Even for a program that has been inducted into the Worst Losses in College Football History Hall of Fame, this one goes on the Mount Rushmore of humiliating defeats. Rutgers, after forcing No. 25 Illinois into praying for a miracle to win,

If the Rutgers football program ever gets to where head coach Greg Schiano has long insisted it’s going, the 2024 campaign will ultimately not be a signature season. An opportunity

With 13 seconds left in Saturday’s game between Rutgers and Illinois, the Scarlet Knights led by a point and the Illini faced a fourth down at the Rutgers 40. Illinois was going to try for a long field goal until Rutgers called time to ice the kicker.

Rutgers had a foot-and-a-half in the door to completing its November renaissance, one play away from ending a long-lasting drought and setting a new standard for the program. The Scarlet Knights just had to get one more stop.

Down 31-30 with 12 seconds left in Piscataway, Illinois’ Ethan Moczulski lined up for the go-ahead 58-yard field goal. Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano called timeout to ice the kicker, so Bret Bielema put his offense back on the field.

It was a wild, momentum-shifting game but No. 24 Illinois ultimately escaped with a 36-31 victory over Rutgers football.

It will be remembered as absolute heartbreak for Rutgers and a miracle for Illinois. Rutgers did everything to put itself in position to finish off a comeback for the ages. Then, Illinois eviscerated what was shaping up to be a special sendoff for seniors who signed on to rebuild Rutgers with a “leap of faith” and,