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Scoreboard

Big Ten Conference
Monangai Michigan State
Ben Solomon
24
Michigan St. MSU 2-4 , 0-3
27
Winner Rutgers RU 5-2 , 2-2
Michigan St. MSU
2-4 , 0-3
24
Final
27
Rutgers RU
5-2 , 2-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MSU Michigan St. 7 10 7 0 24
RU Rutgers 3 3 0 21 27

Game Recap: Football |

Football Delivers 27-24 Homecoming Victory Over Michigan State

RUTGERS 27 (5-2, 2-2), MICHIGAN STATE 24 (2-4, 0-3)
SHI STADIUM • PISCATAWAY, N.J.
OCTOBER 14, 2023 • ATTENDANCE: 52,879

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football (5-2, 2-2) delivered a come-from-behind 27-24 victory over Michigan State (2-4, 0-3) in front of 52,879 fans on Homecoming Saturday at SHI Stadium. Down 24-6 in the fourth quarter, the Scarlet Knights rallied with 21 unanswered points for their second Big Ten win of the season. 

RB Kyle Monangai carried 24 times for 148 yards to lead the offensive charge, including the game-winning touchdown with 8:21 remaining.

Defensively, DB Desmond Igbinosun had a career-high four tackles-for-loss, DB Robert Longerbeam forced two fumbles, with Longerbeam and Igbinosun each recovering a fumble as well. 

RU made a pair of big plays on special teams, with RB Aaron Young recovering a fumbled snap on a punt for a touchdown and DB Thomas Amankwaa recovering a sky kick at the MSU 21-yard-line to set up the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter. 
 
FIRST QUARTER
After Michigan State opened the game with a touchdown, RU answered with a 10-play, 61-yard drive, capped with a 22-yard field goal from PK Jai Patel. Monangai rushed four times for 22 yards on the opening possession, while Wimsatt completed three passes to set up Rutgers' first score of the game. The Scarlet Knights held MSU off the board for the remainder of the quarter. 
 
SECOND QUARTER
Patel drilled another field goal – this one from 47 yards out – to make it a one-point game with 13:21 left before the half.  

Both teams would trade possessions before the break, with Longerbeam forcing and recovering two fumbles in the process. Michigan State would add 10 points in the final two minutes of the quarter, as the Spartans took a 17-6 lead into the locker room.
 
THIRD QUARTER
Michigan State scored the only touchdown of the quarter, as QB Katin Houser found WR Tre Mosley for a four-yard pass to put MSU up 24-6. That score would hold into the fourth quarter. 
                                      
FOURTH QUARTER
RU's special teams played a factor to open the final 15 minutes of play, as RB Aaron Young recovered a muffed punt in the end zone. The special teams score made it a nine-point game with 13:09 left. Rutgers then registered a 12-play, 73-yard scoring drive on the following possession, as QB Gavin Wimsatt connected with WR Isaiah Washington for a four-yard touchdown pass. Wimsatt then found WR Christian Dremel on the two-point try, as the Scarlet Knights trailed just 24-21 with 8:30 remaining.
 
Then on the next kickoff, DB Thomas Amankwaa recovered a sky to set Rutgers up in Michigan State territory. Monangai rushed 21 yards on the next play for the go-ahead touchdown, with RU leading 27-24 at the 8:21 mark.
 
After the defense forced another Spartan punt, Monangai toted the ball for nine-straight plays to help the Scarlet Knights run out the clock. He ran for 51 yards on the final drive before Wimsatt took a knee to seal the victory.
 
NOTES
  • Rutgers improved to 5-2 for the first time since 2014 and is 2-2 in Big Ten play for the first time since 2017. 
  • Rutgers came back from a 24-6 deficit, the largest comeback for a win in Big Ten play since rallying from 25 points down at Indiana in 2015. It was the largest comeback overall since erasing a 21-point deficit in 2016 versus New Mexico. 
  • Rutgers won for the 15th time under head coach Greg Schiano when trailing in the fourth quarter. The 18 points overcome matched the largest deficit to win in the Schiano era, tying the 34-16 deficit at Vanderbilt to win 37-34 in 2004. 
  • Rutgers is 5-0 at home for the first time since 2006. 
  • Rutgers defeated Michigan State for the fifth time and second time in Big Ten play. The Scarlet Knights are 3-3 against the Spartans under Schiano. It was the first home win over MSU since 2004. 
  • Rutgers won on Homecoming for the second-straight year, improving to 55-33-1 all-time in the game. The attendance of 52,879 marked the highest for a Homecoming game. 
  • Rutgers outgained Michigan State by 140 yards, 120 to minus 20, in the fourth quarter. 
  • Rutgers committed no penalties or turnovers in the second half. 
  • Rutgers forced a season-high three turnovers. 
  • Rutgers scored points on its opening drive for the fifth time this season. 
  • QB Gavin Wimsatt has thrown a touchdown pass in all seven games. 
  • RB Kyle Monangai recorded 148 rushing yards on 24 carries, his third 100-yard game of the season and fourth career. He has totaled 310 against Michigan State the last two years. Monangai scored his seventh rushing touchdown of the season, the most for a Scarlet Knight since Isiah Pacheco in 2019. 
  • WR Christian Dremel posted a career-high six receptions, plus a two-point conversion catch. 
  • WR Isaiah Washington recorded his third career touchdown reception. 
  • RB Aaron Young recovered a fumble in the end zone for his 11th career touchdown. 
  • DB Robert Longerbeam forced two fumbles, making it five for his career. 
  • DB Desmond Igbinosun tallied a career-high four tackles-for-loss, the most for a Scarlet Knight since Olakunle Fatukasi (four) in 2021 versus Temple. 
  • DB Max Melton picked up his first career sack. 
  • PK Jai Patel notched his second game of the season with multiple field goals made. 
  • OL Reggie Sutton started for the first time since Sept. 18, 2021 versus Delaware. 
  • First career start (1): WR Ian Strong
UP NEXT
Rutgers is back on the road on Oct. 21 to face Indiana at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon on Big Ten Network. The Scarlet Knights won 38-3 in their last trip to Bloomington. 
 
Gallery: (10-14-2023) Football vs. Michigan State (10/14/23)

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