With as bitter a rivalry as Rutgers-Connecticut has become — judging from the bulletin-board rancor spewing from Storrs — the 21st-ranked Scarlet Knights (4-0, 1-0 Big East) insist today’s game isn’t about payback for perceived slights or last year’s upset loss.
That might have been the single most valuable lesson that came out of that 40-22 embarrassment against a .500 UConn team last season, a collapse that cost Rutgers a share of what would have been its first Big East title. Hubris and haughtiness got the better of them that day, and it’s a mistake they’re intent on avoiding today.
“Nah, it ain’t happening, because we’re not going to let it happen,’’ senior linebacker Khaseem Greene said. “This team is focused on the task at hand, and that’s being 1-0 after playing these guys, and we know we can’t get to our ultimate goal without being 1-0 after this game. So as a player, as a leader, as a captain, I’m not going to let any dip or anything happen.
“I can’t live with myself if I don’t say anything or I allow stuff to happen. So yeah, that’s not going to happen. … You can expect for that to never happen again, especially while I’m here. ”
The Scarlet Knights had won five of their previous six against UConn and had a chance to earn a share of their first title before coming up flat in their regular-season finale. They say the lesson they have learned is to concentrate game-by-game on the task at hand and not the prize at the end.
“Getting so close and losing makes you want to work that much harder,’’ said running back Jawan Jamison, who got hurt and ran for just 19 yards in that loss. “Against Connecticut we slipped a bit and came in knowing this is the game that could decide it. We were a little bit cocky, because we were winning. But now we know it’s a one-game season and we’ve just got to get the win.’’
Jamison has 74 of Rutgers’ 81 carries the last two games, but injured backup Savon Huggins is back today. That, plus the growth of Gary Nova — who threw for 397 yards, five touchdowns and no picks in a win at Arkansas — has the Scarlet Knights offense emerging. But today is a clash of the league’s top two defenses.
UConn’s defense includes cornerback Dwayne Gratz — a Piscataway, N.J., native quoted in the Hartford Courant as saying, “I don’t like Rutgers. I never have. I never will.” — and is led by defensive end Trevardo Williams (league-high 6 1/2 sacks) and linebacker Yawin Smallwood (league-best 53 tackles).
“Williams is the single most dominant pass-rusher in our conference,” Rutgers coach Kyle Flood said. “He’s a guy, if you allow him to, he can single-handedly ruin the game.’’