Kyle Monangai ran for 165 yards and a touchdown as Rutgers rolled past visiting Temple 36-7 on Saturday evening in Piscataway, N.J.
Gavin Wimsatt had 199 passing yards and a touchdown toss, and Jai Patel kicked three field goals for the Scarlet Knights (2-0).
E.J. Warner completed just 20-of-44 passes for Temple (1-1) with a touchdown and two interceptions. Dante Wright led the Owls with five catches for 59 yards and a score.
Rutgers had a chance to get on the board midway through the first quarter, but Isaiah Washington fumbled in the red zone and Temple recovered. However, the hosts bounced back on their next possession, taking a 7-0 lead on a swing route to Ja’shon Benjamin, who took it 33 yards to the end zone.
Patel’s 51-yard field goal early in the second quarter extended the advantage to 10-0. Patel then made it 13-0 with a 43-yarder about six minutes later.
On the Owls’ first possession of the second half, they drove to the Scarlet Knights’ 2-yard line. However, their fourth-down pass fell incomplete, giving the ball back to Rutgers.
Temple finally broke through in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, as Warner found Wright over the middle for a 9-yard touchdown, making it 13-7.
Rutgers came right back with a score of its own — a 1-yard TD plunge by Monangai, who carried the ball on the final six plays of the drive, including scampers of 18 and 19 yards. The two-point conversion pass was unsuccessful, leaving the Scarlet Knights with a 19-7 cushion.
The Owls’ next possession didn’t last long, as Warner was intercepted by Shaquan Loyal on the first play. The Rutgers defensive back returned the pick 37 yards to the 10-yard line. Temple’s defense stood firm, but Patel’s 23-yard field goal still made it 22-7 with less than 10 minutes to play.
Samuel Brown V’s 1-yard touchdown with 5 1/2 minutes remaining and Al-Shadee Salaam’s 5-yard TD scamper about three minutes later punctuated Rutgers’ victory.
–Field Level Media