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APP.COM SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2017 3C And while Monmouth (9-3) entered the game ranked 23rd, the Big South runner-ups simply in the same league as Northern Iowa (8-4), which rolled to a 46-7 victory. As bad as last 52-21 loss to Kennesaw State was with the Big South championship on the line, this one was much worse. secondary was shredded by quarterback Eli Dunne, while the defense sti- an that entered the game averaging more than 35 points-per- game. The Panthers scored on each of their nine possessions of the game, in- cluding 20 points four interceptions by Monmouth quarterback Kenji Bahar. And they stymied a Monmouth that entered the game averaging 35 points-per-game.

Monmouth got on the score- board when Bahar found Lonnie Moore in the end zone on a 19-yard scoring strike with eight minutes remaining in the game. The past two weekends marked a disappointing end to what had been a season of for Monmouth, which opened Kessler Stadium, its new $16- million home in September. The won seven straight at one point to earn a shot at the Big South title, getting ranked in the FCS top-25 for the time four weeks ago. Last Sunday the Hawks received at at-large bid to the FCS for the time. But Northern Iowa who advances to face No.

6 South Dakota State next Saturday, while Monmouth begins the process of assessing how it can close the gap between themselves and the top teams in the country. Stephen Edelson: nettnj.com; Twitter: SteveEdelsonAPP- Monmouth Continued from Page 1C turned kicks on his way to 154 all-pur- pose yards. His improvement and matu- ration will be a key storyline this son, as will weather or not he can take on a larger role out of the Remember, Gus Edwards and Robert Martin, are gone next fall, so there are holes to Blackshear came in to Sat- urday averaging 6.3 yards per carry, and, to his credit, is unafraid to put his head down and take on contact. 3. If you take away from the Lewis- to-Blackshear touchdown Rutgers had 112 yards of total if you take away that 42-yard connection.

That will not get it done against even the worst Big Ten defense, which Michigan State has never been confused with. The as a whole will be anoth- er storyline. Aside from ing the quarterback spot out, and holes at running back, Scarlet Knights wide receivers did not have a good year for a variety of reasons, youth and injury among them. Moving the forward, however that happens, simply has to happen next season to take another step for- ward. You can bet fans are going to want a bowl game in 2018.

4. Fun with numbers: Rutgers was in this game at halftime despite the follow- ing Getting out-gained, 216-72 Completing just three passes, none of which went to a wide receiver. Having the ball for just 5:50. None of its six drives lasting more than plays. Rushing for 14 yards, only two of which belonged to running backs.

Michigan State really had itself to blame for only being up by nine at half- time. The play-calling was vanilla against a porous Rutgers defense, and seven pen- alties for 60 yards help the cause. Among those penalties was 15 yards for clipping, which wiped out a touchdown late in the second quarter. 5. Michigan turnaround this season is a great story: Between 2013-15, Michigan State went 36-5, won the Big Ten twice, and went to a Rose Bowl.

Last season, the bottom fell out, the Spartans going 3-9 with a rash of and legal issues to boot. The Spartans did a full 180-degree turn this going 9-3 and are in line to go to one of the Big top tier bowl games, possibly the Citrus Bowl. Credit to head coach Mark Dantonio, who could be called embattled before this season began, for getting it turned back around. Fun fact: Dantonio has more Big Ten championships, three, than Urban Mey- er (1), James Franklin (1) and Jim Har- baugh (0) combined. Writer Josh Newman: Rutgers Continued from Page 1C PISCATAWAY Robert Martin and the rest of the true seniors at Rutgers have truly experienced highs and lows throughout their college careers.

In 2014, Rutgers went 8-5, won the Quick Lane Bowl, and Martin was a key part of it. He rushed for 434 yards and seven touchdowns on just 87 attempts, registering his 100-yard game in that Quick Lane Bowl victory against North Carolina. That season, from a team standpoint, was the highlight. The Scarlet Knights went 4-8 in 2015, when Martin ran for 763 yards and six touchdowns. Kyle Flood was in came Chris Ash, and Martin was forced to learn a whole new system.

"I put in a lot of work here," Martin said. "I met some real good guys and made friendships that are going to last for a very long time. I learned a lot from both coaching and I just had a really wonderful experience here. I grew as a man, I grew as a football player and as a teammate. Martin, a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, native, points to a three-touchdown game against Indiana in his freshman season as his best memory, one of three multi-touchdown games in his career.

