In the end, Rutgers University finished its Friday night contest in Louisville the same way the Scarlet Knights started it, by turning the ball over to the Cardinals.
And it cost them the game, as the Scarlet Knights were topped,16-14, in a Big East Conference game at the Papa John’s Stadium in Kentucky.
Rutgers pulled within two when freshman quarterback Gary Nova connected with junior wide receiver Mohamed Sanu for a 12-yard touchdown that, with the extra point from San San Te, dug the Scarlet Knights out of the nine-point deficit they had heading into the fourth quarter.
The Rutgers defense held up its end of the bargain, stifling the Cards for the rest of the game and forcing a turnover when David Rowe picked off Teddy Bridgewater for a touchback.
Now all the Scarlet Knights needed was a field goal to putl out a victory.
Instead, they gave it to the Cardinals, as Nova was intercepted by Dexter Heyman, giving Louisville the opportunity to put a few running plays together and run out the clock.
Rutgers falls to 5-2 with the loss, while the Cardinals improve to 3-4.