SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 7, 2013
Rutgers 31, South Florida 6: Chas Dodd threw for 179 yards and his first two touchdowns of the season as the host Scarlet Knights became bowl eligible for the eighth time in nine years.
Paul James rushed for 113 yards and two scores for Rutgers (6-6, 3-5 AAC). Tyler Kroft had three catches for 51 yards and Ruhann Peele had four for 36 yards as Rutgers outgained South Florida 355-151.
Mike White went 14-of-31 for 141 yards for South Florida (2-10, 2-6), hitting Mike McFarland twice for a team-high 47 yards. The Bulls were held to 10 rushing yards on 20 carries and turned the ball over twice.
James had a 5-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 1-yard score in the fourth. Darius Hamilton's fumble recovery in South Florida territory set up freshman Andre Patton's first career score, a 12-yard pass from Dodd for a 14-0 lead.
Dodd added a 2-yard TD pass to Michael Burton in between South Florida kicker Marvin Kloss' two field goals on the way to a 21-6 halftime lead. Rutgers' Joe Behnke added a 20-yard field goal in the final minute as the Bulls ended their season with the worst record in program history.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Rutgers is expected to receive a bid to the Pinstripe Bowl, which invited Notre Dame earlier Saturday. ... A roughing-the-passer penalty against South Florida DT Luke Sager negated a South Florida interception on the play before Dodd's touchdown pass to Patton. ... South Florida hasn't won at Rutgers since 2005.