Rutgers Football

Tailback Jawan Jamison ran for one score, QB Gary Nova threw for another and even the Scarlet Knights special teams scored a TD as Rutgers topped Syracuse, 23-15, in the final game the two teams would play as Big East rivals. The win against Syracuse moved the Knights to a perfect 6-0 on the season for the first time since 2006 and 3-0 in the Big East Conference.

But, it wasn't easy. 

Syracuse had scouted the Knights well, bottling up Jamison (64 yards, one TD) and holding him under 100 yards in a game for the first time this season. The Syracuse Orange gave the Scarlet Knights all they could handle, and it was once again up to the defense and special teams to preserve the win.

However, the one thing the Orange didn't appear to account for was the one-man tornado named Khaseem Greene. Greene amassed 14 tackles, three forced fumbles, had 1.5 sacks and even recorded an interception as the senior linebacker made his bid to be Big East defensive player of the week.

"That guy is amazing," said teammate Duron Harmon (as quoted by Dave Hutchinson of The Star-Ledger on NJ.com). Greene leads the team in tackles and sacks this season.

With the score tied 7-7, Syracuse lined up for a go-ahead 32-yard field goal by kicker Ross Krautman. Rutgers LB Jamal Merrell shot through and blocked the kick, which was scooped up by DB Duron Harmon. Harmon then ran with a Scarlet wave escorting him to the end zone to put the Knights up, 14-7. 

"That's a huge play," said Rutgers DT Scott Vallone (as reported by the Associated Press by ESPN). "They're going to take the lead and we take that to the house."

The game became nerve-racking for Rutgers fans due to the absence of injured placekicker Kyle Federico.

While he performed well in the fill-in role, backup kicker Nick Borgese missed a critical extra point following a Gary Nova (14-of-23 for 152 yards) touchdown pass to Tyler Kroft in the fourth quarter that would have given the Knights a 17-point lead. Instead, with the score 23-7, Syracuse would need just two touchdowns (and two-point conversion) to tie the game.

Orange QB Ryan Nassib then set about making the crowd of 48,011 at High Point Solutions Stadium squirm in their seats by completing a 40-yard TD to Christopher Clark, with 4:19 left to play. As it has been all season long, it was again up to the Rutgers defense to lock down the game, stopping the final two Syracuse drives of the game to preserve the eight-point win.

With their sixth victory, Rutgers is assured of at least a .500 regular season and is technically bowl eligible. More importantly, the Knights are in first place in their conference, and the win has propelled them to No. 15 in the BCS standings.

“Whether it’s the coaches’ poll or AP or BCS, we’re at the halfway point of the season [and] we have a lot of football to play," said Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood (as quoted by Keith Sargeant of Scarlet Scuttlebutt on MyCentralJersey.com). We won’t be looking at any polls.”

At 5-0, the Scarlet Knights are enjoying their best start to a season since 2006. As the midpoint of the season draws near, the target on their backs grows larger each week.

Big East rival Syracuse (2-3) comes to Piscataway, N.J. this week to take on Rutgers, whose victory over Connecticut has vaulted them to a No. 20 national ranking. The Orange, meanwhile, are coming off their impressive 14-13 win over Pittsburgh in which their defense held the Panthers to just 27 yards rushing in the game.

Against Syracuse, the Panthers were held to just 8-of-17 on third down, and the one touchdown Pittsburgh could muster was on RB Ray Graham's one-yard touchdown run.

Thanks to his performance against the Panthers, Syracuse defensive end Brandon Sharpe was the Big East defensive player of the week as he collected four sacks and seven tackles. The 6'1" senior lineman was converted from linebacker three years ago, and will be someone the Knights' offense will need to game-plan against.

Syracuse's defense may be somewhat weakened this week against Rutgers, as safety Shamarko Thomas is questionable for the game. Thomas sustained an injury while making a tackle in the fourth quarter of last week's game against Pittsburgh.

"I think he's doing fine," said head coach Doug Marrone during a weekly teleconference (as quoted by Nolan Weidner of The Post Standard on Syracuse.com) on October 8. "We're day-to-day with him."

In last week's win, the Orange made use of a strong defensive performance and a balanced offense that featured 120 yards in the running attack, and another 185 through the air. While he threw one interception in the game, starting QB Ryan Nassib was 19-for-30, and ran the ball eight times for 14 yards.

