Rutgers Gives Michigan State the Boot

Freshman Jeremy Ito kicked four field goals and Ryan Neill scored on a 31-yard interception return Saturday as Rutgers surprised Michigan State, 19-14, at Piscataway, N.J.

Michigan State, which went to the Alamo Bowl last year in John L. Smith’s first season as coach, made Rutgers sweat out the final minutes, driving to the Scarlet Knight 25 with less than two minutes to play.

Damon Dowdell missed an open Jerramy Scott in the end zone on third down and Eric Knott was tackled short of a first down on a screen pass on fourth down.

After running out the clock, Rutgers players jumped for joy and hundreds of fans in the stadium-record crowd of 42,612 joined the celebration.

“It was a bad day in Piscataway for the Spartans,” Smith told the Detroit Free Press. “We were outcoached, we were outplayed and we were outexecuted.”

Ito, from Redlands High, converted from 24, 47, 23 and 42 yards in attempting a school-record seven field goals, with the first five tries coming on the Scarlet Knights’ first five possessions.

“I only tried 10 my senior year in high school, so seven in one game, wow,” Ito said. “But this is exactly why I came here, that feeling we had when time ran off the clock. There is nothing like it.”

Neill, a defensive end who missed all of last season with a knee injury, scored with 5:10 left in the third quarter after stepping in front of a screen pass.

No. 9 Ohio State 27, Cincinnati 6 -- Lydell Ross rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown and the Buckeye defense stymied the Bearcats at Columbus, Ohio.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Zwick threw two interceptions and had four fumbles in a rough outing. He completed 14 of 26 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown.

Cincinnati managed only 238 yards and converted only five of 18 chances on third down.

No. 19 Iowa 39, Kent State 7 -- Drew Tate threw two touchdowns and the Hawkeyes turned in a dominating defensive performance, holding the Golden Flashes to 110 total yards and minus-13 yards rushing at Iowa City, Iowa.

No. 21 Wisconsin 34, Central Florida 6 -- John Stocco threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score at Madison, Wis., as the Badgers cruised past the Golden Knights, who were without Coach George O’Leary, who missed the game to attend his mother’s funeral in New York.

No. 25 Minnesota 63, Toledo 21 -- Bryan Cupito was 10 of 12 for 279 yards and a touchdown in his first start and the Golden Gophers totaled 704 yards in brushing aside the Rockets at Minneapolis.

Penn State 48, Akron 10 -- Zack Mills ran for a touchdown, caught a scoring pass and threw two scoring passes to lead the Nittany Lions to victory at State College, Pa.

Indiana 41, Central Michigan 10 -- Tracy Porter intercepted two passes, returning one 96 yards for a touchdown, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 97 yards and another score to give the Hoosiers the victory at Bloomington, Ind.

Illinois 52, Florida A&M; 13 -- Pierre Thomas ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Fighting Illini to a victory at Champaign, Ill.