Rutgers took a 7-0 lead over No. 11 Michigan State with 6:51 left in the first quarter. The nine-play, 72-yard drive was keyed by a big third-down play by quarterback Noah Vedral and wide receiver Aron Cruickshank.
Rutgers took over the ball on their own 28-yard line after the special teams unit snuffed out a fake field goal attempt. The drive got off to a rough start, with a one-yard run by Isaih Pacheco followed up by a sack of Vedral. Facing a third-and-19, quarterback Noah Vedral escaped a collapsing pocket, rolled to his left, threw across his body, and laced a tight pass along the sideline.
There, Cruickshank kept his foot in-bounds for a 19-yard catch. The drive ended six plays later when Johnny Langan found Cruickshank for a four-yard touchdown pass and an early lead for Rutgers.
HOLLYWOOD!@Ac_Hollywood_ hauls it in on a big @RFootball 3rd-down conversion. đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/Ee9Gab9jlX
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) October 9, 2021
It was a strong first series from Vedral who was 2-for-2 for 30 yards and ran four times for 35 yards.
Rutgers came into the game 3-2 following losses at Michigan and to Ohio State in the past two weeks. Michigan State is 5-0 in their second season under head coach Mel Tucker.