Rutgers Wins on Safety, Missed Field Goal; Teel, Natale Split Time at QB
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Tony Ciaravino’s 42-yard field goal attempt sailed toward the uprights with plenty of distance despite a slight breeze blowing in the kicker’s face.
If it went through, Rutgers would have trailed UConn by one point with only about a minute to go. Another loss, a sixth in seven games, seemed entirely possible.
“I’m thinking about [how] we got one timeout and what we’re going to do on offense,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. “I can’t do anything about that kick, all we can do is be prepared.”
As it turned out, Rutgers didn’t have to be prepared for anything other than running the clock out. The ball clanked off the right upright and ricocheted away, preserving Rutgers’ 12-10 Homecoming Day victory over Big East rival UConn before 42,491 on a beautiful sunny fall day at Rutgers Stadium.