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Teel throws six TDs as Rutgers shocks Pittsburgh

Oct 26, 2008 - 2:08 AM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- It might have been the unlikeliest performance of the season, but Rutgers will not be complaining.

Mike Teel, who has struggled all year, tossed a school-record six touchdowns Saturday - five in the first half - as the Scarlet Knights upset 20th-ranked Pittsburgh, 54-34, in a Big East Conference stunner.

Teel broke Rich Policastro's school record of five touchdowns against Colgate in 1969 and matched by Mike McMahon on September 2, 2000 against Villanova. He fell one shy of the Big East mark set by Pittsburgh's Pete Gonzalez in 1997.

Teel completed only 14-of-21 passes, but threw for 361 yards in helping Rutgers (3-5, 2-2 Big East) win its second straight following last week's 12-10 victory over Connecticut.

Pittsburgh quarterback Bill Stull suffered an apparent neck injury when he collided with the back of teammate LeSean McCoy while attempting a pass in the third quarter.

Stull lay motionless on the field for 10 minutes before being carted off the field on a stretcher. The school said he would spend the night at a campus hospital for precautionary reasons.

Few could have anticipated the way Teel picked apart Pittsburgh's secondary as he came into Saturday with just three touchdowns and seven interceptions. Also, Pittsburgh (5-2, 2-1) entered the game ranked 10th in the Football Bowl Subdivision against the pass.

But at least on this day, the New Jersey native performed like a Heisman Trophy candidate. He was on fire in the first half, passing for 311 yards. The Scarlet Knights scored on the first play of a drive three times.

It was quite a turnaround for Teel, whose frustration boiled over when he threw a punch at teammate Glen Lee in the final seconds of waning seconds of Rutgers' 23-21 loss to Navy on September 20.

But the Scarlet Knights were able to build on last week's victory as they try to keep alive hopes for a winning season following a 1-5 start.

Teel tossed a 79-yard TD pass to Kenny Britt, giving the Scarlet Knights a 14-7 lead with six minutes left in the first quarter, and Rutgers never looked back.

Pittsburgh closed within 34-24 at the half on Connor Lee's 43-yard field goal with 1:14 left in the second quarter, then pulled within a field goal on McCoy's 1-yard TD run with nine minutes left in the third quarter.

McCoy kept Pittsburgh in the contest by rushing for 146 yards and four touchdowns.

But the Panthers could not get their defense off the field, as Rutgers put away the game over the next 7 1/2 minutes. The Scarlet Knights extended their lead to 48-31 on Teel's 36-yard TD pass to Tim Brown and Kordell's 8-yard TD run.

Britt (five receptions for 143 yards and three TDs) and Brown (three catches for 132 yards and two scores) each surpassed the century mark in receiving yards.

The 54 points was the highest total for the Scarlet Knights against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since a 59-0 win over Buffalo on September 9, 2000.

It was the most points allowed by Pittsburgh since a 60-6 loss to Notre Dame in 1996, Johnny Majors' final game as Panthers' coach.