Rutgers loses, 17-13

Rutgers squandered great field position and numerous scoring opportunities, in part, because coach Greg Schiano couldn't decide whether to stick with traditional quarterback Tom Savage or use wide receiver Mohamed Sanu out of the wildcat formation. The result was a 17-13 loss to North Carolina in which Savage spent a fitful day coming off the bench to try and bail the Scaqrlet Knights out of third-and-long all day. Oh, and it seemed Sanu was the only receiver he ever looked for downfield.

The Scarlet Knights wound up blowing a 10-7 halftime lead primarily because they let the Tar Heels hang around. At the start of the third quarter, the Heels fashioned an 80-yard scoring drive that required 16 plays in 7:08 and the aid of three penalties before T.J. Yates completed a 5-yard pass to Ryan Taylor for a touchdown and 14-10 lead. The two teams later exchanged field goals to complete the scoring.

After North Carolina's 25-yarder by Casey Barth, Rutgers got the ball at its 20 with 9:28 remaining, and Schiano finally decided to put Savage at the controls for a full drive. He scrambled 10 yards for a first down on one third-down play, completed a 16-yard pass to convert another third-and-long and then hit Sanu for 14 yards on fourth-and-12 to reach the Carolina 23-yard line.

But on second down at the Heel's' 19-yard line, Sanu threw behind his receiver and was picked off for the second time by Matt Merletti at the Heels' 7-yard line. It was the second interception thrown by Savage, and it's not unfair to say he never got a chance to develop a rhythm. The Knights got the ball back once more at Carolina's 34 with 2:21 left, but Savage threw two incompletions, was sacked and then overthrew Sanu on fourth down.