Played November 2, 2002 at Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, New Jersey

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
Miami, FLA ©	2	29	7	0	.806	15	1	0	.938	11	3	0	.786	3	3	0	.500
Rutgers	0	0	1	0	.000					0	1	0	.000

 

 

The top-ranked, 7-0 Miami Hurricanes of coach Larry Coker traveled to New Brunswick to meet the 1-7 Rutgers Scarlet Knights of coach Greg Schiano.  Miami had won last season’s meeting 61-0 & the Scarlet Knights appeared undermanned for this game as well but a surprising 1^st half awaited the Hurricanes.  Rutgers used a solid defensive effort & timely special team plays to lead 17-14 entering the 4^th quarter before Miami scored 4 times in the final quarter to secure a 42-17 victory over the upset minded Scarlet Knights.  Rutgers drove 80 yards in 7 plays with RB Clarence Pittman scoring on a 1-yard run as the Scarlet Knights took the lead 7-0.  Miami responded with a 7-play, 78-yard drive but had to settle for a 29-yard field goal from All-Big East PK Todd Sievers.  Miami returned an interception to the Rutgers 21-yard line but had to settle for another Sievers’ field goal, this one from 24 yards, as the Scarlet Knights still led 7-6.  Miami got a safety when Rutgers fumbled the ball out of the end zone giving the Hurricanes an 8-7 lead.  The Miami offense was unable to move the ball against the Scarlet Knights defense & Rutgers got a 38-yard field goal from PK Ryan Sands giving them the lead at 10-8.  Things kept going wrong for the Hurricanes when Rutgers' CB Shawn Seabrooks returned a blocked punt 2 yards for a touchdown & a 17-8 Scarlet Knights' lead.  Miami finally got rolling offensively with a 73-yard, 7-play drive in just 1:32 as All-American RB Willis McGahee scored on a 2-yard run to finish the drive but the Scarlet Knights blocked the extra point sending the teams to their locker rooms with Rutgers leading 17-14.  Neither team was able to score in the 3^rd quarter as Miami punted four times while Rutgers punted three times & turned the ball over when a fake field goal was stopped short of a first down by All-Big East LB Jonathan Vilma.  Things finally broke loose for the Hurricanes in the 4^th quarter.  After a punt gave the ball to the Hurricanes at the Rutgers 38-yard line, Miami took only three plays & 0:45 to score on a 20-yard touchdown pass from All-Big East QB Ken Dorsey to All-Big East WR Andre Johnson.  Three plays later, Miami's CB Kelly Jennings intercepted a pass from Scarlet Knights' QB Ted Trump that gave the Hurricanes the ball back at the Rutgers 21-yard line.  This drive took five plays before Dorsey hit All-Big East TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. for a 1-yard touchdown & 28-17 Miami lead.  Another interception, this one by Hurricanes' CB Alfonso Marshall, gave Miami the ball at the Rutgers 4-yard line & McGahee scored for Miami on the next play.  Miami closed the scoring with a 33-yard touchdown pass from back-up QB Derrick Crudup to WR David Williams as the Hurricanes used a 28-point 4^th quarter to escape with a 42-17 victory.  Miami had won even though they were flagged for 13 penalties for 120 yards & made only 2 of 15 third down conversions.  Dorsey finished with 192 yards passing with 2 touchdowns while McGahee had 187 yards rushing with his 2 scores.  Rutgers QB Ryan Hart threw for 110 yards with 2 interceptions in the loss.  Miami finished the season 12-1; Big East Champions, ranked 2^nd nationally while the Scarlet Knights finished 1-11.  Rutgers has not played for The Belt again.