College football

Big East: Rutgers win clinches rare winning season

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Brian Leonard and Ray Rice each ran for two touchdowns and Rutgers clinched its first winning regular season since 1992 by defeating Navy 31-21 on Saturday.

In winning its third straight to start 6-2 for the first time since 1979, Rutgers became bowl eligible for the first time since '92 and snapped Navy's four-game winning streak.

Ryan Hart, who lost his starting job to Mike Teel two games ago but got it back this week because of Teel's shoulder injury, completed 18-of-21 for 221 yards.

Reggie Campbell had 69 of Navy's 207 yards rushing, which was less than half the total the Midshipmen had in last year's 54-21 over Rutgers.

Clinging to a 24-21 lead, the Knights put together a 62-yard drive capped by Rice's 2-yard touchdown run with 5:26 left.

CINCINNATI 22, SYRACUSE 16: Linebacker Kevin McCullough returned a fumble 17 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter for the visiting Bearcats, who handed the Orange its sixth straight loss. Syracuse had one last hope with a drive starting at its 1. Perry Patterson drove Syracuse to the Cincinnati 28, including a 1-yard pass to Rice Moss on fourth and 6. But the drive ended when Tim Lane dropped a pass over the middle at the first-down marker on fourth and 17.

[Last modified October 30, 2005, 01:14:16]