EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Welcome to the New Meadowlands Stadium, I’m here sitting high in seat 56 of the press box with a corner view of the field. My first time in here and it all feels so futuristic and somewhat anti-septic.
We’re up for a battle of the Knights today, Scarlet vs. Black. Both teams come in a high thanks to huge offensive outbursts last week. Rutgers, thanks to the unforeseen brilliance of Chas Dodd in his first career start. He was good, winning Big East Offensive Player of the Week, that he relegated Tom Savage to the bench for another week. Dodd threw for 322 yards and two touchdowns and lead the Knights to two late scores to pull out a win.
Army has some momentum of its own. They beat up on Tulane last Saturday, down in the Superdome, 41-23. Tulane, of course, being the team that shut down Rutgers only two weeks ago on Homecoming weekend. The transitive property gives Army the edge here.
The Black Knights, though, are a changed team from what they’ve been the last few years. They have been transformed under coach Rich Ellerson, with a 4-2 record, with a win at Duke. Josh McNary is eighth in the nation in sacks per game and the offense is improved in sophomore QB Tren Steelman’s second year at the helm.
Games with the service academies always have a special feel, and this one is no different. It is the first ever college game at the New Meadowlands. These two teams have played nine teams in the old Giants Stadium, with Rutgers winning seven of them. Army won the last time these two played here* in 1996.
1:12 A few pre-game updates. Army did not give their cadets leave so there will not be an entire cadet section. Which is a shame because it makes for a great atmosphere. Going to Army and Navy games and seeing an entire large group of cadets is pretty cool.
Also, Army is giving some pre-game kicks to their cornerback Richard King. In the pre-season, Ellerson said that King was their best kicker. Being a former high school soccer player, he has a leg. He hit a field goal try about 50 yards into the wind, but his accuracy is a little off.
1:20 A Dallas radio station is reporting that TCU has received an invite to the Big East. We’ll see about the legitimacy of this report. We’ve seen how these types of things work before.
1:59 By the transitive property, Army should be 21-point favorites to win this game. They beat Tulane by 18, who beat Rutgers by 3.
2:05 Army using their defensive starters on kick-off duty to make up for horrendous special teams coverage. Mason Robinson returns the ball to the 25-yard line, and tackled by stud DE Josh McNary.
2:08 Rutgers starts the game by going three and out. Not much to see there.
2:10 Talking to an Army writer, he says their QB Trent Steelman is improving as a thrower but still not very good. That should makes things a little easier for the Rutgers defense with little threat through the air. But the triple-option is still hard to defend.
2:13 A 40-yard FG for Army is no good. Rutgers did a good job their of playing the triple-option and not allowing any points considering Army’s good starting field position.
2:16 Jordan Thomas with a good run there, getting 10-yards on the carry but showing some grit by dropping his shoulder at the end of the run.
2:17 ESPN3 graphic showed the Army 40-yard FG as a 10-yard one. And Charlie Noonan’s hometown as Charlie Noonan. You reap what you sow, I guess.
2:19 This game might take Rutgers back to the beginning of the season. Not much offense so far and Dodd not showing much accuracy.
2:24 Steelman just went with the jump-pass on the run as he rolled out. You don’t see that often. He took a hit and has to leave the game facing 3rd-and-17.
2:26 There’s a reason Rutgers punt returns have to fair catch everything since Willie Foster left. Mason Robinson’s fumble just reinforces it.
2:29 McNary comes in to trip up Dodd for the sack. He’s good and there’s a reason why he’s eighth in the country in sacks per game.
2:32 Army blocks Dellaganna’s punt and Army recovers at the 12-yard line. Now in prime position.
2:33 Army gives it right back, putting the ball on the ground as Rutgers recovers at the one-yard line. But it’s going to be reviewed.
2:36 Review gives the ball back to Army, saying the Steelman was down before he coughed it up. Now Army ball at the three.
2:37 No controversy there. Steelman takes it up the gut for a touchdown. Extra point is good and it’s 7-0 Army.
2:39 Joe Lefeged puts Rutgers back into good position with a 28-yard returner to the RU 38.
2:40 Rutgers gets a break as Army earns a personal foul after a penalty on RU marked the play dead and a Black Knight hit Dodd, so they get a first down at the Army 49.
2:41 Sanu tries to throw out of the WildKnight and throws up a meatball deep to Jordan Thomas, while under pressure. That worked out as well as it sounds it would.