Syracuse currently averages 24 points per game, powered by leading rusher Jerome Smith (288 yards rushing) and the passing of Ryan Nassib (137-of-208 for 1,552 yards and 10 TDs). Talented receivers Marcus Sales (33 catches, five TDs), Jarrod West (21 receptions, one TD) and Alec Lemon (21 catches) will be Nassib's primary targets in Saturday's contest.

While the Rutgers running game, namely Jawan Jamison, has been outstanding this season, the defense has been even better. The steady improvement of starting quarterback Gary Nova has given head coach Kyle Flood renewed confidence in the passing game, but the Knights do have reason to worry about their battle with Syracuse.

The biggest concern for Rutgers is the status of placekicker Kyle Federico, who sustained a hip injury in the win over Connecticut. The injury is likely to keep him out of Saturday's game, and the Knights have been holding open auditions for the kicking spot. Sophomore Nick DeLouisa or freshman Nick Borgese are the most likely candidates to replace Federico.

"I'm not ready to really discuss where [Federico] is at," stated head coach Kyle Flood (as reported by Dave Hutchinson of The Star-Ledger on NJ.com). "It's going to take a couple of days here to really evaluate whether or not we think he'll be able to go."

Game Information: Saturday, October 13, 12 p.m. ET; High Point Solutions Stadium, Piscataway, NJ.

The Syracuse Orange and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will do battle for the final time in Big East play, with the Orange migrating to the ACC next season.

Emotions should be running high, creating a competitive football game for fans to enjoy.

The Scarlet Knights have been one of this year's most surprising teams, ripping off five straight wins behind the nation's No. 5 scoring defense.

Syracuse challenged Southern California and Northwestern in the season's opening weeks, but it's struggled to a 2-3 record thus far.

Let's preview this one from top to bottom.

Where: High Points Solutions Stadium, Piscataway, N.J.

When: Saturday, October 13 at 12 p.m. ET

Watch: Big East Network

Live Stream: ESPN3

Radio: WTKA 99.5 FM (Syracuse), Rutgers Radio Network

Betting Line: Rutgers (-7), Over/Under 46.5, according to Covers.com

Who Might Not Play for Syracuse (according to USAToday.com)

S Shamarko Thomas—Head—Questionable

TE Ron Thompson—Undisclosed—Questionable

WR Jeremiah Kobena—Upper Body—Out Indefinitely

WR Kyle Foster—Lower Body—Out for Season

DT Ryan Sloan—Lower Body—Out for Season

FB Myles Davis—Lower Body—Out for Season

T Kristofer Curtis—Undisclosed—Out for Season

Who Might Not Play for Rutgers (according to USAToday.com)

RB Paul James—Ankle—Questionable

DL Al Page—Leg—Questionable

DL Isaac Holmes—Wrist—Out for Season

BCS/Top 25 Implications

The Orange are 2-3, but their 1-0 Big East record keeps them in the hunt inside the conference. With the BCS system, that could keep them in the BCS hunt whether they deserve it or not.

Rutgers is a different story. At No. 19 in the nation, the Scarlet Knights are quietly climbing the rankings. Their 2-0 Big East record puts them above undefeated Cincinnati atop the conference.

The Big East receives an automatic BCS bid, so there's definitely something on the line here. Rutgers, Cincinnati and Louisville could be dueling for the top spot until the end, making every game huge until then.

What They're Saying

Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone had excellent things to say about Rutgers in an interview with The Post Standard reporter Nolan Weidner.

Marrone said “We’re playing an opponent that has one of the top defenses in the country. Truly they make things happen. Their rushing defense is second in the country. Their scoring defense is fifth.”

Weidner followed that up with some background information of his own:

Indeed, the Scarlet Knights are allowing a mere 10.8 points per game.

Teams have only rushed for 60.6 yards per game against Rutgers, which allows less than 300 yards of total offense (296.8) per contest. The Scarlet Knights also have 10 interceptions (tied for second in the nation) and sport a healthy plus-nine turnover margin (13 takeaways versus four turnovers).

The Orange enters Saturday’s game averaging 451 yards of total offense and 24 points per game.

Marrone sings more praise for Rutgers in Weidner's report, showing the respect his squad has for the Scarlet Knights on both sides of the ball.

Who to Watch (Syracuse): Ryan Nassib, QB

Nassib has thrown for over 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. He gives the Orange the best shot at pulling the upset, depending on if he turns the ball over or not.

