Rutgers Football held off the Washington Huskies 21-18 to move to 4-0 for the first time since 2012 under the lights on a nationally televised stage at SHI Stadium. Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 115 yards and a touchdown, while Kyle Monangai ran for over 100 yards once again with 135 yards and a touchdown of his own. He also passed Isiah Pacheco for seventh-most yards in program history in the second quarter. Ian Strong led the way in receiving with 5 catches for 40 yards and a leaping touchdown to end the first half.
For the Huskies, Will Rogers threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Jonah Coleman stole the show on the ground, ripping off multiple big runs and finishing with a career-high 148 yards. Denzel Boston proved to be a go-to weapon for Rogers, catching five passes for 115 yards and both touchdowns.
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The Scarlet Knights' defense played the epitome of a bend-don't-break game, and it started early on. Washington drove into Rutgers territory on the opening drive, but turned the ball over on downs at the 37.
The Scarlet Knights went three-and-out and Washington responded with a ten-play drive that led to a field goal.
Rutgers imposed its will on the ensuing drive, topping that with a 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive punctuated by a 1-yard Monangai touchdown. Washington once again drove down the field into field goal range but this time missed, and Rutgers punted to keep it locked at 7-3 as the second quarter went on.
The Scarlet Knights were bailed out by several Washington penalties, none bigger than an illegal substitution on a blocked field goal, wiping out the turnover. On the ensuing play, Kaliakmanis found Strong on a fade in the end zone that Strong extended fully to haul in.
Rutgers held that 14-3 lead going into the half and kept it for much of the third quarter. They continued to hold strong in critical moments, forcing a turnover on downs at the two-yard line. Another eye-popping run by Monangai got the Scarlet Knights away from their own goal line, but they punted on 4th-and-1 from the Washington 49 shortly thereafter.
The Huskies marched right down the field and scored their first touchdown of the game, courtesy of a 51-yard Denzel Boston catch-and-run.
The two teams traded punts before Rutgers got the ball back at the beginning of the fourth quarter. On a pivotal third down in Washington territory, Samuel Brown V burst up the middle for a 37-yard score to give the Scarlet Knights some breathing room to go up 21-10.
Washington responded in strong fashion, once again marching down the field easily, but they once again came up empty off a missed field goal from 37 yards out.
After another Rutgers punt, Rogers carried the Huskies to the end zone, finding Boston for his second score of the game and Keleki Latu for the ensuing two-point conversion to cut Rutgers' lead to 21-18.
In a final last-gasp drive, Rogers brought the Huskies into Rutgers territory but could not move any further, and Grady Gross' 55-yard field goal went wide left.
The Scarlet Knights' run defense struggled once again, giving up 207 yards on the ground. Washington's offensive line controlled the game for much of the way, opening up holes for Coleman and keeping Rogers upright, as he did not get sacked once throughout the game. Rutgers' defense also did not record a tackle for loss in the game.
The Huskies continually shot themselves in the foot, missing three field goals and committing six penalties for 69 yards, with nearly every one coming in a big spot. Washington outgained Rutgers 521-299 for the game, but ultimately came up short.
RFOOTBALL PLAY OF THE GAME....
Samuel Brown V takes it to the house from 37 yards out to give Rutgers a double-digit lead.
UP NEXT....
Rutgers will travel on the road to Nebraska to take on the Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium for its first road conference matchup. The game will kick off at 4pm EST and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
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