Rutgers football's offense nonexistent in loss to Nebraska | Analysis

PISCATAWAY – This is the type of season it’s become for Rutgers football.

The Scarlet Knights were already without starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan for Saturday’s game against Nebraska, and second-string quarterback AJ Surace was a game-time decision.

Surace dressed and went through warmups, but third-stringer Sean Ashenfelder ultimately made his first career start.

Then Ashenfelder suffered an apparent leg injury in the first half, and Surace had to come off the sideline and replace him.

In a season that continues to spiral, the quarterback situation continues to worsen – the offense suffered a result.

The Scarlet Knights got little going on that side of the ball, finishing with 143 total yards of offense in a 31-0 loss to the Cornhuskers at SHI Stadium.

They had 101 rushing yards and averaged 3.1 yards per play.

Greg Schiano’s team fell to 2-8 (1-6 Big Ten) with the loss – it has just two games to get through before it can officially begin a crucial offseason.

But Rutgers still needs to get through those two games – at Penn State and home against Michigan State in the finale – and the mounting injuries continue to make it more difficult.

The Scarlet Knights have already lost wide receiver KJ Duff, right guard Kobe Asamoah and safety Chris Joines for the season.

This game wasn’t much of a fight – Nebraska, which secured its sixth win and bowl eligibility with a win that snapped a four-game losing streak, pretty much controlled it from the start and finished with 429 yards of offense.

It was lopsided.

But given the state of the Scarlet Knights right now, that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, especially against a defense that ranks among the best in the Big Ten.

Surace went 4-of-12 for 24 yards.

Rutgers’ season is inching closer to a painful – literally – end.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Rutgers football's offense nonexistent in loss to Nebraska | Analysis