Rutgers produced its longest scoring drive of the season. Vedral completed a 46-yard pass to Melton and followed with a 16-yard completion to running back Kyle Monangai to get the Scarlet Knights right outside the red zone. Vedral than followed with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Melton, as the senior captain hauled in a top-tap reception in the back of the endzone to tie the score at 7-7 with 8:44 to play in the half.
 
Northwestern closed the half with a 12-play, 86-yard scoring drive capped by a two-yard touchdown reception by Marshall Lang to enter the locker room with a 14-7 lead. Fatukasi finished the first half with a team-high five tackles and one tackle-for-loss.
 

SECOND HALF

Rutgers kept Northwestern off the scoreboard in the third quarter and held the Wildcats to 0-of-3 on third-down conversions during the 15-minute stretch. The Scarlet Knights muscled their way into the red zone in the third quarter, but a missed field goal held the score at 14-7 in favor of NU heading into the fourth.
 
The scoreless streak for both teams continued in the fourth quarter until a three-yard rush from Andrew Clair with 7:33 left in the game extended Northwestern's lead, 21-7. The Wildcats would prevent RU from scoring down the stretch to hold on for the win.
 

UP NEXT

Following an open weekend, Rutgers returns to the state of Illinois to face the Fighting Illini on Oct. 30.
 

NOTES

• First career start (1): OL Ireland Brown
• LS Billy Taylor and DL Julius Turner each played in their 52^nd consecutive game. The only other Scarlet Knights to play in at least 52 career games were Scott Vallone (53) and Devin McCourty (52).
• Rutgers visited Northwestern for the first time for a Big Ten game. The Scarlet Knights have now played a Big Ten game at each of the 13 other league members.
• Rutgers put together a 97-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, the longest of the season and longest for the team in Big Ten play since joining the conference. It was the longest drive overall since a 99-yard march for a touchdown versus Tulane in 2014.
• WR Bo Melton scored his 11^th career receiving touchdown and finished with 101 receiving yards, his fifth career game in triple figures.
• P Adam Korsak became the program's all-time leader in punting yards with 403 yards on nine attempts. He now has 10,433 yards, passing Mike Barr, who had 10,096 from 1998-2002.

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