2:49 Probably the best offensive play of the game so far by Rutgers as Dodd hits Deering across the middle for 20-yards to the 8.
2:50 Rutgers with their fourth penalty of the game and it’s only two minutes into the second quarter.
2:52 Sanu tackled at the two-yard line and so Rutgers only gets three points from this drive. 7-3 Army.
2:55 I’m getting a lot of reaction to ESPN3 PBP Bob Picozzi calling San San Te “one of the best placekickers in the country.” Discuss amongst yourselves.
2:57 That will end up on the blooper reel as Josh Jackson flubs the catch on the kick off return and it goes through his hands, bounces out of bounds.
2:58 Manny Abreu down on the ground and he looks to be in a lot of pain.
3:03 After a defensive offsides penalty, Jared Hassin goes around the right tackle for 40 yards before being chased down from behind by Khaseem Greene at the seven. That saved a touchdown. We’ll see if Army can finish it off.
3:04 Hassin finishes off the job, carrying it in from six yards to give Army a 14-3 lead right in front of the Army cheering section with 8:02 left in the second quarter.
3:07 Lefeged with a 32-yard return but looked like he could have gotten more if he didn’t into his own teammate as a road block. That’s gonna get Patrick Kivlehan some comments in film study this week.
3:10 Army with the blitz as Steve Erzinger lays a huge hit on Dodd for the sack and now Des Stapleton is down on the ground in visible pain. Oh, and it’s 4th and 13.
3:11 Army with a bad break as Jackson slips in trying to catch the punt and it takes a few bounces to the 16-yard line.
3:12 Looks like Rutgers is biting on the FB dive in that triple option and Steelman gets a 22-yard gain on the outside.
3:13 Steelman tries to make the pitch and flubs it. You gotta make that pitch Sunshine. Go show him how it’s done Rev.
3:14 Dodd gets sacked for a seven-yard loss and then throws into double coverage. He’s having a rough half.
3:17 Consensus in the pressbox. Dellaganna’s punt that bounces out at the 2 is Rutgers’ best play of the half.
3:21 That just might be the most painful dagger as Steelman completes a pass for 30 yards.
3:23 Army is just airing it out now. A 19-yard completion to Davyd Brooks. Is Bill Walsh calling the plays?
3:26 Army must really think it can throw the ball against this Rutgers defense as they go to the air again inside the red zone.
3:28 And the Black Knights nail a gimme FG at the buzzer to make it 17-3. To halftime we go.
Halftime note, courtesy of the guy sitting next to me: “Who would have thought Steelman would have more passing yards than Dodd?” Yup, that about sums it up as the triple-option QB has 91 passing yards while Dodd has 41.
3:51 Army starts the second half with possession and momentum. We’ll see if they turn either into anything.
3:55 ECU has a linebacker with the last name “Lineback.” Nothing to do with this game but just wanted to pass it on.
3:56 Army making its way down the field, now with 2nd-and- 8 at the Rutgers 28.
3:57 RU defense makes a huge stop on 3rd-and-4. Hassin tried to take it up the middle but that’s the only area the defense has been stingy.
3:58 Army goes for it on 4th and 3, feeling spicy. Steelman throws up the middle of the field but the throw was nowhere near the receiver. RU takes over their own 23.
3:59 Dodd lofts a ball between two defenders to Mark Harrison for 22 yards. Best throw he’s made all day.
3:59 Then he ruins it by holding onto the ball on a play action roll out. He should have thrown it away but took the sack for 13-yard loss instead.
4:01 Bad decisions all around on that last play. Dodd stays in the pocket way too long and takes a sack although he had an open field ahead of him for an easy gain on the ground. But Jarret Mackey took him down with a horse-collar tackle so it gets Rutgers a first down at their own 47.
4:05 Pardon my language, but that was ballsy throw by Dodd on fourth down and two. With a defender in front of Kordell Young, he basically throws an entry pass lob to Young that he catches for the first down.
4:06 Army with an 11-yard sack on first down. Then follows it up with another sack on second down.
4:08 Rutgers another break. On 4th and 10 from the Army 34, Dodd rolls out but with nobody open has to run out of bounds well short of the first down. But a defensive holding call on the Black Knights breathes new life into the drive. First down for RU at the 24-yard line with 2:53 left in the 3rd quarter.
4:11 Rutgers gets another good break. Defensive pass interference on a ball that Harrison had no chance at. Now they get the ball at the 11-yard line.
