:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71320931/usa_today_18978277.0.jpg)
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights opened their 2022 campaign against an old Big East foe in the Boston College Eagles on Saturday and had an opportunity to score on their third drive of the game.
Until they didn’t.
Geez. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.
— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) September 3, 2022
Rutgers QB Gavin Wimsatt breaks open the drive with a 48-yard run on a keeper. But then penalty after penalty turns a 1st-and-Goal into a 3rd-and-Goal from the BC 38-yard line...
BC's Jaylen Blackwell forces a punt with a sack. pic.twitter.com/sBZ5vmU1mn
Uh, guys ... pic.twitter.com/kHrl0ZuJaP
— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurkeNFL) September 3, 2022
So, let’s recap. Rutgers got the ball all the way down to the BC 10 and seem assured to come away with points on that drive. They proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot with:
- An offensive pass interference penalty
- A holding penalty
- An incomplete pass
- A false start
- A sack that put them back another five yards
All of that resulted in...drumroll please...4th and goal on the 43. Magnificent. Excellent stuff Rutgers. Of course they proceeded to punt but did pin the Eagles on their own three-yard line, so it wasn’t all bad. They would pick off BC quarterback Phil Jurkovec a few plays later and actually punched the ball in the end zone for a touchdown on the following drive.
Did Greg Schiano lull BC into a false sense of security? We’ll see.