In the end, it wasn’t even as close as the final score might indicate:
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Ray Rice became the career rushing leader at No. 15 Rutgers, and still had to share the spotlight with his defense.
Rice rushed for 175 yards and scored three touchdowns, and the Scarlet Knights defense intercepted three passes and made a big fourth-quarter stand to hold off stubborn Navy 41-24 on Friday night.
Rice scored on runs of 4 and 2 yards and caught his first touchdown pass on a 22-yard catch and run from Mike Teel late in the first half. He has gained 3,273 yards rushing in his career, breaking the old school record of 3,114 set by Terrell Willis (1993-95).
Teel, who was 14-of-19 for 266 yards, also threw a 12-yard TD pass to Shamar Graves and clinched the game with a 53-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Britt with 9:05 to play.
Jeremy Ito kicked field of 28 and 20 yards as the Scarlet Knights (2-0) won their ninth straight game at home.
Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada tossed a 3-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Campbell and scored on a 2-yard run, but he became the first Navy quarterback in 10 years to be intercepted three times in a game. And each pick was very costly for the Midshipmen (1-1).
George Johnson got the first interception at the Navy 24 in the first quarter with Rutgers ahead 7-0. It set up Rice’s first touchdown.
With Navy down 17-7 late in the first half, Kaheaku-Enhada, who had only thrown one interception in his last 56 attempts, drove the Middies to the Rutgers 4. On a second and goal, linebacker Damaso Munoz put pressure on the quarterback and he threw to ball right to Rutgers safety Ron Girault in the end zone.
Rutgers went 80 yards on the ensuing possession and opened a 24-7 lead when Rice scored on the screen with 34 seconds left in the half.
But that only tells half of the story.
This is a Rutgers team that knows that they’re not just a one-season fluke. They’ve got a solid quarterback. A star-quality Wide Receiver, and a Running Back who may be the school’s first real Heisman Trophy Candidate.
Last year they made it to the Texas Bowl.
This year ? Who knows, but things are looking great so far.
