Insider: Knights' tale is a horror story with happy ending
After Rutgers' defense stiffened and forced a punt on the first possession, West Virginia scored the next nine times it had the ball, 11 touchdowns in all.
Witnesses swear certain 'Eers were trying to fall down out of pity. Even then, they landed in the end zone.
It was Rutgers' worst loss in more than a century. Damn Princeton squeezed out an 80-0 decision in 1888.
It was so bad that the leading rusher in 2001 was Dennis Thomas -- with 372 yards. To put that in today's terms, that is 2½ games' worth of production from Ray Rice.
It was so bad that first year that the Scarlet Knights scored only 119 points and were shut out three times.
It was so bad that Temple was kicked out of the Big East after that 2001 season, and the immediate question was, "Why not Rutgers?" It was so bad that the passing leader in 2002 was one Ted Trump with all of 740 yards. Don't ask. Ted is no relation. You think The Donald would have allowed this to happen?
It was so bad that Schiano started 3-20, 0-14 in the Big East.
It was so bad that one local scribe was asked to stop referring to the Miami score in subsequent game stories. Why wouldn't you keep reminding readers of Schiano's second game, a 61-0 loss?
It was so bad that year that the strength coach was asked about the team's muscle power. Weaker, he said, than the weakest Ivy League team.
It was so bad that Cal chose to fly cross-country to play a game that was postponed by 9/11. The Bears won 20-10 on Nov. 23, their only victory of the year.
Cal coach Tom Holmoe resigned under pressure shortly thereafter.
It was so bad that the bar was set quite low. In 1998, Terry Shea was named the Big East coach of the year. Rutgers finished 5-6, beating only Temple and Pittsburgh in the league.
It was so bad that in a 50-3 loss to Syracuse on national television in 1997, Paul Pasqualoni showed ultimate sympathy. The Orange coach ordered his quarterback to take a knee.
  Who will win the battle of Big East unbeatens? Rutgers Louisville Total Votes: 12,290 |
Four times.
From inside the 10.
Midway through the fourth quarter.
Rutgers athletic director Fred Gruninger resigned the next week.
It was so bad that in 2004, Rutgers began the season with a monster upset of Michigan State. Then lost to I-AA New Hampshire. It was so bad that in that same year a drunken driver hit a car injuring three Rutgers defensive backs. The date was Oct. 16, just as the program was beginning to turn the corner at 4-2. Rutgers didn't win again that season.
It was so bad that over an eight-year span Shea and Schiano went a combined 14-64. Both coaches received extensions during that period.
It was so bad that last year Rutgers lost to Louisville 56-5. Now the governor is begging for two tickets from the AD for Thursday's game. Tickets are going for more than $1,000 a piece on the Internet.
Rice is a Heisman candidate. Schiano is building a new home on a plot near campus, suggesting that he can't be pried away. It also suggests that Rutgers could be playing games like this every year for the foreseeable future.
Not bad.
