Indiana Hoosiers vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Match Player Stats On Nov 15, 2014

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 15, 2014

Rutgers 45, Indiana 23: Gary Nova threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns, and Robert Martin changed momentum for good with a 47-yard scoring run, as the host Scarlet Knights rallied past Tevin Coleman and the Hoosiers.

Trailing 13-10, and with Indiana (3-7, 0-6 Big Ten) in the red zone looking for more, Rutgers came up with a critical stop in the third quarter, holding the Hoosiers to a Griffin Oakes 22-yard field goal. Martin, who ran for 83 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries, and Nova took over from there, as the Scarlet Knights (6-4, 2-4) scored 21 consecutive points en route to snapping a three-game losing streak.

Coleman, the nation's No. 2 rusher heading into the weekend, had a huge day, amassing 307 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries for the Hoosiers. Two minutes into the second half, he burst through the Rutgers line and scampered 68 yards down to the 5-yard line in what seemed like a game-breaking drive for the Hoosiers before they had to settle for the Oakes field goal.

Nova, a senior who was honored before the home finale, and coach Kyle Flood have absorbed much of the criticism for the Scarlet Knights' midseason struggles, so it was fitting Rutgers secured bowl eligibility for the fourth straight season with the New Jersey native under center. The Scarlet Knights, mired in mediocrity in their first season in the Big Ten, were outscored 135-41 during the skid, but bounced back to post 429 total yards while Nova completed 16-of-27 passes.

Coleman stayed in the game late, well after the Rutgers defensive starters were gone, and averaged 9.6 yards per carry. He had little support around him, though, as Zander Diamont completed just 15-of-31 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown, and just four Hoosiers had receptions in Indiana's fifth consecutive loss.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Flood, who is in his third season since replacing Greg Schiano, is 0-2 in bowls, losing to Virginia Tech and Notre Dame. … While Martin provided the second-half theatrics, backfield mate Josh Hicks quietly churned out 114 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries for the Scarlet Knights. … Indiana WR Shane Wynn had 11 receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown.