The Rutgers Scarlet Knights got 134 yards and a pair of touchdowns from redshirt-freshman running back Jawan Jamison and a solid defensive effort to beat the Iowa St. Cyclones 27-13 in the 2011 New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Friday.
With the win, the Scarlet Knights will finish 2011 at 9-4 and moved to 5-1 in bowl games under current head coach Greg Schiano.
"Really, really proud of our kids," said Schiano. "Season certainly didn't end the way we wanted with (a loss to) Connecticut. They worked their tails off in preparation for this game."
Schiano dedicated the game to Eric LeGrand, a former Scarlet Knights defensive end who was paralyzed from the shoulders down during a game against the Army Black Knights last season. LeGrand has served as an inspirational figure for the team and was celebrating with them in the locker room, The Associated Press reports.
"That's our brother before and after the injury, and that's how we're going to treat him forever," Rutgers linebacker Khaseem Greene said. "Just having his presence around, it's amazing. He makes the locker room glow."
For the Cyclones, Friday was the team's third straight loss following their stunning upset of the Oklahoma State Cowboys on November 18. Red-shirt freshman quarterback Jared Barnett replaced junior Steele Jantz and spearheaded that upset win, but struggled against the Rutgers defense, prompting head coach Paul Rhoads to make a quarterback change in the second quarter.
"We were not executing in a manner that I felt was going to lead us to a win, and from what we've seen in December's practices, made the switch," said Rhoads.
For more on the Pinstripe Bowl, check out SB Nation's Rutgers blog, On the Banks, and our Iowa State blog, Wide Right & Natty Lite. For more news and analysis from this bowl season, check out our college football hub.


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