newjerseynewsroom.com

BY MATT SUGAM

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

PISCATAWAY - Just as the season looked like it was about to spiral out of control, Rutgers caught the breaks they needed to salvage what remains of their campaign.

It took a little bit of luck, an improbable comeback in the final eight minutes, and the right foot of San San Te to defeat South Florida 20-17 in overtime.

With another anemic performance by the offense (228 total yards and two turnovers), once incumbent starter Chas Dodd came in for the struggling Gary Nova to start the fourth quarter with USF holding a commanding 17-3 lead.

But the real spark came from special teams. Running back Jeremy Deering — who’s seen his role diminish after a stellar freshman season — returned a kick 98-yards for a touchdown with just 7:38 to play.

“You really don’t know [if you’re going to be able to score] until you pass the last defender,” Deering said. “I didn’t know if somebody was going to catch me like last time.”

No one did, and in 13 seconds of game time, all the momentum had shifted to the Scarlet Knights.

Two drives later, the offense would finally get into a rhythm for the first time all game. Well, really Dodd and wide receiver Mohamed Sanu would get into a flow.

Dodd would find the 6-2, 215 pound receiver seven times on the drive. The most dazzling was a fourth and nine reception that Sanu tipped to himself while falling to the ground. Eventually Dodd would find Brandon Coleman down the right sideline for a 34-yard touchdown to tie the game at 17 with 2:22 left.

The touchdown catch comes after a season of struggles for Coleman. The 6-6 receiver had dropped countless balls he should have caught.

“I worked on a lot of those kind of passes throughout the season on my own time,” Coleman said. “I didn’t see anything else. I just focused on the ball and saw it all the way in for the catch.”

After helping the team rally back from a 14-point deficit, Dodd was close to being the goat.

With the defense forcing USF three and out on the subsequent drive, Dodd would throw an interception with :31 seconds remaining.

Bulls' quarterback B.J. Daniels would put his team in field goal range. But with two seconds left, Maikon Bonani would push the kick left.

Once safety Duron Harmon got an interception in the first overtime, all Rutgers would have to do is line up for a game winning field goal.

As for the quarterback situation, Schiano just wanted to enjoy the thrilling victory.

“You’ve got to give me at least a couple hours to enjoy this one,” Schiano said. “We get to turn the clocks back tonight, so maybe three hours.”

And the Knights get to relish the fact that they’re bowl eligible after notching their sixth victory.

“You never take that for granted,” nose tacklet Scott Vallone said. ”Being home for Christmas last year was not fun.”

For more Rutgers football coverage follow Matt Sugam on Twitter @MattSugam and on Facebook