As Weidner mentioned earlier, Rutgers is second in the nation in interceptions. Nassib has six this season, which could present a problem against the Scarlet Knights' ball-hawking secondary.

He has Marcus Sales to look for downfield, but possessing the ball will be the most important part here. If he turns it over, this game could get out of hand.

Who to Watch (Rutgers): Khaseem Greene, LB

Greene is a stud, averaging nearly 10 tackles per game so far this season.

He was named the 2011 Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year last season, and he hasn't missed a beat this season. He has 49 tackles, one interception, two sacks and a forced fumble through five games.

Rutgers' stellar defense is paced by Greene's efforts. He will be aggressive for all four quarters, trying to make Nassib's life difficult behind center.

You may not know his name yet, but you will soon enough.

Who Wins?

Rutgers' defense is too much for Syracuse here. The Orange are averaging over 300 passing yards per game, but they haven't faced an aggressive unit like this.

Look for Jawan Jamison to run well enough to keep the Rutgers defense rested, allowing the Scarlet Knights to posses the football offensively. He's run for 600-plus yards this season, and he's more than capable of making the difference.

Prediction: Rutgers 31, Syracuse 20

The Syracuse Orange will try and keep pace in the competitive Big East title race when they square off against the undefeated Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Point Solutions Stadium this Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is slated for noon (EST) and the game will be available on ESPN3.com.

Syracuse is 2-3 straight up overall (1-3-1 against the spread), but 1-0 in conference play after grinding out a 14-13 victory over Pittsburgh this past Friday night as a one-point favorite at home. The total has stayed “under” in its last two games after the Orange managed to score a total of just 24 points.

The Scarlet Knights continued their slow-and-steady climb in the polls with a 19-3 Big East win over Connecticut this past Saturday as 7.5-point home favorites. They remained perfect on the year at 5-0 SU and improved to 3-2 ATS. The total has stayed under in three of their four games with a posted line.

Syracuse vs. Rutgers Betting Storylines

 

The Orange entered their final season in the Big East with high expectations, but a less-than-stellar start. Losses in a couple of games they were favored to win has raised some serious doubts about the actual talent level of this team.

Quarterback Ryan Nassib has put up some big numbers with 1,552 yards passing and 10 touchdowns, but he has also been picked off six times. Overall, the offense is ranked 17^th in the country in average passing yards per game and is racking up 140.6 yards a game on the ground.

This has not translated to points on the scoreboard, though. Syracuse is ranked 87^th in the country in scoring with an average of 24.4 points a game.

Defensively, the Orange have been able to tighten things up over the last few weeks against Minnesota and Pittsburgh, but they were torched for 42 points by both Northwestern and USC earlier in the season. Overall, this unit is ranked 63^rd in points allowed and is giving up an average of 26.2 points a game.

You did not see the betting public jumping on Rutgers’ bandwagon as the fifth-favorite to win the Big East before the season started, but the Scarlet Knights 5-0 start is adding more and more people to that bandwagon every week. They have already taken out South Florida this year with Cincinnati and Louisville further down the road.

Gary Nova has not been spectacular at quarterback, but he's quickly learned how to manage the game while doing a good job at taking care of the ball. Jawan Jamison has been a force running the ball with 601 yards on 130 carries. Brandon Coleman remains the go-to guy in the passing game with a team-high five touchdown receptions.

The main reason Rutgers is undefeated and in excellent position for a legitimate run at the conference title is a suffocating defense that's ranked fifth in the nation in points allowed. This unit has given up 13 or fewer points in four of its games and has surrendered a total of 16 points in two conference games.

Syracuse vs. Rutgers Betting Odds and Trends by 5Dimes

 

Pointspread: Rutgers -7

Total Line: OFF

 

The Orange are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 games overall and 0-6 ATS in their last six games on the road. The total has stayed under in 11 of their last 15 games against a team with a winning record.

The Scarlet Knights are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 conference games following an ATS win. The total has stayed under in five of their last six home games.

Head-to-head, the favorite in this series is 11-5 ATS in the last 16 meetings and the home team is 9-4 ATS in the last 13. The total has stayed under in four of the last five games.

College Football Picks: Syracuse vs. Rutgers Betting Predictions

 

The Orange are 1-3 both SU and ATS in their last four trips to New Jersey and 2-5 ATS in the last seven matchups overall. The talent gap between the two is as wide as it has ever been in recent memory, which all points to a Rutgers’ victory at home that covers the one-touchdown spread.

