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Rapid reaction: Rutgers’ defense shows up big in season-opening win vs. Temple
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Rutgers defense was the star of the show in their season-opening win against the Temple Owls. The Scarlet Knights beat the Owls 61-14.
Rutgers defense was all over the field with 5 turnovers on the day. They also had a safety, an interception, 2 fumble recoveries and a pick-six
In the first half, the Scarlet Knights offense did not have to work hard for points as they started with a Temple safety, and then after kicking an field goal, Johnny Langan had 2 touchdowns for the Scarlet Knights and he had to run a total of 4 yards both on those scores.
Although Langan had 2 touchdowns, the leading rusher for the Scarlet Knights was QB Noah Vedral, who had 8 rushes for 58 yards on the day.
Temple would get only one touchdown right before the half. RB Edward Saydee had an 11-yard touchdown and the score would be 26-7 at the half.
In the 3rd quarter, it looked as if Temple would get back into the game as transfer QB D’Wan Mathis ran in from 3 yards out to make the score 26-14.
Mathis would leave the game in the 3rd quarter with what appears to be a leg/ankle injury.
Mathis finished the day 8-of-24 for a putrid 33% completion rate; he had 1 touchdown on the ground and o touchdowns through the air and also threw an interception.
Then the Melton brothers happened. First, it was WR Bo Melton scoring for the Scarlet Knights on a 40-yard touchdown pass to make 33-14. Just moments later, his brother DB Max Melton picked off Temple’s backup true freshman QB Justin Lynch and Melton took it to the house to have the Scarlet Knights go up 40-14.
The true freshman QB Lynch for the Owls had a day he would like to forget as he was 0-3 with a pick six. He had 5 rushes for 17 yards on the day.
Vedral was pretty solid as he finished the day 15-27 for a 55% completion rate and he had 138 yards through the air and 1 touchdown for the Scarlet Knights.
This is Rutgers first home win in two years as all 3 wins for the Scarlet Knights last season came on the road at Michigan State, at Purdue and at Maryland in the abbreviated 2020 season. Their last home win was against the Liberty Flames in October of 2019.
The Scarlet Knights have not won a home B1G game since the 2017 season against the Maryland Terrapins. Rutgers will get their first crack at a B1G home win in October as the No.4 Ohio State Buckeyes come to town.
Next week the Scarlet Knights will have their first road contest as they face ACC opponent the Syracuse Orangemen in New York at noon ET on BTN.