Syracuse entered the game averaging just 19.2 points per game with a 3-7 record and winless in the Big East. Rutgers entered the game on the heels of handing South Florida its first regular season shutout in the history of the program. But when the dust settled, the Orange dropped 31 points on the Scarlet Knights, the worst defensive outing for Rutgers since Cincinnati to open the season, begging the question: What went wrong]]> Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:22:00 GMT The sour taste left by Syracuse's 31-13 shelling of Rutgers is likely to linger for quite a while throughout the scarlet nation. There were plenty of forgettable moments that went into the construction of Rutgers' Saturday afternoon collapse inside the Carrier Dome. Among the high and low points of that game, did you notice]]> Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:01:00 GMT Letdown may be too soft of a word to describe Rutgers' 31-13 loss to Syracuse inside the Carrier Dome on Saturday. Carrying a 7-2 record and riding the momentum of a three-game winning streak, the Scarlet Knights outmatched the Orange in just about every statistical category heading into the game. On paper, Rutgers was all but a lock to cinch up its eighth victory of the season. But the game is not played on paper]]> Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:16:00 GMT Rutgers needed a last second shot to sneak past Drexel in the opening game of the Legends Classic inside the RAC on Friday night. Sophomore Gregory Echenique dropped in a left handed lay-up as time expired to give Rutgers a 58-56 victory. The dramatic finish capped off a less than glamorous display of basketball from both teams. Nevertheless, the last second shot caused the home crowd to erupt following one of the more memorable finishes during the Fred Hill era]]> Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:23:00 GMT Less than 24 hours from kick-off, Scarlet Nation's Bobby Deren and 'Cuse Confidential's Ryan Murray take a look at the match-up between the 7-2 Scarlet Knights and the 3-7 Orange. Our resident experts break down and compare the teams from various perspectives. Which team is the consensus to emerge victorious? Find out!]]> Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:14:00 GMT For the first time this season, the Scarlet Knights will board a plane in order to reach a road game. The seconds continue to wind down until kickoff as the Scarlet Knights will look to win their fourth straight game against a struggling 3-7 Syracuse team. Here is a look at some of the last minute stories leading up to game time]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:01:00 GMT While hidden gems are not a rarity in the world of recruiting, it is not often that they come in the form of a 6-foot-6, 285-pound lineman. But that is definitely the case with DT Taj Alexander of Exton (PA) Downingtown East, who after a huge growth spurt, is finally beginning to receive serious interest from a number of programs, including Rutgers. ScarletNation.com spoke with Coach Michael Matta of Downingtown East to get some additional information on Alexander]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:30:00 GMT The Premier Showcase event, held at Kean University during the summer, attracted a number of top Class of 2010 prospects, but also a few Class of 2011 prospects that definitely caught our eye. One of these was WR Shawn Robinson of Stamford (CT) Trinity Catholic, who spoke to ScarletNation.com earlier this week about his junior season and his recruitmen]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:12:00 GMT While Devin McCourty may be having the best year of any defensive player in the Big East, Rutgers has received some sound production from its other starting cornerback. Sophomore David Rowe is quietly having himself an excellent season in his first year in a starting role.]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:09:00 GMT Nine games into the season, it is not much of surprise that a pair of true freshmen have played key roles on the offensive side of the football for the Scarlet Knights. Many expected Tom Savage and Mohamed Sanu to be integral parts of the offense this season. However, the most dynamic play from a true freshman on the Rutgers defense has come from more of an underdog. ]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:03:00 GMT To help simulate the environments of the Carrier Dome, the Rutgers football team practiced in the Bubble for the first time this week. The Scarlet Knights will take on Syracuse in the 49,250-seat Carrier Dome in just two days time. At the end of practice, head coach Greg Schiano discussed the significance of the game with the latest injury updates before kickoff]]> Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:50:00 GMT The first big recruiting weekend of the season is right around the corner for the Scarlet Knights. 3-star OL Shane Johnson of Hyattsville(MD) DeMatha was one of the first to confirm his attendance for the weekend, and with a couple of previous trips to RU already under his belt, ScarletNation.com spoke to the talented lineman to find out what he was hoping to experience this tim]]> Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:59:00 GMT Antwan Lowery's decision to sign with Rutgers continued the pipeline of Florida recruits, plus may have helped RU's situation with future prospects out of Columbus High School in Miami. One 2011 prospect that RU is keeping a close eye on out of Columbus is DE Anthony Rabasa, who actually took a trip to Rutgers with Lowery this past sprin]]> Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:30:00 GMT Rutgers travels up to Syracuse this weekend in an effort to improve to 8-2 on the season. In our latest Scarlet Nation Podcast, Bobby Deren and John Otterstedt look at the game, as well as several other topics that have been discussed recently on the message board.]]> Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:30:00 GMT Rutgers continued its extensive week of preparation for its upcoming bout with Syracuse this Saturday. The Scarlet Knights should be well-rested as the team will have had ten days between game days. Here's a glimpse into the latest preparations from the practice field in Piscataway]]> Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:54:00 GMT Over the last year, playing away from Piscataway has been rather favorable for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers has won six straight games away from home and will look to build on that streak Saturday when the team heads north to face Syracuse. The 3-7 Orange have not beaten the Scarlet Knights since 2004 and must now face a Rutgers team that has cracked the top 25]]> Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:24:00 GMT Four-star wide receiver Brandon Coleman already has one official visit set. The Forestville (Md.) Bishop McNamara prospect is eyeing a second trip. Where is he planning to g]]> Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:58:00 GMT While the Jersey Shore has been a little down with its college level production over recent years, the Class of 2011 continues to produce players that should have recruiters stirring. One of the newest names to this list is OL Shane Mertz of Hazlet (NJ) Raritan, who spoke to ScarletNation.com earlier this week about his junior season and his recruitment]]> Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:42:00 GMT The Rutgers football team returned to the practice field today to get ready for a different environment at the Carrier Dome. Rutgers will head up to Syracuse on Saturday where it will look to defeat the Orange for the fifth-straight time. Head coach Greg Schiano met with reporters to update the situation at right guard, the third-down running back dilemma and some team injuries. ]]> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:48:00 GMT The more games Devin McCourty continues to play, the more impressive his résumé becomes. For his performance during last Thursday night's win over South Florida, Rutgers' fifth-year senior captain earned special teams player of the week in the Big East for the second time this season. And much like every other game he has played this season, McCourty continued his brilliance on the defensive side of the football. ]]> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:35:00 GMT