2006 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team

Last updated

2006 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
Rutgers athletics logo.png
Texas Bowl champion
Texas Bowl, W 3710 vs. Kansas State
Conference Big East Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 12
APNo. 12
Record11–2 (5–2 Big East)
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinator Craig Ver Steeg (4th season)
Co-offensive coordinator John McNulty (1st as OC, 3rd overall season)
Defensive coordinatorGreg Schiano (2nd season)
Home stadium Rutgers Stadium
(Capacity: 41,500)
Seasons
  2005
2007  
2006 Big East Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 6 Louisville $  6 1   12 1  
No. 10 West Virginia  5 2   11 2  
No. 12 Rutgers  5 2   11 2  
South Florida  4 3   9 4  
Cincinnati  4 3   8 5  
Pittsburgh  2 5   6 6  
Connecticut  1 6   4 8  
Syracuse  1 6   4 8  
  • $ BCS representative as conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2006 Rutgers Scarlet Knights campaign was considered by many to be the breakout season for the Rutgers football team. Led by Draddy Trophy winning senior fullback Brian Leonard, sophomore quarterback Mike Teel, senior defensive captain and two time national defensive player of the week defensive tackle Ramel Meekins, sophomore halfback Ray Rice, sophomore wide receiver Tiquan Underwood, junior defensive tackle Eric Foster, and junior kicker Jeremy Ito, Rutgers finished the season ranked 12th in the Associated Press and Coaches polls, won eleven of thirteen games, and recorded the first bowl game win in school history.

Contents

The team started off the season going undefeated through nine games, including a dramatic win over then-3rd ranked Louisville, which was highlighted by kicker Jeremy Ito's last minute field goal to seal the win. After they were defeated by both West Virginia and Cincinnati, they received an invitation to play Kansas State in the inaugural Texas Bowl. Rutgers defeated Kansas State 37-10 for the first bowl game win in school history. Halfback Ray Rice was named the game's MVP and ran for 170 yards and one touchdown in twenty-four carries. [1] Due to his tremendous 2006 season, in which he ran for 1,794 yards and scored twenty touchdowns, Rice won Big East Player of the Year honors. He also finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting and was a finalist for the Maxwell Award.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 23:30 pmat North Carolina * ABC W 21–1650,000
September 912:00 pm Illinois * ESPN2 W 33–041,036
September 163:30 pm Ohio *Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
MSG W 24–741,102
September 232:00 pm Howard *No. 23
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
MSGW 56–735,558
September 298:00 pmat South Florida No. 23ESPN2W 22–2032,493
October 141:30 pmat Navy *No. 24 CSTV W 34–036,918
October 215:45 pmat Pittsburgh No. 19ESPN2W 20–1049,620
October 298:00 pm Connecticut No. 16
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
ESPN W 24–1343,620
November 97:45 pmNo. 3 Louisville No. 15
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
ESPNW 28–2544,111
November 187:45 pmat Cincinnati No. 7ESPN2L 11–3027,804
November 2512:00 pm Syracuse No. 15
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
ESPNU W 38–743,791
December 27:45 pmat No. 15 West Virginia No. 13ESPNL 39–41 3OT60,299
December 288:00 pmvs. Kansas State *No. 16 NFL Network W 37–1052,210
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
— = Not ranked. RV = Received votes.
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP 23242419161515715131612
Coaches RVRVRVRV23232419161514816131712
Harris Not released232424191514137151316Not released
BCS Not released161412136141316Not released

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References