Rutgers Football set to Defend Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy in Its Second Season in the Big Ten

from: home.comcast.net
Rutgers holds the Lambert Meadowlands Trophy for the first time in school history heading into 2015 season.

For the first time in its history, Rutgers football holds the “The Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy”, and yes, it’s a big deal.

The trophy is awarded to the best football program in “Northeastern Football”.

Rutgers, as a New Jersey school, automatically qualifies to compete for it since its inception as “The Lambert Trophy” in 1936.   Since then, the school has never won the trophy despite an undefeated 1976 season, a co-Big East Championship in 2012, and the historic 2006 season when the team fell just short of an at-large BCS bid.

The trophy has been held by Penn State 29 times, the most among eligible schools.

In order to be eligible for the trophy, you must be a football school that is either located in New York, New Jersey, New England, or PA, or play half your schedule against eligible teams.

There is a version of the trophy given to every level of college football down to division 3.

The current FCS holder is New Hampshire.

Rutgers earned the trophy in upset fashion last year.

Despite being picked last or next to last by most college football previews ahead of its first season in the Big Ten, the Scarlet Knights proved the doubters wrong and that they belonged in the conference, with a very successful 7-5 regular season and a bowl victory over the University of North Carolina.

They got some help when Penn State beat Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl putting both teams records at 7-6.

The key game for Rutgers was against Maryland who took a commanding 35-10 lead in the first half.

The Rutgers’ defense however stepped up its game and held the Terrapins to just 3 second half points while Gary Nova caught fire.

The senior signal-caller fired 4 touchdown passes starting with one to close the first half getting the score to 35-17.

The Knights reeled off 31 of the game’s next 34 points and won 41-38 getting their record to 7-5 ahead of its bowl game.

The Metropolitan New York Football Writers awarded the trophy to R.U. due to its 8-5 record, the best among qualified teams.

Rutgers opens its defense of the trophy on September 5th against Norfolk State.