 

Take # 134 Rutgers (-7) over Syracuse (Saturday, Oct. 13, noon EST)

Jawan Jamison carried the ball 28 times for 110 yards and quarterback Gary Nova (18-for-27, 157 yards) threw for a touchdown as Rutgers beat Connecticut, 19-3, to keep them in first place in the Big East.

The win kept the Rutgers Scarlet Knights undefeated on the young season and helped to solidify their standing in the Top 25.

Using the same script that they have used in four of their five wins this year, Rutgers relied on a strong running performance by Jamison, solid special teams play and a smothering defense. Through five games, Jamison has amassed 601 yards and two touchdowns, but the Scarlet Knights defense was the key to the game, making play after play to thwart the Huskies' attack.

"We had a 100-yard rusher," said Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood (as quoted by the Sports Network on Ledger-Enquirer.com), "we played tremendous run defense and we made some terrific plays in the kicking game."

The Knights intercepted Connecticut quarterback Chandler Whitmer four times in the game and held highly touted Huskies tailback Lyle McCombs to just 32 rushing yards on the afternoon. The Huskies, who came into the contest averaging 23 points per game, were held to just one 19-yard field goal off the foot of kicker Chad Christen.

The total team performance by the conference-leading Knights was what DT Scott Vallone labeled, "the blueprint for what we want to do" (as quoted by Tom Luicci of The Star-Ledger on NJ.com).

The final interception thrown by Whitmer was returned 25 yards by DB Wayne Warren for a Rutgers touchdown to seal the game in the fourth quarter.

By comparison, Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova continues to mature with each passing week since his two shaky starts at the beginning of the season. Nova threw the ball to five different receivers in the game, including a touchdown to Mark Harrison and no interceptions.

"If you could bottle today's game you'd see Rutgers football," explained Kyle Flood (per the Star-Ledger's Tom Luicci on NJ.com).

It was the ninth straight game that Rutgers did not allow an opponent to rush for 100 yards, and the 5-0 undefeated start is the best for the Scarlet Knights since 2006. Rutgers next faces Syracuse on October 13.

With the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at 4-0 and just beginning to play well, is a week off a help or a hindrance?

Sure, it affords them an extra seven days to prepare for an opponent and gives those individuals with nagging injuries extra time to heal, but players tend to be creatures of habit during the season.

In a typical week, certain days are for specific tasks, and taking players out of their rhythm when they are looking to keep their momentum going is often considered a negative.

The Big East will find out how a week off affects its conference leaders, as the Scarlet Knights return to the gridiron after a bye week to face the Connecticut Huskies. Rutgers is coming off its 35-26 statement win over the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Huskies roll into Piscataway with running back Lyle McCombs (454 yards, four touchdowns) leading an offensive attack that averages 23 points per game. While they are yet to play a Big East game this season, the 3-2 Huskies have victories over Massachusetts, Maryland and Buffalo.

Quarterback Chandler Whitmer (83-of-134, 1,051 yards, four touchdowns) has an efficiency rating of 128.7 in 2012, having spread the ball around to 11 different receivers this season.

Top receiver Geremy Davis (19 catches) has but one touchdown catch, and the struggling receiving corps only has two other receivers who have found the end zone.

Only John Delahunt (10 catches, one touchdown) and Ryan Griffin (seven catches, two touchdowns) have touchdown receptions in addition to Davis.

The Scarlet Knights should see the return of running back Savon Huggins from injury this week, as well as welcoming back defensive lineman Michael Larrow.

Larrow has been serving a four-game suspension this season, and this week's game will mark the first time he has set foot on a field in over one calendar year.

While coach Kyle Flood and the Knights will welcome the additions, the team will miss defensive tackle Isaac Holmes, who is gone for the season with a wrist injury. He joins defensive lineman Daryl Stephenson, who sustained a fractured foot during fall camp.

Despite the week off, undefeated Rutgers should be focused on Connecticut this week. The Huskies defeated the Scarlet Knights last season, 40-22, in Connecticut.

“I think it’s a whole new season, a whole new team, so we’re not really worried about last year,” said RU quarterback Gary Nova, as quoted by Tom Luicci of The Star-Ledger on NJ.com. “You’ve got to move on.”

Game Time: 12 p.m. ET, High Point Solutions Stadium, Piscataway, N.J. Television coverage: ESPNU.

