How often does college football matter to a New York-area team? Rutgers's game against Louisville garnered enough attention the Empire State Building was lit up in scarlet. It was the biggest local game in recent memory. But despite all the hype, the Scarlet Knights were heavy underdogs to the Cardinals, even at home. A last-minute field goal by Jeremy Ito stunned the No. 3 Cardinals and capped a shocking 28-25 Rutgers win. The result effectively ended Louisville's national title hopes and kept Rutgers, which still has to play three more games -- including at West Virginia -- in the discussion. That's right. Rutgers is in the national title discussion.

Given Rutgers' history -- it hadn't beaten a ranked team since 1988, when it took down Penn State -- that's just icing on the cake. Greg Schiano may have needed some time, but it's safe to say he's breathed life into the program. With players like Ray Rice, who rushed for 133 yards Thursday, he's molded a team and shown that even the most pathetic programs can be turned around. How long he stays will be answered later, but Friday will bring more discussions about a college football game than the New York area has seen in a long time.

Photo of Scarlet Knights kicker Jeremy Ito after his game winning field goal by AP/Tim Larsen