Rutgers’ Sneaky ‘Tush Push’ Trick Play Stuns Ohio State
The Scarlet Knights were trailing by a TD at their own 43-yard line, at the time. The clever move gave Rutgers momentum ahead of halftime, as the team led 9-7.
Unconventional Formation in the First Half
Rutgers may have lost against Ohio State this weekend, but the Scarlet Knights fooled their opponents in the first half with an unexpected fake ‘tush push’ for considerable yard gain.
Trailing by a touchdown early in the second quarter with the football at their own 43-yard line, the home team was in a fourth-and-1 situation, so Rutgers players decided to line up in an unusual formation in an attempt to keep possession.
Ohio State’s Defense Falls for the Trick
Ohio State’s defense, on the other hand, didn’t quite understand what was about to happen and jumped over the pile of Rutgers’ offensive linemen to sack quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, whom they thought would run with the ball up the middle with an extra push.
The Rutgers signal-caller, however, tricked everyone on the Buckeyes by keeping the ball in between his legs before giving it to running back Kyle Monangai.
With most of Ohio State’s defensive line down on the ground already, Monangai ran 45 yards to pick up a first down and get the Scarlet Knights up the field, deep into the territory of their opponents.
Surprise Play Baffles Commentators and Buckeyes
The play not only fooled the Buckeyes but also commentators in the booth, including CBS Sports broadcaster Tom McCarthy. ‘Ooh he fumbled it, he fumbled it… and Monangai picks it up!’ McCarthy said after he realized that Rutgers was actually still running with the ball.
‘This was a play that was set. Monangai into the open field and Monangai inside the 15 and he’s in the red zone.’
Rutgers didn’t manage to get a touchdown afterward, but the ‘tush push’ got them into field-goal range for the team’s first three points of the afternoon.
Momentum Shifts for Rutgers
The trick certainly galvanized Rutgers players, too, as momentum shifted after the clever play, and gave the Scarlet Knights hopes of an upset win. Rutgers took a 9-7 lead into halftime.
However, that wasn’t the case, as Ohio State ultimately proved to be too much of an offensive powerhouse in the second half, winning the contest, 35-16. Buckeyes QB Kyle McCord had three touchdowns for 189 passing yards. The 21-year-old, junior completed 19 of 26 passing attempts.
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