Rutgers had Wisconsin right where it wanted it for a half. Then the game flipped hard.
The Scarlet Knights went into the break trailing by just three, but the second half belonged to the Badgers in every way that mattered. Rutgers was shut out over the final 30 minutes, while Wisconsin’s offense found its rhythm and steadily stretched the margin into a 31-10 finish.
For a while, Rutgers did enough to hang around. The defense forced Wisconsin to punt twice and twice kept the Badgers from cashing in on fourth down deep in Rutgers territory, which limited the damage to a pair of field goals.
The offense answered with a score of its own when AJ Surace hit freshman wide receiver Dyzier Carter on a 30-yard touchdown pass. Jack Scullion also drilled a 45-yard field goal with starting kicker Dane Pizarro sidelined by injury.
After halftime, though, Wisconsin took control. The Badgers opened the third quarter with a field goal, then followed with touchdowns on their next two possessions. Rutgers did force a fumble on Wisconsin’s fourth drive of the half, but the Scarlet Knights never turned it into points, and that was the story of the final two quarters.
Wisconsin quarterback Ryan Hopkins had a big afternoon against the Rutgers defense, completing 18 of 24 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns. The Badgers also ran the ball 29 times for 122 yards.
Rutgers, meanwhile, spent too much of the day fighting uphill. The offense gave up five sacks and eight tackles for loss, and the run game never got rolling, finishing with 94 yards on 36 carries for 2.6 yards per attempt.
Surace did show some progress, even in defeat. He went 14 of 24 for 161 yards, threw one touchdown and did not have an interception. Compared with earlier outings, it was a more steady performance.
Rutgers will try to get some playmakers back healthy before its next game, a home matchup with Nebraska on Saturday, Nov. 14. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m., with the game airing on the Big Ten Network.
In Other News...
Rutgers Faces A Familiar Nebraska Problem At The Worst Time
Rutgers is back home on Nov. 14 with a chance to steady itself, but the matchup on paper does not offer much comfort. Nebraska comes in as a familiar problem for the Scarlet Knights, and both teams are trying to stop losing streaks before the late-season stretch gets any tighter.
The setting only adds to the pressure because Rutgers is still looking for its first win in the series, and the gap between the programs has shown up in the betting line as well. For a team trying to find some footing, this is the kind of game that can either reset the mood around the program or leave another frustrating chapter in a matchup that has gone Nebraskas way every time. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Catches Nebraska In The Middle Of An Offensive Reset
Nebraska is trying to steady its offense in the middle of a season that has forced some hard choices, and Rutgers is catching the Cornhuskers at an interesting moment. Matt Rhule said he does not view the unit as broken, even after the recent struggles, and the program has already shifted responsibilities by putting co-offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas in charge of play-calling after Dana Holgorsen was fired. Rhules message has been less about panic than about support, with an emphasis on helping the players navigate the reset.
For Rutgers, the timing matters because Nebraska is still sorting out what its offense should look like from here, while the rest of the team is being asked to keep its edge in the remaining games. Rhule said the defense gives him confidence and stressed that the players remain committed, but there is still a larger question hanging over the offense and the staff structure around it. The next stretch will say a lot about how quickly Nebraska can settle in, and whether the changes bring stability before the season runs out. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Heads Into Another Painful Penn State Test With Plenty At Stake
Rutgers is heading into another difficult Big Ten afternoon when it meets Penn State on Nov. 21, a matchup that once again puts the Scarlet Knights in the role of heavy underdog. The Nittany Lions are still fighting for bowl eligibility at 5-4, while Rutgers comes in at 2-7 and already out of the postseason picture, which only adds to the contrast between the two programs at this point in the season.
The history between the schools makes the challenge even starker, with Penn State having long held the upper hand in the series. For Rutgers, the trip is less about standings and more about trying to find some traction against a rival that has made this matchup a one-sided affair for years. [Read more 🡒]