Nova throws 4 TDs, James scores 3 in Rutgers win

PISCATAWAY  (AP) -- Rutgers got past the look-ahead game against Howard and now can start concentrating on Penn State.

Gary Nova completed 15 of 19 passes for 282 and four touchdowns and Rutgers got ready for its Big Ten Conference opener against Penn State with a 38-25 victory on Saturday.

While Rutgers (2-0) has gotten off to a good start in its first season in the Big Ten, this wasn't an impressive performance.

Howard (0-2) outgained Rutgers 437-397, held it to 109 yards rushing, a 2.86 yard average, and ran for 269 yards, a 6.4 yard average.

Penn State (2-0) is going to be a lot tougher.

"This game is close and dear to my heart," Scarlet Knights guard Chris Muller said of next weekend's game, the first between the schools since 1995. "I got a lot of friends that go to Penn State and I just want to show them -- we really want to show the world what Rutgers has to offer -- and we're not going to back down from them."

Nova was the difference against Howard, which was determined to shut down the run and force the senior to throw.

Nova obliged. He connected with halfback Paul James on scoring passes of 69 and 31 yards and added TD tosses of 38 yards to Leonte Carroo and 19 to John Tsimis as the Scarlet Knights scored 31-straight first-half points to overcome an early deficit.

James, who had three TDs in the season-opening win over Washington State, also scored on a 7-yard run for Rutgers.

Howard got touchdown runs of 20 yards from Aquanius Freeman, 11 from William Parker, 12 from Greg McGhee and 70 from Terrance Tusan.

The last few minutes of the game were finished as lightning fell near High Point Solutions Stadium. Officials let the game continue despite some audible concern by the crowd after seeing the lightning.

The Scarlet Knights came into the game worried about looking past the Bison to the Nittany Lions, who are their closest Big Ten opponent. There might even be a rivalry brewing after Penn State coach James Franklin said Rutgers had no chance recruiting in New Jersey against the Happy Valley crowd.

Howard, which was shutout by Akron last week, added to Rutgers' concerns. It forced a 3-and-out on the opening series and then went 41 yards on its opening drive to take a 7-0 as Freeman scored untouched on a counter.

That woke up the Scarlet Knights, who are now 11-0 against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schools.

"To get the ball first and go three and out is not what you want, but we made some adjustments on the side line and got some guys going and I feel we did pretty well on the rest of the game," Nova said.

Nova drove the Scarlet Knights to scores on their next four possessions. Kyle Federico cut the gap to 7-3 with a 42-yard field goal. After holding Howard without a first down, Nova caught the Bison on a blitz on the next series and hit a wide-open James on a swing pass for the 69-yard play down the Howard sideline.

Nova found Carroo on a slant on the Scarlet Knights' next possession and James capped a three-play, 31 yard drive with his run after Quentin Gause forced a fumble by Freeman.

James' second touchdown came after Turay Kemoko blocked a 28-yard field goal attempt by John Fleck late in the half. A 36-yard pass from Nova to Andre Turzilli preceded James' 31-yard TD catch, also on a swing pass.

Parker's run cut gap to 31-13, but Nova found Tsimis all alone at the 2-yard line for his fourth touchdown, one shy of career best set against Arkansas last season.

McGhee and Tusan closed out the scoring for Howard.

Despite some penalties and turnovers, Bison coach Gary Harrell felt his team competed well, much better than in its 41-0 loss the previous week.

"We showed we're a much better team," Harrell said. "Last week we didn't play for four quarters. Today we came out, stood tall."

Rutgers wants to stand just as tall next week.

"We're just trying to win the game." Rutgers linebacker Steve Longa said. "It doesn't matter if it's Penn State or Kent State or Washington State. It's football."