South Florida-Rutgers college football sidebar

RB Rice has his way against Bulls once again

By DENNIS GORMAN, Times Correspondent
Published October 19, 2007

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. - USF's national title hopes came to an inglorious end Thursday night thanks to Ray Rice and a defense that couldn't stop him.

Rice rushed for 181 yards on 39 carries. The 39 rushes tied his career high, set last season against Pittsburgh. It was his 19th 100-yard rushing game, tying J.J. Jennings' school record set from 1971-73.

In three games against USF, Rutgers' junior has totaled 541 yards on 100 carries - 5.41 yards per rush - and two touchdowns.

"He's a good running back," USF coach Jim Leavitt said.

Rice's presence allowed junior quarterback Mike Teel to stretch the Bulls secondary.

Teel completed 11 of 29 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Trailing 17-13 at the start of the third quarter, Rice ran twice for 6 yards. On third and 4 from the Rutgers' 31-yard line and with the Bulls acutely aware of the Scarlet Knights' Heisman Trophy candidate, Teel connected with junior wide receiver Tiquan Underwood for a 69-yard touchdown that gave his team a 20-17 lead.

It was an advantage Rutgers did not relinquish.

"I thought our defense played hard," Leavitt said.

"The one big pass play ... missed a tackle. It's some big plays like that."

Rutgers' commitment to the run caused the undersized USF defensive line to wear down midway through the third quarter.

After starting cornerback Devin McCourtney's block of a 37-yard Delbert Alvarado field goal attempt, Rice had runs of 14, 33 and 5 yards in a drive that culminated with a 15-yard touchdown pass from reserve quarterback Andrew DePaola to Kevin Brock that pushed Rutgers' lead to 27-17.

"We were hoping to stop the run better than we did," Leavitt said.

"They ran the ball on us."

While Rice is a headache that the Bulls are glad to be rid of for another season, the bigger issue will be the lack of forced turnovers. USF was credited with three fumble recoveries. Only one, however, was forced by the defense - a fumble by Rice late in the fourth quarter.

"We took a hit," Leavitt said of the Bulls' Big East title hopes.

He might as well have been talking about the defense.

USF hadn't allowed a runner to reach 100 yards in the 14 games since Rice went for 202 in the Scarlet Knights' 22-20 win last year.

Rice had 94 at halftime Thursday night.

"When my number's called," Rice said, "I'm going to do whatever it takes."

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/10/19/Sports/RB_Rice_has_his_way_a.shtml

Hampton-Princeton Notes for the Newport News

O-line wears down Tigers

By Denis Gorman

Correspondent

1:02 AM EDT, October 7, 2007

PRINCETON, NJ--Hampton coach Joe Taylor praised Kevin Beverly's toughness.
"He showed a lot of character; we haven't had him since the first half of the Howard game (and) I thought we lost him a couple times (limping off the field). But there he was."

Beverly, playing with an injured toe, rushed for three touchdowns -- two in the second half -- in the Pirates' 48-27 win over Princeton on Saturday.

The senior running back from New Carrollton, Md., finished with 12 carries for 77 yards. Coming into the game, he had only carried the ball 12 times all season. He credited the offensive line for his performance.

"The O-line did a great job," Beverly said sheepishly. "They did a great job of wearing them down."

The Pirates finished with 156 yards on 42 rushes (3.71 yards per carry) and five touchdowns.

UPS AND DOWNS

It was an up-and down day for the Pirates' linebacking corps. Senior reserve middle linebacker Jimari Jones had a good day in pass coverage, nearly intercepting Princeton QB Bill Foran in the first quarter and batting down a ball near the goal line.

That was the good.

The not-so-good was junior starting linebacker Charles Robinson's first half. In the first quarter, Princeton tight end Jake Staser made a leaping, juggling catch over Robinson in the end zone to tie the game at 7. The junior linebacker was flagged for roughing the passer in the second quarter, which led to the first of Bill Foran's two rushing touchdowns.

