Throw Back Thursday: this week in Rutgers football history, week 2

Last week we introduced our new feature highlighting past games that occurred this week in Rutgers football history. As the EMU Eagles fly into Piscataway, we take a look back at....

This Week....in Rutgers....Football....History (*echoing* history...history....history)

Last year: It was the Howard band....no, wait. The Howard Bison came to Piscataway on September 10. It would be a good day for the Scarlet as Chris Ash picks up his first win as Head Coach of the State University of New Jersey. Janarion Grant was a one-man wrecking crew, racking up 248 all purpose yards and three TDs, leading the Knights to a 52-14 win. Grant opened the scoring with a first quarter kickoff return for a score. Chris Laviano was 11-for-22 passing with 137 yards and three touchdowns. Laviano connected with seven different RU receivers, highlighted by touchdown grabs from Andre Patton, Carlton Agudosi and Jawuan Harris. Ahhh, good times!

2007: The renaissance of RU football was underway, and 2007 saw Rutgers open the season with five consecutive home games. This week, on Sept. 7, Rutgers took down Navy, 41-24 behind Ray Rice’s 37 rushes and 175 yards to become the all-time rushing leader in Rutgers history; Rice topped former career rushing leader Terrell Willis (1993-95; 3,114) on his second carry of the game. Rutgers had three interceptions in the game, the first time since Oct. 4, 2003, when the Knights picked off three passes against Virginia Tech. The victory was the ninth-straight at Rutgers Stadium dating back to the 2005 season.

2002: Jumping back fifteen years, the Knights hosted Buffalo on Sept. 7 and lost their second game of the year. Ahhh, bad times. Rutgers actually trailed at the half, 16-3 and 24-3 after three quarters. Rutgers QB Ted Trump (I swear, I don’t even remember this guy!) was 16 of 38 with three INTs. RU would go 1-11.

1997: Well, pardners, here’s something you don’t see too often in Rutgers history. The Knights traveled to Austin, Texas on Sept. 6 for the first half of a home-and-home series with the Longhorns. What the hell was Fred Grunninger thinking? The No. 12/10 Texans spanked RU, 48-14. Amazingly, Rutgers would score first on a Gary Fauntleroy one-yard carry. Rutgers wouldn’t score again until the 4:46 mark of the game, following 41 unanswered points by the Horns.

1992: If you go by the date leading into this week’s game, then we’re looking at Sept. 5 and a contest against Boston College, sometimes known in the Comments section as “The French”. The season opener for Rutgers and Head Coach Doug Graber in Chestnut Hill did not go well, with the Eagles taking a 37-20 victory. New Jersey native Glenn Foley threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns. East Brunswick native and Miami-transfer Bryan Fortay led the Knights, going 19 of 40 attempts for 175 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. By the way, the coach roaming the other sideline? Some guy named Tom Coughlin.

1972: My senior year at Rutgers, and the football season for the Knights wouldn’t start ‘til next week, Sept 16 on the road at Holy Cross. Golly, I get to go to the library for some extra studying!

Next week: Morgan State travels to P-way and we’ll look at what happened the week of Sept. 10-16 in Rutgers....Football....History (*echoing* history...history....history)