New Jersey: Realm of the Scarlet Knights

 New Jersey: Realm of the Scarlet Knights

I got to go this past weekend. We had a good time; the hosts were friendly.

New Jersey--through Rutgers--its flagship school, proudly proclaimed itself the birthplace of college football, since 1869. This was posted in stone and banners both inside and outside the stadium.

I felt bad that my Indiana Hoosiers, traditionally not that strong a program in the gridiron, would lay waste to them. They seemed like nice folk.

With some favorable calls and some superior play, my long suffering but current hopeful Hoosiers led at  halftime 24-7.

Things were going as planned.

However, from the very first Hoosier possession in the second half, things did not go as planned.

IU stopped scoring. Luckily, the Knights of Piscataway were only able to score 10 more, so IU held on to a closer win than expected. Less points than I anticipated, especially after 24 in the first half; and many less in point spread than had picked many others, including the Vegas odds makers.

And the oldest program in the country, proudly so, were humbled by my Hoosiers.

The weather was warm, the cannon shots were loud, the music was also loud, which of course included Springstein and Bon Jovey, and the final score:

24-17. Knights went home without the upset.