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Rutgers looks for positive ending to disappointing season

Jan 5, 2008 - 1:59 PM Rutgers (7-5) vs. Ball St (7-5) 12:00 pm EST International Bowl January 5

TORONTO (Ticker) -- Rutgers likely didn't envision it would be closing its season North of the Border.

Looking to build some momentum for next season, Rutgers takes on Ball State in the International Bowl on Saturday. The feel-good story of the 2006 season when they went from being a perennial laughingstock to a legitimate threat to reaching a BCS bowl, the Scarlet Knights entered this campaign with high hopes.

But Rutgers, which started the season ranked No. 16, took a step back this season. After a soft early schedule in which they won their first three games, the Scarlet Knights began to struggle, suffering back-to-back home losses to Maryland and Cincinnati which knocked them out of the rankings.

Despite going 4-5 since winning their first three games, the Scarlet Knights have managed to make it to a bowl game in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history.

Last season, Rutgers won its first postseason game with a 37-10 rout of Kansas State in the Texas Bowl. The Scarlet Knights had lost their first two bowl games.

One positive for Rutgers this season has been the play of running back Ray Rice, who has rushed for 1,732 yards and 20 touchdowns.

However, this could be the final game in the collegiate career for the junior who could make himself available for April's NFL draft.

While Rutgers failed to make it to higher-profile bowl, Ball State must be happy to still be playing. The Cardinals are in the postseason for the first time since suffering a 18-15 loss to Nevada in the Las Vegas Bowl in 1996.

Ball State is 0-4-1 all-time in bowls.

The Cardinals, who feature an explosive offense that averages 31.6 points, finished in second place in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference.

Leading the way for the Cardinals is sophomore quarterback Nate Davis, who threw for 3,376 yards and 27 touchdowns with six interceptions.