Robinson did have an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown to start the third quarter. Princeton wide receiver and reserve quarterback Greg Mortz's pass was batted by junior defensive tackle Kevin Burke, landing in Robinson's hands, and the Hampton native raced untouched up the left sidelines. Robinson's second interception return for a touchdown -- he returned a pick 45 yards for a score in last season's 59-7 win over Florida A&M -- cut Princeton's lead to 27-20.

MEAC VS. IVY LEAGUE

While this was the first meeting between Hampton and Princeton, it was not the first MEAC-Ivy League matchup. In 1980, Morgan State was shut out by Yale, 41-0.

Copyright © 2007, Newport News, Va., Daily Press

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Hampton-Princeton gamer for Newport News Daily Press

Pirates shake off slow start, dominate Tigers

After a sluggish first half, Hampton outscores Princeton 34-0 to pull away.

By Denis Gorman

Correspondent

12:59 AM EDT, October 7, 2007

PRINCETON, NJ-- Sam Pope was all by himself, not a soul within 30 yards.
As Pope closed in on the goal line, he made a decision. Why not celebrate?

So, he did, somersaulting a la Reggie Bush, into the end zone at Princeton Stadium. Penalty flags rained down, but they were irrelevant. Not after Pope's 65-yard interception return for a touchdown sealed Hampton's 48-27 win over Princeton.

"I told my guys that if I get a pick, I was going to dive into the end zone," the grinning cornerback from St. Helena Island, S.C., said. "(Coach Joe Taylor) told me he'll take that one."

And why wouldn't he? One week after a 24-17 loss to Delaware State and after a half that saw Princeton dominate his team, the Pirates are 4-1 and play four of their last five games at Armstrong Stadium.

At the half, Hampton was behind 27-14, having struggled with the Tigers' blitz packages on defense and spread-option offense. Princeton (2-2) scored 20 points on its last four possessions of the first half -- two field goals and two touchdowns -- due to the defense forcing turnovers deep in Pirates territory.

"It looks like we shot ourselves in the foot in the first half," said Taylor. "I thought we needed to clean it up. On offense, we (needed) to run the football. Defensively, we went from man versus zone. The big thing was to clean it up."

Pope, who finished with two interceptions for 96 yards and the score, said that while Taylor told his team to "turn it up," it was senior defensive end Kendall Langford who inspired his teammates.

"Lankford gave a great speech and we came out on fire," said Pope.

That they did. The Pirates picked off four passes in the second half and outscored the Tigers 34-0 in that span.

"Once the momentum swung, that's when things went our way," Taylor noted.

Ironically, the Pirates' momentum started with a stop. Trailing 27-20 at the start of the fourth quarter, Pope stopped Princeton reserve running back Kenny Gregory on a fourth-and-1 on the goal line. Hampton was energized. Princeton, which had a chance to go up by two touchdowns, was deflated.

"It was a big play. I tell the team, 'Empower the team with plays,' and that certainly was big for us," said Taylor.

The Tigers' offense responded with a masterful 16-play drive that was culminated with Van Morgan's second touchdown to tie the game at 27. Princeton's Matt Murphy blocked the extra point.

Morgan had 22 carries for 49 yards and two touchdowns, plus two catches for 8 yards.

"In the second half, we picked up the tempo and began to move faster," said sophomore quarterback T.J. Mitchell (18-for-28 for 229 yards, one interception and two fumbles). "We were able to execute."

Defensive end Marcus Dixon forced a fumble that linebacker Franklin Frazier recovered on the next series. The offense took full advantage with a 10-play, 43-yard drive that ended with the second of three Kevin Beverly touchdown runs. It was 34-27 Hampton.

One play after the score, Pope picked off Bill Foran (11-of-20, 181 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions; 16 carries, 84 yards and two scores). Beverly scored four plays later to put the game away.

Copyright © 2007, Newport News, Va., Daily Press

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