Mohamed Sanu Leads Rutgers Past Ohio
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Mohamed Sanu had a record-setting 16 catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns as Rutgers knocked error-prone Ohio from the unbeaten ranks with a 38-26 victory Saturday.
Sanu caught touchdowns of 7 and 4 yards from Chas Dodd, who iced the game with a 10-yard scoring pass to Paul Caarrezola with 5:00 to play.
Sanu's 16 catches broke the Rutgers record of 13 that he tied in his last game two weeks ago. It also broke the single-game mark of 13 for a Big East Conference receiver.
Freshman Savon Huggins scored on a 3-yard run and Marcus Cooper returned a fumbled punt 3 yards for another score for Rutgers (2-1).
Tyler Tettleton threw for 339 yards and three touchdowns for the Bobcats (3-1), who ruined their best start since 1976 with four turnovers. The TD passes covered 10 yards to LaVon Brazill, 31 to Donte Foster and 10 to Riley Dunlop.
The game had a dramtic moment at the end of the third quarter when a fan in the stands suffered an apparent heart attack and was given CPR behind the Ohio bench. Bobcats coach Frank Solich walked onto the field after the opening play of the fourth quarter, trying to get the officials to stop the game so a cart carrying the fan could get off the field. The cart rolled down the sideline and out of the stadium seconds later.
Rutgers turned two of the Bobcats' mistakes into touchdowns in building a 21-10 halftime lead, with the last score coming on a wild fumble return that Cooper carried the final 3 yards. Ka'Lial Glaud recovered a fumble by Brazill on a punt return at the Bobcats 15 and returned the ball to the 2, where he fumbled, only to see Cooper pick it up at the 3 and score for a 21-7 lead.
Todd and Sanu put Rutgers ahead 7-0 with a 7-yard touchdown pass just five plays after a bad snap gave the Scarlet Knights possession at the Ohio 29.
An interception by Xavier Hughes gave Ohio the ball at the Rutgers 26 and Brazill made a one-handed catch to tie the game at 7 with 2:36 to go in the quarter.
Huggins, who fumbled inside the Ohio 10 on Rutgers' opening drive, scored from 3 yards out to put the Scarlet Knights ahead 14-7 on the ensuing series and then the fumble on the punt return made it a 14-point lead.
Matt Weller kicked a 42-yard field goal on the final play of the half to get the Bobcats within 21-10. It was thde 39th of his career, setting a school record.
Tettleton's TD pass to Foster closed the cap to four points, but Dodd, who passed for 232 yards, drove Rutgers 62 yards in nine plays, hitting a double-covered Sanu for a 28-17 lead.
A fumble by Ryan Boykin set up a 44-yard field goal by San San Te early in the fourth quarter and Dodd iced the game with his last TD pass, which was set up by a 14-yard pass to Sanu on a third-and-15 and an ensuing penalty against Ohio for having 12 players on the field.