4:13 This has been the ugliest drive I can remember in a long time. False start penalty on D.C. Jefferson, now 2nd and 13 from the 14 yard line.
4:18 After enough help from the official and lucky breaks, Rutgers finally does something for themselves as Dodd hits Young in the near corner of the endzone for a 3-yard touchdown to bring it within seven points, 17-10. That play was 15 plays, 77 yards, 8:51 and about 56 penalties.
4:22 Here’s your stat of the game. Army rushing yards: 241. Rutgers rushing yards: -3.
4:28 Army stopped on 3rd down and has to punt. It’s seems like a long time since I typed that.
4:31 Heck of a diving one-handed catch along the sidelines by Sanu. Too bad for him that he was out of bounds.
4:35 In his own endzone, Dodds goes to his left and on the run hits D.C. for a 53-yard pick up. That was chaos turning to a completion.
4:36 Rutgers gets another break as Dodd gets picked in the middle of the field but it’s overturned because of a helmet-to-helmet personal foul penalty. So Rutgers actually moves up 15 yards to the Army 26.
4:38 Official attendance today: 41,292. If I call B.S., who has to drink?
4:39 There is an NFL logo over the block R at midfield. But don’t forget, they are just amateurs.
4:43 Things changed in a hurry. Dodd hits Harrison in the endzone and somehow this is a tie game at 17. That is one of the luckiest comebacks I’ve seen in a while. That drive was 8 plays, 93 yards and some help from the refs.
4:48 Eric LeGrand is down on the ground and this doesn’t look good. He made a huge hit on the kickoff return that got a loud “Ooooh” from the crowd but he went straight down and has barely moved since. There is a cart and a neck stabilizer out there for him. A very scary situation here as Schiano stands over him and the medical personnel.
4:55 As this game continues but under a more somber tone, Steelman fumbles at the 45-yard line and Jonathan Freeny recovers to give Rutgers the ball at the Army 45 and with 3:42 remaining.
4:57 Dodd somehow wriggles out of what would have been a horrible sack and throws it away on second down. He then hits Sanu for 8 yards, now 4th and 5 from the 40. and 2:28 left.
4:58 Rutgers takes a delay of game penalty to move them back five yards and Dellaganna punts to nail Army at their own 9-yard line. 2:02 remaining.
5:01 Lefeged makes an open field tackle on Cobbs after he receeved the pitch and Army has 3rd and 9 at their own 10 with 1:53 after Rutgers took their first two timeouts.
5:04 Lowery stops Steelman for a one-yard gain on third down and Dodd will have 1:43 left and the ball at his own 43 yard line to repeat last week’s heroics.
5:05 First down: slant across the middle to Sanu for 4 yard gain.
5:05 Second down: Gamm sacked Dodd to take those yards back. Timeout Army.
5:07 Third down: Dodd hits Deering in the middle of the field for 22 yards and moves them into Army territory. Then follows it up by getting it to Sanu for seven yards.
5:08 It looks like Rutgers is trying to move in position for a field goal by getting it on the left hash as they run it left just for positional placement. But that would leave them with a 47-yard FG. 33 seconds remaining is enough to try for more.
5:10 Coming out of an Army timeout, there is a delay of game as Dodd can’t get under center quickly enough while talking to Schiano. That’s bad.
5:10 Well that just worked out miserably as Dodd is sacked to set up 4th and 20.
5:11 Rutgers quickly pulls the next play and Dodd throws it to the endzone. Army CB Donovan Travis makes a head scratching play as he catches the ball for an interception and gets tackled at the 2 instead of just letting it fall or knocking it down so Army would have the ball at midfield.
5:12 And that’s it. We’re going to overtime.
5:16 Rutgers wins the toss and chooses to play defense.
5:17 Army gets the first down to move to the 14.
5:20 Army hits the FG to take a 20-17 lead.
5:21 Sanu takes the carry up the middle, fumbles it after a 12-yard gain but recovers. First down at the 13-yard line.
5:22 Dodd hits Stroud for a first down at the 3-yard line. First and goal.
5:22 Martinek run up the gut moves the line of scrimmage to the one-yard line.
5:23 Army takes a timeout with 2nd and goal from the 1.
5:24 Touchdown Rutgers? Officials on the field say Martinek broke the plane by the thinnest margin but this under review. Rutgers as a team rushes off the sideline but will have to wait.
5:26 It’s over. Rutgers gets the touchdown to stand and it’s s 23-20 final from the New Meadowlands Stadium
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