Big Ten Roundup : Rutgers Turns No. 15 Michigan St. Scarlet With a 17-13 Upset Victory

To Rutgers quarterback Scott Erney, the Scarlet Knights beat Michigan State, the Spartans didn’t lose it.

Erney completed 25 of 36 passes for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns as Rutgers upset No. 15 Michigan State, the defending Big Ten and Rose Bowl champion, 17-13, Saturday at East Lansing, Mich.

“I don’t think they were at all overconfident,” Erney said. “We came out ready to play and they were, too. We controlled the ball well in the first half.

“As we passed the ball, we opened up the run.”

Doug Kokoskie’s fumble recovery killed a fourth-quarter drive by Michigan State after the Spartans drove 50 yards to the Rutgers 15.

On first down, Spartan tailback Blake Ezor, who gained 196 yards in 33 carries, was tackled for a 1-yard loss. Ezor, replacing graduated All-American Lorenzo White, ran right for 6 yards on the next play but fumbled the ball. Kokoskie recovered with 5:23 left.

“I don’t know who caused it,” said Kokoskie, who missed the 1987 season with a knee injury. “By the time I arrived, I just saw the ball lying on the ground and just jumped on top of it.

“This is the best win. It’s my last year and it’s the Big Ten. It’s one of the best for Rutgers.”

Erney connected with Eric Young on a 61-yard touchdown pass play and threw an 18-yard scoring strike to Brett Mersola. Carmen Sclafani added a 39-yard field goal as the Scarlet Knights, playing only their second Big Ten opponent in the school’s 119-year football history, built a 17-0 lead in the second quarter.

Michigan State’s only touchdown came on a 1-yard dive by quarterback Bobby McAllister. John Langeloh added field goals of 37 and 32 yards for the Spartans. McAllister, under heavy pressure all day, completed 8 of 18 for 80 yards.

“I feel very humble,” Michigan State Coach George Perles said. “We lost to a very good football team. I thought we would get the daylights scared out of us and then win the game. I don’t know of any good that comes from losing.”

Ohio State 26, Syracuse 9--Sophomore Greg Frey led the Buckeyes to two second-quarter touchdowns in Coach John Cooper’s debut, and the Orangemen had their 14-game unbeaten streak halted at Columbus, Ohio.

Syracuse (1-1) hadn’t lost since Nov. 15, 1986, when Boston College beat the Orangemen, 27-9.

Frey, starting his first college game, completed 12 of 17 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown.

The score was 3-3 in the second quarter when an 8-yard quick kick gave Ohio State the ball at the Syracuse 30. Four plays later, Buckeye tailback Carlos Snow ran 14 yards for a touchdown.

Two plays after the kickoff, Syracuse quarterback Todd Philcox’s pass was intercepted by safety David Brown, who returned 12 yards to the Syracuse 43.

Frey completed 2 passes for 22 yards in the scoring drive, hitting tight end Jeff Ellis with a 2-yard touchdown pass to make it 17-3.

Kevin Greene kicked field goals of 24, 45 and 38 yards for Syracuse, and Pat O’Morrow had kicks of 27, 33, 41 and 30 yards for Syracuse.

Iowa 45, Kansas State 10--Chuck Hartlieb passed for 253 yards and linebacker Brad Quast ran a pass interception 94 yards for a touchdown as the 17th-ranked Hawkeyes trounced the Wildcats at Manhattan, Kan.

Kansas State (0-2) had its winless streak stretched to 18 games.

Iowa (1-1), coming off an upset loss at Hawaii, broke open the game with two quick touchdowns in the third quarter after leading, 17-10, at halftime but took command with two quick touchdowns in the third period on 1-yard runs by Hartlieb and Tony Stewart.