Big East Sports Blog

It’s uncertain whether or not junior running back Ray Rice will return to New Brunswick for his senior senior, but if this was his last game as a Scarlet Knight, what a way to go.

Rice shook off tacklers, ran around, over, through, and past Ball State defenders to help propel Rutgers to their second straight bowl victory 52-30 over Ball State in the International Bowl on Saturday.  Rice ran for 280 yards on 35 carries and four scores, while eclipsing the 2,000-yard plateau.

Rutgers (8-5) scored in double digits in every quarter (14 poitns in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th, and 10 in the 2nd).  Rice had two scores in the third quarter, a 1-yard run and a monstrous 90-yard on the first drive of the third quarter.  Rice set a school record rushing for over 100 yards in eight straight games and finished the season with 2, 012 rushing yards.  Quarterback Mike Teel finished the day 16 of 25 for 303 yards and three touchdowns, setting a school record with his 20th touchdown pass of the year in the fourth quarter. Wideout Kenny Britt hauled in six receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown, while Rutgers finished the afternoon with a whopping 595 yards of total offense.

For Ball State, the Cardinals close out the year 7-6.  Quarterback Nate Davis was 25-of-49 for 291 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Dante Love turned in a big day with 13 catches for 169 yards and one touchdown, and Darius Hill had nine catches for 89 yards and two scores.

The Scarlet Knights dominated every aspect of the game and put on an offensive clinic in Canada.  Rice had one of the most memorable rushing performances in a bowl game and Mike Teel set a school record for touchdown passes in a single season.  The outcome of this one was never in doubt.  Rutgers led at halftime 24-9, and turned the offense up a few notches in the second half, blowing the doors off with a 28-point effort. 

Now, the big question comes:  Will Ray Rice be running back to Rutgers or straight to the NFL?