He will leave Rutgers inside the top 10 in career rushing yards and one of only 14 players in program history with at least 2,000 rushing yards. That 2014 Quick Lane Bowl will go down as Martin's only postseason ap- pearance. The bottom fully fell out last fall when Rutgers went 2-10 overall and 0-9 in the Big Ten. Progress was made as Rutgers went in to Saturday at 4-8, with 10 of the 12 games being at least some- what competitive. Martin and his classmates are leav- ing Rutgers in better shape than which they found it, per se, but Ash as tries to rebuild the program back up, Martin's contributions may go down as some of the building blocks.

"It's all about building character, and how you respond to adversity," Martin said. "Things don't always go your way, so it's about how you bounce back. Win or lose, it's about how you respond, and that's what this program is doing. "We have a lot of good senior leaders, and there are good upperclassmen that have also stepped up. We've gone out there and really busted our butts." Writer Josh Newman: RUTGERS Martin experienced highs, lows in college Josh Newman Asbury Park Press USA TODAY NETWORK NEW JERSEY Rutgers running back Robert Martin runs for a touchdown against Maryland on Nov.

4. GREGORY J. TODAY SPORTS AUBURN, Ala. Jarrett Stidham and No. 6 Auburn dominated top-ranked Alabama 26-14 Saturday, earning a berth in next Southeastern Con- ference title game.

The Tigers quarterback passed for 237 yards and ran for a fourth-quarter touchdown to set up a rematch with No. 7 Georgia in the SEC championship game Dec. 2 with a spot almost certainly on the line. Auburn (10-2, 7-1 SEC, No. 6 CFP) mostly shut down the top scor- ing for their second win in three weeks over the top team in the rankings.

They won the Western Divi- sion a week after dispatching the Bull- dogs with similar precision. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn shy away from a question about his chances of making the with two losses. One of the defeats was to defending national champion Clem- son, No. 3 at the time. got to win next week and going to be a Malzahn said.

know, them experts got it out. I think anybody else has played two No. 1 teams and a No. (3) The Crimson Tide (11-1, 7-1) made a rare assortment of mistakes for a team that had appeared to be headed toward a shot at a fourth consecutive SEC title and berth. Alabama coach Nick Saban said his team deserves a shot after play- ing for the national title the past two years and scarcely getting challenged.

think one game who you Saban said. certainly this team for who they are. sorry that I could not do a better job as a coach and as a Kerryon Johnson delivered a jump pass for a touchdown and ran 30 times for 104 yards before leaving in the fourth quarter with an injury. Malzahn said after the game Johnson has shoulder but elab- orate on his status for the rematch with Georgia in Atlanta. Johnson had earlier appeared hurt on a run toward the pylon but stayed in for a 1-yard touchdown run on the next play.

mean, as tough as it Mal- zahn said. dived right there and we gave him the football on the next play and he was banged The leading rusher crumpled to the ground before being hit after a carry and walked the holding his right arm close to his body with a towel draped over his head. Fans chanted, Auburn fans stormed the after the play, creating a scene similar to 2013 when the fourth-ranked Tigers beat No. 1 Alabama on a last-play, 109- yard return of a missed goal. With No.

2 Miami losing Friday night to Pittsburgh, the time the top two teams in the AP poll have fallen on the same regular-season weekend since Nov. 17, 2012. Then, No. 1 Oregon lost to No. 14 Stan- ford and No.

2 Kansas State went down to Baylor. Stidham completed 21 of 28 passes and ran for 50 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown scamper early in the fourth quarter. Ryan Davis caught 11 passes for 139 yards. Jalen Hurts passed for 177 yards and a touchdown while running 17 times for 80 yards, but neither he nor the Tide ever really seemed to get going. Alabama had a devastating sequence after Auburn took the lead late in the third on 1-yard run.

Trevon 55-yard return set the Tide up for a potential go-ahead score, and a pass interference against Auburn helped. Hale Hentges nearly caught a tipped pass in the end zone but replay over- turned the touchdown call. Then the Tide botched a goal at- tempt with a bad snap. Alabama had two straight botched snaps on a promising drive in the fourth quarter, failing to make good on a do- over after an Auburn penalty on the sec- ond. THE TAKEAWAY: play with its normal poise in big games.

Failed on its six third-down at- tempts and 3 of 11 while allow- ing Auburn to convert on half of its 18 at- tempts. Tailbacks Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough and Josh Jacobs each had only six carries. biggest in the game was third Saban said. its revival from early and midseason struggles. Held on- to the ball for 36 minutes and 78 plays.

UP NEXT: Alabama waits for its bowl destination and must hope for help to make another trip. Auburn faces the Bulldogs in a re- match of its 40-17 win on Nov. 11. NO. 6 AUBURN 26, NO.

1 ALABAMA 14 Auburn wins Iron Bowl for SEC title shot John Zenor ASSOCIATED PRESS Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham carries against Alabama on Saturday in Auburn, Ala. JOHN TODAY SPORTS.