It was two years ago when the Rutgers football team last traveled to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium to face off against the Louisville Cardinals.
It was a day when the team was blown out by the 23rd-ranked team in the nation, 56-5. It was Rutgers' worst loss since an 80-7 loss in 2001 against West Virginia. It was quarterback Mike Teel's first loss as a Scarlet Knight.
But last season, Rutgers was able to turn the tables on Louisville with a 28-25 win over the then-No. 3 Cardinals from the friendly confines of Rutgers Stadium.
In a way, both teams are out for revenge tonight. Louisville is looking to bounce back after they saw their dreams of a national championship ruined and Rutgers is looking to avenge their 51-point loss two years ago.
But Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said he doesn't want his team to be out for revenge.
"I don't think revenge is a good motivating factor," Schiano said. "If you want to remember something, remember what kind of quality opponent we're playing and be ready to go. If you're ready to play, that's what matters. I think it's going to be a really great matchup."
Regardless, both games are still fresh in the minds of the players that played in them and watched them.
Teel said he still recalls many details from the loss at Cardinal Stadium.
"I remember a lot," Teel said. "I remember that horn going off. I remember coming home shocked that we went down there. I don't know if we weren't ready to play or if we were intimidated. It was a tough environment to play in and they're a very good football team."
Senior defensive tackle Eric Foster did not play in the game two years ago because of injury, but he said he remembers how he felt about the game.
"I was watching it on TV and I'll tell you, it wasn't a great feeling," Foster said. "You don't forget losses like that. You don't forget when you get blown out of the stadium. Games like that stay with you for the next time you play."
Schiano said he remembers everything about the game including what he considered to be the turning point for Louisville.
"It was 14-5 on our own 14-yard line," Schiano said. "We threw an interception and they took it back down to the two or three yard line. It was the turning point in the game."
Many of the familiar faces from that game have now moved on to the NFL. Louisville running back Kolby Smith, who ran for 55 yards and two touchdowns started for the Kansas City Chiefs last week and Rutgers fullback Brian Leonard, who had 64 total yards and one of his famous leaps in the game, is now seeing significant playing time with the St. Louis Rams.
Some of the players who are still with the team include junior running back Ray Rice, who ran for 37 yards and junior safety Courtney Greene who recorded 13 tackles.
The growing rivalry only became more intense as the Knights came back to win the next year's match in what may have been the biggest win in the program's history.
"For us [beating Louisville] was a stepping-stone in the direction that we eventually want to get to," Teel said. "To play a No. 3-ranked team on national television in a sold-out stadium is one of the best things that could have happened for this program in the long run."
Even players who were not yet on the team could feel the electricity and excitement of RU's win.
"[Last year] was a lot of fun to watch," said freshman safety Joe Lefeged. "I was just really excited. Rutgers was playing a top-five team in the country and playing well. Just to come away with a win was a great thing for the program."
With the team traveling to play Louisville again tonight, it is hoping to avoid the trap that it fell in to two years ago.
Teel will bring a lot more experience to the table than he did two years ago.
"He's a competitor, but certainly he's a much more seasoned football player," Schiano said. "He understands things much better."
The Rutgers defense is going to have to find a way to stop Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm, who is different than any other quarterback RU has faced this season. Brohm is a pocket passer who is considered one of the most intelligent quarterbacks in college football.
"Offensively, it all starts with their quarterback," Schiano said. "He's the finest quarterback in the country. He plays with the ultimate confidence. He doesn't get flustered. The guy is a pro."
Brohm has 3,787 passing yards and 29 passing touchdowns this season and the fact tonight is his Senior Night will make it even tougher to stop him. Foster said that the only way to contain Brohm is to realize what the defense is going up against and what Brohm is capable of.
"[A good pocket passer] presents a lot of problems," Foster said. "He keys in on what you're trying to do to him and he takes advantage of it. We definitely have to be aware that he's a smart quarterback and hopefully we can use that against him."
The Louisville defense has struggled this season, but Schiano knows he can't take them lightly.
"Defensively, they've given up some very big plays, but they're a very aggressive blitzing defense that gets a lot of negative plays," Schiano said. "We need to do our best to limit those negative plays."
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