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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 11:24 a.m., Saturday, November 15, 2008

CFB: Teel guides Rutgers over South Florida, 49-16

By FRED GOODALL
Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. — Mike Teel threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns to help surging Rutgers rout South Florida 49-16 today for the Scarlet Knights' fourth consecutive victory.

Kenny Britt had his fourth straight 100-yard game receiving, scoring on a 93-yard pass play early in the fourth quarter. Rutgers (5-5, 4-2 Big East) also forced six turnovers to hand USF (6-4, 1-4) its fourth loss in five games.

Britt finished with eight receptions for 173 yards. It was his sixth 100-yard performance of the season, 12th overall — moving him into third place on the career conference list for 100-yard games behind Larry Fitzgerald (14) and Antonio Bryant (13).

Jason McCourty returned one of his two interceptions 30 yards for a second-quarter touchdown, and the Scarlet Knights recovered three fumbles — all in Rutgers territory — to frustrate Matt Grothe and the rest of USF's offense.

Grothe, one of the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks, completed 28 of 43 passes for 292 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for a team-best 50 yards on 13 carries, but hurt his team with three interceptions.

The Scarlet Knights beat the Bulls for the third straight season. Rutgers won 22-20 in Tampa two years ago when South Florida had a failed two-point conversion in the closing seconds, and took another close one in 2007, prevailing 30-27 at home when USF was ranked second in the country.

Rutgers' four-game winning streak is the longest in the Big East and has revived a season that looked bleak when the Scarlet Knights stumbled to a 1-5 start. One of the biggest differences has been turnovers: Rutgers has forced 13 in its five victories compared to none in its five losses.