Introduction
During the course of the 2005 college football season, GRA will follow the fortunes of two New Jersey institutions -- Monmouth University (West Long Branch) and Rutgers University (New Brunswick).
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Rutgers
Those watching the Rutgers-Illinois game on ESPN2 last Saturday saw firsthand why fifth-year Rutgers Head Coach Greg Shiano is very lucky to be at Rutgers. And had what happened to the Scarlet Knights over the last four seasons taken place in virtually any other Division 1-A program, it is highly unlikely there would have been a season five for the head coach.
But this is New Jersey and Rutgers, so Shiano remains at the helm, continuing to produce results like last Saturday's.
Rutgers took a 27-7 lead into the fourth quarter, a lead that could have and should have been a good deal fatter, managing to let the Illini score 20 unanswered points to force the game into overtime. In overtime, Illinois scored 6 points to Rutgers' 3, to win the contest 33-30.
It should be noted that Shiano, in addition to being Rutgers' head coach, has also assumed the duties this year of defensive coordinator. Therefore, one would assume it was his defensive decisions that helped Illinois outscore Rutgers 26 to 3 in the second half.
Tomorrow, at 3:30 PM (ET), the Scarlet Knights open their home season against 1-AA opponent Villanova, which plays the first game of its 2005 season. If this sounds like a sure win for the Knights, one might want to remember the last time the teams met. In 2002, Rutgers suffered a humiliating 37-19 pasting at the hands of 'Nova.
Monmouth
Last week, the Monmouth Hawks opened their season in Bethlehem, PA at the short end of a 54-26 score to perennial 1-AA power Lehigh University. This was a major step up in the level of competition for Monmouth, which the final score is accurate in indicating. However, what the score does not indicate is that the Hawks were solidly in this game a good deal longer than anyone thought they would be, and a couple questionable officiating calls during the game's first half were highly instrumental in affecting the score and overall momentum.
Lehigh was clearly the better of the two teams. However, Monmouth came away from the contest with much of which to be proud, as well as a clear indication its overall program continues the longer-term improvement of recent seasons.
Tomorrow, the Hawks travel to Philadelphia for the second of their three non-conference games. Tomorrow's contest (1:00 PM [ET] kickoff) is against the La Salle University Explorers of the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference. La Salle dropped its opening game to Wagner College, an away contest the Explorers lost 41-27. Like Monmouth, Wagner is a member of the Northeast Conference.
The respective Monmouth/Rutgers 2005 schedules:
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Monmouth Rutgers
(Hawks) (Scarlet Knights)
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09/03 Lehigh Illinois
09/10 La Salle VILLANOVA
09/17 CALIF. (PA) Buffalo
09/24 Open Open
09/30F --- PITTSBURGH*
10/01 Stony Brook* ---
10/08 Sacred Heart* WEST VIRGINIA*
10/15 WAGNER* Syracuse*
10/22 ROBERT MORRIS* Connecticut*
10/29 Central Conn.* NAVY
11/05 St. Francis* SOUTH FLORIDA*
11/11F --- Louisville*
11/12 ALBANY* ---
11/19 --- Open
11/26 --- CINCINNATI*
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Home games in caps. *Conference game.
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