Rutgers fell to 0-3 on Saturday night, dropping their 44th straight game to a ranked opponent, a 42-35 loss against the #12 Trojans. Yeah, that’s not exactly the start anyone wanted for a “make-or-break” season, but what went down late in the second quarter against Southern Cal tells you everything you need to know about where this program and coach Greg Schiano are right now.
Schiano’s “Forever” Gamble on Fourth Down
Down 10 points and backed up on their own 16-yard line, facing a mind-bending fourth and 21, Schiano pulled the trigger on a fake punt that had athletic director Keli Zinn on the edge of her seat. This was no ordinary gamble. We’re talking about a move that could have spiraled into an absolute blowout had it failed, possibly even costing Schiano his job way sooner than expected. “A lot of decisions tonight were based on who we were playing,” Schiano admitted. “They are top-five talent in the country on that team, and I felt like we needed to take some chances.” Punter Jakob Anderson, an Australian dude who’s used to kicking with his feet, set himself like a seasoned quarterback and launched a deep, 40-yard bomb across the middle. Gunner Jesse Ofurie reeled it in over his shoulder, sparking pure pandemonium on the Rutgers sideline. Anderson said he had “full faith in coach and what he called, and I knew I just had to execute.” It wasn’t just a first down, folks, it was a second life for a team desperately needing one.
Why the Fight Wasn’t Enough
As wild and gutsy as that fake punt was, it wasn’t enough. The Scarlet Knights still took the L. If you’re a glass-half-empty fan, there’s plenty to be fuming about. Quarterback Dylan Lonergan, a portal pickup Schiano brought in, had two brutal interceptions. One of those was returned 99 yards for a USC touchdown, completely flipping the script just when it felt like Rutgers was about to take the lead. This was a “better effort, sure, but it was hardly a winning effort,” and those words sting. For the second straight week, they jumped offsides on a critical fourth-and-short. You just can’t make those kinds of mistakes against a top-12 team. Schiano was blunt: “I’m very disappointed for our players, our coaches and our fans. There are no moral victories , I don’t want to hear about that. I fully expected to win this game and it hurts that we didn’t.”
Look, losing 42-35 to a top-ranked team, especially after getting crushed by UMass and Boston College earlier, isn’t going to make anyone happy. But Schiano, with his 18 years and 99 wins at the university, needed to see *something* from his squad. That fake punt, that belief from Anderson and Ofurie, that willingness to take a chance against an elite opponent, it shows this team hasn’t completely given up on their coach. The temperature under Schiano’s seat is still scorching, but they showed some serious fight against the odds. The season’s only three weeks in, and they’re staring down 0-3, but you gotta hope that audacious play sparks something in them moving forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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