Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs SMU Mustangs Match Player Stats On Oct 05, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 5, 2013

Rutgers 55, Southern Methodist 52 (3OT): Freshman running back Justin Goodwin accounted for 222 total yards and three touchdowns, including the winning 17-yard score in triple overtime, as the Scarlet Knights overcame a ferocious Mustangs rally for their first American Athletic Conference win.

Goodwin, filling in for Rutgers' leading rusher, Paul James, who missed the game with an ankle injury, piled up 149 rushing yards on 24 carries and grabbed two catches for 73 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Gary Nova threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns for the Scarlet Knights (4-1, 1-0 AAC), who extended their winning streak to four straight games.

Garrett Gilbert had a career day, setting school records by completing 45-of-70 passing attempts for 484 yards and five touchdowns to lead the offense for Southern Methodist, which erased two 21-point deficits to force overtime. Gilbert added a pair of rushing scores in the extra frames for the Mustangs (1-4, 0-1) and Jeremy Johnson set career highs as his primary receiving target, hauling in 18 catches for 217 yards and three touchdowns.

Trailing 35-20 late in the fourth quarter, Gilbert found Darius Joseph from 6 yards out to pull to within 35-27. After stopping Rutgers on a fourth-down play, Gilbert led SMU on a four-play, 65-yard scoring drive capped by Johnson's 13-yard touchdown catch that made it 35-33.

Needing a two-point conversion to force overtime, Gilbert crafted some magic, getting flushed out of the pocket all the way to far sideline before connecting with Johnson back across the field in the back of the end zone to knot the game at 35-35. SMU twice had the lead in overtime but after Chase Hover's 37-yard field goal try put the Mustangs up 52-49, Goodwin's game-clinching dash saved the day for the Scarlet Knights in a frantic finish.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Scarlet Knights won their fourth straight conference opener, adding their first AAC win to their final three as a member of the Big East. ... RB Traylon Shead finished with 69 rushing yards on 15 carries to lead the Mustangs, who were outgained 191-74 on the ground. ... Junior RB Savon Huggins added 48 yards on 18 carries for Rutgers, which is expected to be without James again on Thursday at No. 7 Louisville.