Homecoming 1992

On Halloween of 1992, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights had one of their more memorable wins in the early Big East era over the Virginia Tech Hokies, 50-49 as time ran out.
Don't feel like you have to watch all three and a quarter hours as homework for this year's Homecoming against Wisconsin (though there are great shots of the pre-expansion Stadium, giant shoulder pads, television coverage unmarred by on-field computer-graphic distractions, etc.), but please watch Brian Fortay lead the last Rutgers drive at least; it begins at about the 2 hour and 50 minute mark of this video.

Getting to Know the Buckeyes

We may have played against Virginia Tech in the Big East for years without ever learning what a Hokie was, but there's no reason for us to be as uninformed about our fellow Big Ten member schools' mascots.

Another Big Ten school, Minnesota, has published a helpful page to assist anyone interested in identifying  the difference between the similar chestnuts, horse chestnuts, and Ohio buckeyes, which is a valuable service when you consider that only one of the three is edible by humans.

Even though the buckeye nut may be as inedible as a horse chestnut, the leaves almost look as if they might be smokable.

One quote sums up Rutgers' loss in last night's Orlando Bowl

“Gary is our starting quarterback. He is the guy that has earned the job and earned the right to be in the game, and certainly nothing I saw from him made me feel like I should make any change.” -- Rutgers Coach Kyle Flood on Quarterback Gary Nova

Was Kyle Flood watching a different game? Gary Nova looked scared, was throwing off his back foot all night, and should have thrown six interceptions rather than one -- if the Virginia Tech defensive backs had any hands.

Wasn't Kyle Flood on the sideline during last year's Pinstripe Bowl during which Greg Schiano's switch to Chas Dodd helped lead to a victory over Iowa State? (I would have loved to have heard Greg Schiano's thoughts as he watched from his box in the Citrus Bowl last night.)

I feel very sorry for a defense full of seniors who played a brilliant game against Virginia Tech, scoring a touchdown, holding the Hokies scoreless for three quarters (until a Nova interception set up the first score in the fourth), and keeping them out of the endzone in OT when the Hokies had a first down at the three. Khaseem Greene and crew are a great defense who deserved just a little bit of support on the other side of the ball.

Keep Calm and Chop Virginia Tech

Here it is, the last poster of the 2012 Rutgers football season in honor of the Scarlet Knights' bowl game in Orlando against the Virginia Tech Hokies on December 28th:

You can get an original image at
http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/p/keep-calm-and-chop-vatech/

Today We're All Hokies

Before the Hokies left the Big East for the ACC, we had no trouble booing Marcus Vick and Frank Beamer and the rest of the football team on their perennially painful visits to Rutgers Stadium.

But the news from Virginia Tech today leaves us speechless. Our thoughts are in Blacksburg.

Today we're all Hokies.