PHILADELPHIA, PA — Following their 16-14 win at Temple on Saturday afternoon, the music from the celebratory music Rutgers football locker room was the theme song from the motion picture Rocky. It was fitting, perhaps, as this ugly and times downright tough game between two former Big East (and AAC) rivals was at times just a nasty scrap.
But most importantly for Rutgers football, they are 3-0 ahead of next Saturday’s Big Ten opener at home against Iowa (7 P.M., FS1).
(And yes, before everyone gets all technical, Rocky Balboa did lose the original installment of the series so this isn’t exactly like Rutgers winning on Saturday…also Rocky was fake albeit based on a real person from New Jersey, no less).
The Scarlet Knights had to hang on after going up 16-7 early in the fourth quarter. And as ‘Gonna Fly Now’ played on the sound system in the Rutgers locker room, the Scarlet Knights are halfway towards bowl eligibility.
Bloodied, battered and bruised. But still undefeated.
“It wasn’t pretty, you know, we didn’t play our best game but credit to Temple they came out and showed out today,” defensive back Max Melton said after the game. “And we got a lot of work to do tomorrow, get back in the film room, get back on the field, correct our mistakes and go forward from there.”
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Check out the best photos from Rutgers football’s win at Temple!