The Rutgers football team was defeated by Penn State, 55-10 on Senior Day on Saturday at SHI Stadium in Piscataway.
Rutgers came out with energy and took a lead in the long first quarter, but the Nittany Lions were able to gain control of the contest in the second half.
Jude McAtamney put Rutgers on the scoreboard first with a 42-yard field goal. Penn State, though, returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to go up 7-3.
The Scarlet Knights defense have forced a couple punts early by getting pressure on third down.
Return man/wide receiver Aron Cruickshank gave Rutgers stellar field position as he returned the next kickoff 66 yards down to the PSU 21-yard line. The Scarlet Knights capitalized with the good field position as QB Gavin Wimsatt found WR Shameen Jones for a 4-yard TD to give Rutgers the 10-7 lead.
Tight end Johnny Langan then fumbled the ball away after a reception, and Penn State scooped it up and carried it into the end zone that was just 14 yards away. Just like that, Penn State went back ahead 14-10.
Safety Avery Young forced a fumble of his own for Rutgers to give his team the ball on the plus 24-yard line. But, Rutgers missed a field goal attempt and came away with no points.
Wimsatt, who has been as inaccurate as they come, tossed an underthrown interception. The Nittany Lions returned it for a touchdown, but it was called back with a penalty. Penn State still managed to find the end zone on a touchdown pass from Sean Clifford to Tyler Warren, its first of the day on offense, to take a 21-10 lead.
The visitors took a 28-10 into halftime on a Clifford 14-yard run.
Penn State added to its total with two touchdowns and a pair of field goals in the third quarter. Ji'Ayir Brown returned a Wimsatt sack fumble for a touchdown, Kaytron Allen ran in an 8-yard rushing touchdown, and Jake Pinegar made a 22-yard field goal. The Allen score came after he was sprung for a 59-yard gain on the ground.
Sander Sahaydak nailed a 20-yard goal, too, for the Nittany Lions.
In the fourth, Drew Allar ran in a 1-yard jaunt on fourth-and-goal to make it 55-10.
RFOOTBALL PLAY OF THE GAME....
Aron Cruickshank brings back a kickoff 66 yards down to the Penn State 21-yard line. This was right after the Nittany Lions returned a kickoff 100 yards into the end zone. Rutgers needed to make a play and Cruickshank did just that, setting up a touchdown pass from Gavin Wimsatt to Shameen Jones.
UP NEXT....
The Scarlet Knights travel to take on Maryland a week from now for the season finale. The game begins at noon and can be seen on Big Ten Network.
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisNalwasky.
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