Wimsatt runs for 3 TDs, Rutgers bowl eligible after 31-14 win over Indiana

Updated Oct. 21, 2023 5:53 p.m. ET

Associated Press

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Gavin Wimsatt ran for three touchdowns and 143 yards as Rutgers became bowl eligible with a 31-14 road victory over Indiana on Saturday.

The Scarlet Knights (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) equaled their best start since 2012 and tied a program record for conference wins.

“This is a big, big step for the program, there’s no doubt about it,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said to players in the locker room. “It’s been a while since this program has been bowl eligible. What did I say?”

The players erupted. It’s been since 2014. But Schiano has qualified for a bowl seven times in two stints at Rutgers and earned a $75,000 bonus this time.

“So that feels good,” he said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the way you guys fought through eight straight weeks. … You son of a guns, you battled together.”

The Hoosiers (2-5, 0-4) have lost 11 of 12 games in the conference.

Wimsatt scored twice on 1-yard sneaks in the first half, then the junior quarterback broke free on an 80-yard TD run for the game’s final points early in the fourth quarter. His 143 yards rushing are a school record for a quarterback. Rutgers wore down Indiana’s defense with relentless rushing in amassing 276 yards.

Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai, the Big Ten’s leading rusher with 744 yards, finished with 109 on 24 carries for his fourth 100-yard game of the season.

Indiana drove to an opening touchdown as Brendan Sorsby threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr., but Rutgers responded with two touchdowns. Shaquan Loyal came off the edge to block a punt and Eric Rogers scooped and scored from 17 yards out in the second quarter to make it 14-7.

The Hoosiers tied the game on a Sorsby 4-yard run and appeared to be headed to halftime tied but returner Jaylin Lucas, the reigning Big Ten’s Specialist of the Year, muffed a punt and Rutgers recovered at Indiana’s 25 with 28 seconds remaining. The turnover led to a Rutgers field goal for a 17-14 halftime lead.

Allen conceded the season is slipping away.

“There’s no question,” he said. “I don’t think I feel it. I think it’s a reality that you get to this stage of the year and you have this many losses.”

The Scarlet Knights dominated the second half as Wimsatt added his second score for a 24-14 lead in the third quarter. Rutgers had 55 rushes compared to Indiana’s 29 as the Scarlet Knights continued to move the chains while the Hoosiers struggled to sustain drives. Wimsatt’s 1-yard scores completed lengthy drives of 15 and 12 plays.

Sorsby completed 6 of 7 passes for 58 yards on the opening possession, but was just 9 of 24 for 68 yards after that.

“It falls on me,” Allen said. “I’m the one in charge. It’s on me.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Rutgers: A third consecutive win over the Hoosiers was important for bowl eligibility when considering the Scarlet Knights’ last four opponents entered the day with a combined record of 23-3.

Indiana: Humbled by three losses to ranked teams as well as to then-unbeaten Maryland, the Hoosiers were unable to turn a losing season around despite taking an early lead. Pressure is mounting on Allen, who received a seven-year extension in 2021. The home crowd booed after the Hoosiers ran unsuccessfully on a third-and-7 play in the second quarter, settling for a punt. It would take $20 million to buy out the remainder of Allen’s contract.

BOWLING

The last time Rutgers had a winning season was 2014, when they were 8-5 with Kyle Flood as coach. Their only bowl game since was the Taxslayer Gator Bowl (Dec. 31, 2021) as a COVID-19 replacement for Texas A&M with a 4-8 record. The Scarlet Knights lost to Wake Forest.

INJURY REPORT

Indiana senior safety Noah Pierre was carted off with a leg injury in the first quarter. The captain gave two thumbs up as he was transported. Monangai was sidelined briefly by a twisted ankle in the second quarter.

TWO TARGETS

Indiana safety Louis Moore and Rutgers linebacker Jamier Wright-Collins were ejected for targeting.

BY THE NUMBERS

Rutgers: The blocked-punt return for a TD marked the second consecutive week the Scarlet Knights have scored on special teams. Last week, a snap that went through the Michigan State punter’s hands was recovered in the end zone. … Sixteen of Rutgers’ 20 first downs were via the rush. … The Scarlet Knights had just 39 passing yards.

Indiana: LB Aaron Casey finished with a game-high nine tackles. … RB Trent Howland rushed for 54 yards on nine carries. … DE Andre Carter had his seventh tackle for loss. … DT Nick James contributed the game’s only sack.

UP NEXT

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights have a weekend off before hosting Ohio State on Nov. 4.

Indiana: The Hoosiers visit Penn State next Saturday.

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