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Rutgers looks for big finish against NC State

Dec 29, 2008 - 4:07 PM NC State (6-6) vs. Rutgers (7-5), 3:00 pm EST

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Ticker) -- Over the last month of the season, Rutgers was arguably the best team in the Big East Conference.

The Scarlet Knights face an old nemesis in the PapaJohns.com Bowl on Monday when they take on North Carolina State, which is coached by former Boston College mentor Tom O'Brien.

In his second season at North Carolina State, O'Brien was 8-0 against the Scarlet Knights during his tenure at Boston College. One of the players O'Brien attempted to recruit was current Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel.

After only one bowl game in the program's first 136 years, the Scarlet Knights are making their fourth straight postseason appearance.

Chances for another bowl trip appeared bleak after the Scarlet Knight started 1-5. However, the Scarlet Knights (7-5) reeled off six straight wins to end the regular season.

Led by Teel, who will be making his final college appearance, Rutgers' offense was unstoppable down the stretch.

"From where we were and where we finished up ... to be playing football after game 12, it's a great achievement any time, but especially the way this season started," Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said.

The winning streak started innocently enough as the Scarlet Knights held on for a 12-10 victory over Connecticut when a late field attempt by the Huskies hit the right upright.

In the last five games, however, the Scarlet Knights are averaging 46.2 points. In three of the games, Teel passed for more than 300 yards. He ended the regular season with a flourish, passing for 447 yards and seven touchdowns - both school records - in a 63-14 rout of Louisville.

North Carolina State (6-6) also had its share of late-season dramatics, winning its final four games to become bowl eligible following a 2-6 start.

"We're playing a very good team who's very much like ourselves - hot," Schiano said.

The Wolfpack capped their late-season charge with a 38-28 win over Miami. Russell Wilson, who missed two games earlier in the season with a injury, passed for two touchdowns and ran for another score.

A freshman, Wilson extended his streak without an interception to a school-record 266 passes, which also is the longest current streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision. In his last eight starts, Wilson has 16 touchdown passes and no interceptions.