In a game that featured just three points before halftime, Rutgers was able to dig down deep and defeat Maryland 27-24 in overtime to improve to 3-5 on the season.
Here are three thoughts after the game:
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A Painful Reminder Of The Times We Are Living In
After the win, Head Coach Greg Schiano was nearly brought to tears and revealed during his postgame press conference three players had lost loved ones during the week, including two due to COVID-19.
“When we started this week this was a really fatigued team not just physically but emotionally,” Schiano said. “We had three of our players lose loved ones this week, two to COVID. It’s been a tough week for all these kids but they did exactly what we asked them to do: they kept fighting.”
Not enough can be said about the sacrifices these young men have been/are willing to make in a season unlike any other. As one of the few Big Ten teams who have been able to play for eight straight weeks, it is a testament to not only the character each member of the program has, but the responsibility they have been willing to take upon themselves as well.
Road Warriors
Whoever had Rutgers winning three regular season games this year with all of them coming on the road can stand up and take a bow. With this latest victory, the Scarlet Knights not only matched their combined win total of 2018 and 2019, but they earned three conference road victories for the first time since 2012 as well.
“I’m proud of our guys, they believe in each other, play for each other, and love each other,” Schiano continued. “That’s what fuels their passion, to play for each other so that’s probably what it was.”
Although a 3-5 record might not look like much on paper, anybody who has followed this program can see the vast improvements in all phases of the game and the remarkable turnaround from where they had been the last few years.
“I just felt what they’ve been through this week, I was hoping that they could win the game,” Schiano added. “So I’m really happy for them.”
And while just about any Rutgers fan would have likely signed up for three wins going into the year, it is tough not to get greedy and think about with a made kick here and a few extra plays there if this season could have had even more juice to it and the Scarlet Knights made a bit more noise in the Big Ten.
A Work Of Art
With Noah Vedral leaving the game in the third quarter due to an ankle injury following a hit from Maryland defensive tackle Ami Finau that may or may not have had some dirt behind it, Artur Sitkowski came in and did a masterful job of towing the line between taking chances when he needed to while not hurting the team with bad turnovers.
“I was really proud of Art,” Schiano said. “He ran the offense, threw the ball well, and ran the ball well. He led us to victory and when you’re the quarterback who does that in an overtime game, to get us to overtime and then to win the game, it’s a really good job.”
Finishing the day going 14/18 for 108 yards and one touchdown, Sitkowski showed that while he might have his limitations, if called upon he can get the job done. Considering Vedral had to leave the game in crutches, it remains to be seen if he will be back for next week’s Big Ten Champions Week or if Sitkowski will get another shot at the starting gig.
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