One of the funniest things that happens every single college football season is a team getting into a goal-to-go situation and, due to a collection of misfortunes, find themselves punting on fourth down. It did not take long for that to happen on the first full college football Saturday of the 2022 campaign, as Rutgers needed to do that in the first quarter of their season opener against Boston College.
The Scarlet Knights got the ball on their own 25 and quickly got into Eagles territory. Five plays into the drive, they managed to get a first-and-goal from the Boston College 10. They gained two yards on their next play, at which points a series of penalties happened that backed them way up. In all, Rutgers was penalized five times, leading to them setting up shop at the 38. On third-and-goal, signal caller Gavin Wimsatt got sacked, which meant the punt team had to come out.
Rutgers football is BACK
4th & goal at the 43 and the Scarlet Knights were forced to punt
pic.twitter.com/DZk3aR3pTn
— Pickswise (@Pickswise) September 3, 2022
Punting from the 43? Eh, it happens. Punting from the 43 because it’s 4th and goal? That’s Rutgers football. pic.twitter.com/VEchjgAQxs
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) September 3, 2022
If there is a silver lining, it is that this the punt got downed at the BC 3 and the Scarlet Knight defense was able to intercept Eagles quarterback Phil Jurkovec on the ensuing drive, which led to good field position and a touchdown. Still, between that and the fact that the team’s first drive saw three separate quarterbacks each take a snap before a three-and-out, it’s safe to say the offense has some things to iron out.