Rutgers fooled every person in the building — and it paid off in a big way against the top team in the country.
Taking on No. 1 Ohio State at home on Saturday afternoon, the Scarlet Knights were down by a touchdown early in the second quarter with the ball at their own 43-yard line and then pulled off some trickery.
In a fourth-and-1 situation, Rutgers lined up in a set that looked as if they would use the “tush push,” which has been popularized by the Eagles’ success with the formation and using it in these exact spots.
With Ohio State’s defense trying to jump the pile and grab quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, whom they thought would sneak the ball up the middle with an extra push, the Rutgers signal-caller instead handed the ball off between his legs to running back Kyle Monangai.
And with the defensive line mostly down on the ground, Monangai not only picked up the first down, but he scampered into open space and picked up an enormous 45-yard gain to get the Scarlet Knights into Buckeyes territory.
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The play completely fooled Ohio State and CBS Sports broadcaster Tom McCarthy, too.
“Ooh he fumbled it, he fumbled it — and Monangai picks it up!” McCarthy said as he realized what had actually happened. “This was a play that was set. Monangai into the open field and Monangai inside the 15 and he’s in the red zone.”
Rutgers’ drive stalled out after that, but the trick play got the team in field-goal range for its first three points of the game.
The trickery might’ve given Rutgers some momentum, as the Scarlet Knights not only held Ohio State to seven points, but they took a 9-7 lead into halftime.
Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord was picked off on Ohio State’s final drive, setting up a Rutgers field goal in the final seconds of the second quarter.