It is hard for Rutgers fans to find fault with the job that head coach Kyle Flood has done so far. With a 4-0 start to the season that includes a statement victory over Arkansas, expectations are on the rise. But to ensure future success, the Scarlet Knights need to continue to recruit well, and the 2013 class is taking shape (all player ratings are per Scout.com).

OFFENSIVE RECRUITS

Receivers: John Tsimis (3-star) is a 5'10" and 180-pound prospect who is on the smaller side. As a junior at Bergen Catholic High School (N.J.), he pulled in 50 receptions totaling 754 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Tight Ends: Taylor Marini (3-star) is a Florida recruit who presents a nice target at 6'4" and 230 pounds; Marini runs the 40 in 4.7 seconds.

Offensive Linemen: Nick Arcidiacono (3-star) was recruited as a 6'4", 245-pound guard/center from Archbishop Wood High School (Pa.). Tackle Moise Larose (3-star) from Ft. Meade, Md. is a 6'5", 285-pound prospect who committed to the school on August 1.

Quarterbacks: Chris Laviano (3-star) is the lone quarterback prospect from the class of 2013. The 6'1", 195-pound prospect from Hicksville, N.Y. is not likely to see much action in 2013, as all quarterbacks currently on the 2012 Scarlet Knights roster are expected to return next season.

Running Backs: Dontea Ayres (3-star) gained 1,471 yards with 26 touchdowns as a junior at Middletown High School (Del.). The 5'9", 205-pound prospect also caught 13 passes with 2 touchdowns.

Justin Goodwin (2-star) is a 5'11", 185-pound recruit from Madison, N.J. who tallied 1,789 yards with 29 touchdowns as a junior. As a kick returner, Goodwin also returned three kickoffs for touchdowns.

DEFENSIVE RECRUITS

Defensive Linemen: Josh Klecko (3-star) stands 6'2" and 260 pounds and comes from a well-known football family. Eric Wiafe (3-star) was recruited as a 6'4", 250-pound defensive end from Egg Harbor Township, N.J. and was rated as the No. 33 prospect in the country at his position.

Sebastian Joseph (2-star) from Stroudsburg, Pa. stands at 6'4", 270 pounds and committed to the program on June 23. Finally, at 6'4", 202 pounds, Kemoko Turay from Newark, N.J was recruited as a defensive end who committed to Kyle Flood's Knights on July 5.

Linebackers: Of the three linebacker recruits the Scarlet Knights have secured, Lester Liston (3-star) is the most recent to commit (September 7). The 6'2", 225-pound prospect was recruited as a middle linebacker. Miles Nash (3-star) is a 6'4", 205-pound prospect from Erial, N.J. Both Nash and recruit Nick Internicola (3-star), the 6'3", 220-pound prospect from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. were recruited as outside linebackers.

Defensive Backs: Anthony Cioffi (3-star) stands 6'0" and 180 pounds and was one of the earliest prospects to commit to Rutgers (February 19). Delon Stephenson (3-star) is a 5'11", 170-pound safety who was clocked at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

T.J. Taylor (3-star) from South Brunswick High School (N.J.) also played wide receiver as a 6'2", 175-pound junior, scoring six touchdowns. Nadir Barnwell (4-star) plays both cornerback and quarterback at Piscataway High School, not far from the Rutgers campus. The 5'11", 180-pound recruit is rated as the No. 27 prospect in the country at his position.

Bryant Gross (2-star) is a 6'0", 190-pound recruit from Florida who runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds.

Following their victory over Arkansas, Rutgers was ranked in both the USA Today and Associated Press Top 25 polls for the first time since September 30, 2007. With a current bye week in their schedule, the Scarlet Knights have additional time to prepare for the battle against Big East rival Connecticut on October 6.

In what can only be called a statement game for coach Kyle Flood's team, Rutgers sophomore Gary Nova had his best game ever as a starting quarterback. Nova went 25-of-35 for 397 yards and five touchdowns as Rutgers downed Arkansas 35-26 on Saturday night. With the victory, the Scarlet Knights moved to 4-0 on the season and improved their record to 6-11-2 against SEC competition.

The fears of Rutgers' fans appeared to be justified early in the first quarter as Arkansas jumped out to a 10-0 lead after wide receiver Cobi Hamilton scored on a 57-yard TD strike. Rutgers' defense had been practicing all week with the expectation that injured QB Tyler Wilson would be the starter when the Knights took the field against the Razorbacks. On Thursday, Wilson (20-of-39 for 419 yards and 3 TDs) was cleared to play, and he quickly set about making the most of the opportunity.

