Gavin Wimsatt ran for three touchdowns, including an 80-yard dash in the fourth quarter, and Rutgers secured bowl eligibility with a 31-14 victory over host Indiana on Saturday in Bloomington, Ind.
The Rutgers quarterback finished with a career-high 143 rushing yards on 16 attempts while completing just 5 of 12 passes for 39 yards. Big Ten rushing leader Kyle Monangai added 24 carries for 109 yards.
The Scarlet Knights (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) had not won six games in a season since 2014.
Rutgers’ rushing attack (55 attempts, 276 yards) led to a dominant 37:38-22:22 advantage in time of possession.
Brendan Sorsby completed 15 of 31 passes for 126 yards, ran 11 times for 49 yards and accounted for two touchdowns for Indiana (2-5, 0-4).
Sorsby, who officially took the starting quarterback job from Tayven Jackson this week, went 6-for-7 for 58 yards on Indiana’s opening drive and threw a 35-yard touchdown to Omar Cooper Jr. for a quick 7-0 lead.
Monangai and Wimsatt combined to run the ball 13 times on Rutgers’ opening drive, and Wimsatt’s 1-yard sneak capped a 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to tie it.
On the first play of the second quarter, Shaquan Loyal blocked Indiana’s punt attempt and Eric Rogers snagged it on the bounce, returning it 17 yards for a 14-7 Rutgers lead.
Rutgers was stuffed on a fourth down in Indiana territory, and the Hoosiers moved 59 yards in four plays, tying the game at 14 on Sorsby’s 4-yard run with 3:58 left in the half.
In the final minute, Indiana’s Jaylin Lucas muffed a punt and Robert Longerbeam recovered to set the Scarlet Knights up at the Indiana 20. Rutgers settled for Jai Patel’s 21-yard field goal to take a 17-14 lead as time expired.
Rutgers then opened the second half with a 12-play, 75-yard march and Wimsatt pushed in for his second 1-yard touchdown of the afternoon with 8:45 left in the third.
Wimsatt broke the game open early in the fourth quarter. From his own 20, he kept the ball on an option and fooled the defense, leaving a big opening. Wimsatt made one cut at the second level and beat the rest of the defense down the right side for his monster touchdown with 13:11 to play.
–Field Level Media