The Sports Xchange
Sep 17, 2016
Janarion Grant returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown and threw for another as Rutgers overcame a 21-point deficit to beat New Mexico 37-28 on Saturday at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, N.J.
Robert Martin rushed for 169 yards and one touchdown while quarterback Chris Laviano completed 11 of 27 passes for 152 yards and a score for the Scarlet Knights (2-1).
Jawuan Harris had 94 receiving yards and a touchdown for Rutgers, which had never faced New Mexico (1-2) and has won 14 of its last 17 nonconference games.
Lamar Jordan rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown, and Richard McQuarley and Daryl Chestnut added rushing scores for the run-heavy Lobos, who racked up 286 rushing yards.
Jordan was 8-for-11 with 84 yards and Austin Apodaca finished 5 of 13 for 85 yards and a touchdown. New Mexico fell to 1-12 under coach Bob Davie when attempting at least 20 passes.
The Scarlet Knights went ahead 28-21 at halftime after Grant's punt return score with 1:22 left before halftime, erasing the Lobos' 21-0 advantage.
Lamar Jordan's 52-yard touchdown run with 29 seconds to play in the opening quarter gave New Mexico its largest lead, but Laviano found Harris for a 75-yard score to put Rutgers on the board with 0:13 left in the period.
Grant connected with Andre Patton for a 21-yard touchdown at 9:46 of the second quarter. Martin's 80-yard scoring rush tied the game 21-21 with 5:57 to go before the break.
The teams combined for 541 total yards in the first half.
David Bonagura's 41-yard field goal at 7:16 of the third quarter stretched the Scarlet Knights' lead to 10.
McQuarley's 22-yard rushing touchdown with 12:12 left in the game snapped Rutgers' stretch of 31 unanswered points and brought New Mexico within 31-28.
Bonagura's 33-yard field goal at 5:34 of the fourth and another 28-yarder with 3:09 remaining sealed the victory.