But, whereas in past years under Greg Schiano the Knights might have resorted to trick plays or wildcat formations to spark the team, Kyle Flood allowed his starting quarterback to begin spreading the ball around to his talented receiving corps.

“I wasn’t expecting that coming in," Nova said after the game (as reported by The Star-Ledger's Tom Luicci on NJ.com), "but like I’ve said, that’s a quarterback’s dream, going back and forth like that. Those are the games you dream about.”

Nova's performance—the third best yardage game by any Rutgers quarterback—featured passes to eight different receivers without any interceptions. The aerial assault, the Rutgers defense and the pounding runs of Jawan Jamison changed the tenor of the game before a stunned crowd of 72,543 at Razorbacks Stadium.

Whereas Nova had struggled earlier this season, the young quarterback emerged Saturday to throw TD passes to Jawan Jamison and Brandon Coleman to give the Knights a 14-10 lead at the half despite their difficulty in establishing the running attack against the Arkansas defense.

“The runs weren’t turning out like we wanted them to but we just kept chopping, kept pounding," explained Jamison about the struggling Rutgers first-half rushing attack (as reported by Scarlet Scuttlebutt on mycentraljersey.com), "and we wore them down when we wanted to."

In the third quarter, Nova picked up where he had left off, throwing two more TDs to Brandon Coleman and Paul Carrezola, and as the fourth quarter began, the Scarlet Knights held a 15-point lead at 28-13. But that's when Razorbacks receiver Cobi Hamilton single-handedly brought Arkansas back into the game with two TD catches of his own, closing the score to 28-26 after the Hogs failed to convert the two-point conversion.

With the Rutgers defense reeling and the game's momentum shifting, Nova and Jamison took back the game for the Knights. Less than a minute after Arkansas had closed the gap, Nova hit Mark Harrison with a 60-yard strike that extended the lead to 35-26, which appeared to break the spirit of the Razorbacks. From there, Jamison—who gained 66 yards in the final 13 minutes of the game—extinguished the time on the clock.

Rutgers, who had seen the defense and the running game carry the team through the first three games of the season, saw the passing game carry the team for the first time this year.

“I have to give so much credit to Gary Nova and our offense,” said defensive back Logan Ryan (per Tom Luicci's article). “We were talking the other day how they would have to help us win a game and that’s exactly what they did.”

"I'm proud of the evolution of Gary Nova," said Rutgers coach Kyle Flood (per Tom Luicci's article). Undefeated and leading the Big East it may well be the evolution of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, as well.

With a 3-0 record this season and 17 recruits already to his credit, Kyle Flood has been having a good 2012. But despite the number of commits the Scarlet Knights have already secured, none of them are rated higher than a 3-star prospect—until now.

Piscataway (NJ) High School talent Nadir Barnwell, who had been courted by  Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee and USC among others, chose Kyle Flood's Scarlet Knights. Barnwell had been one of the four highest-rated defensive prospects on Rutgers' wish list, along with Kendall Fuller, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Jayron Kearse.

Before making his decision, Barnwell (a 4-star recruit as rated by Scout.com and Rivals.com) had narrowed down his list of finalists to Tennessee and Rutgers [according to John Haley of The Star-Ledger on NJ.com]. The 5'11", 180-pound Barnwell plays both cornerback and quarterback—and with his home only a short distance from High Point Solutions Stadium—he could not help but be influenced.

"I’ve been going to Rutgers games since I was like eight, since Ray Rice and all of those guys," Barnwell told Scarlet Scuttlebutt on MyCentralJersey.com. "It’s even better for me now because Rutgers has recruited a lot of guys from Jersey." Currently, the Scarlet Knights have two other Piscataway High School graduates on their roster, namely wide receiver Jawaun Wynn and defensive end Marvin Booker.

"I’ve played with those guys, either in seven-on-seven or actual games," Barnwell said via Scarlet Scuttlebutt on MyCentralJersey.com. "I’ve got relationships with all of them, and I get to go there and see them and be proud of them."

Barnwell has sat out so far this season with a shoulder injury, but is expected to make his first appearance on the field in a game against South Brunswick High School on October 5.

“He is so physical, he is our hardest worker and he’s a student of the game, so his potential is unlimited,’’ explained Piscataway High School coach Dan Higgins [as reported by John Haley of The Star-Ledger on NJ.com]. “He is one of the best and most physical players I have coached here.’’