Big East News Articles

Game Preview - Rutgers vs. Army

New Meadowlands Stadium (82,566/Field Turf) East Rutherford, N.J. THE GAME Saturday’s game will be the 37th meeting between Rutgers and Army, which are separated geographically by just 76 miles … The series is tied 18-18, though Rutgers has won nine of the last 11 … The game will be the first college football game between Bowl Subdivision members at New Meadowlands Stadium … The Scarlet Knights played 48 games at the precursor to the existing stadium, going 20-28 at Giants Stadium … Army played 16 games at the old facility, going 3-13 … Rutgers and Army are scheduled to meet next season at Yankee Stadium (Nov. 12, 2011) and will play at Rutgers Stadium in 2012. RUTGERS (3-2, 1-0 BIG EAST) Head Coach Greg Schiano (Bucknell ’88) 58-57, 10th season NOTES Rutgers plays its last nonconference game of the 2010 season after the Scarlet Knights jumped to a 1-0 head start in BIG EAST play with last week’s win against Connecticut … Rutgers, which had scored 13 and 14 points in its previous two games, reeled off 453 yards of offense in the 27-24 win against the Huskies … The result was more impressive considering that the Scarlet Knights’ starting signal-caller was true freshman QB Chas Dodd, who was making his first career start … Dodd, who threw for 322 yards and two touchdowns in the win, has been named as the starter against Army … WR Mohamed Sanu remains a player to watch on every offensive play … Sanu is Rutgers’ leading rusher (50.4 yards per game) and receiver (49.0 yards per game) … Rutgers is ranked 11th nationally in scoring defense (270.2 yards per game) and ninth in scoring defense (14.4 ppg) … LB Antonio Lowery has a team-high 46 tackles, while DT Alex Silvestro leads the team with 6.5 tackles for loss … The Scarlet Knights have registered just five sacks of opposing quarterbacks. ARMY (4-2) Head Coach Rich Ellerson (Hawaii ’77) 9-9, second season at Army 69-50, 11th season as collegiate head coach NOTES Army is off to a 4-2 start following a 41-23 win at Tulane last week … The Black Knights have scored 194 points through six games, surpassing their season-long totals from each of the last two years … A win against Rutgers would match last year’s five-win total … Army is 3-0 in road games, having won at Eastern Michigan, Duke and Tulane … Army has not had a pass intercepted this season and has lost just four fumbles while running the option … The Black Knights have had just one turnover in the last four games … Army ranks ninth nationally in rushing at 274.3 yards per game … Conversely, the Black Knights are last in the nation in passing offense (68.0 yards per game) … FB Jared Hassin is the leading rusher with 393 yards and six touchdowns on 80 carries … Hassin has been stopped for a loss just once this season … QB Trent Steelman has rushed for 355 yards and seven touchdowns and has thrown four TD passes … LB Josh McNary has seven sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss … Army has lost 12 straight against BIG EAST opponents.