PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- For the second consecutive week, FIU knew it was up against big, physical offensive and defensive lines.

And for the second consecutive week, FIU couldn't muster much of a running game or defensive pressure.

A burlier Rutgers took advantage at the line of scrimmage against the Golden Panthers and held off a late FIU charge in a 23-15 victory Saturday night.

``We got going too late and credit Rutgers for that,'' FIU coach Mario Cristobal said.

``They did a good job stuffing us early defensively. You would like to have another quarter to play football, but you don't. That's a tough locker room scene in there, and it should be.''

Behind sophomore running back Joe Martinek's career-high 121 yards, the Scarlet Knights rushed for 160 yards.

The Rutgers offensive line also gave quarterback Tom Savage plenty of time to complete some key passes to help build a 23-0 lead into the fourth quarter.

``We just needed to play with a better team effort,'' said linebacker Scott Bryant, who led FIU with 12 tackles. ``It's up to the leaders to get things executed, because as a defense we played real hard. But we need to hold ourselves up to a higher standard. We had to get off the field on those third downs to give the offense another shot to get on the board.''

Outside of the 94-yard touchdown drive it allowed the Scarlet Knights, the defense actually kept the Panthers in the game.

MAKING A STAND

The Scarlet Knights went deep in FIU territory five times during the first half, but were only able to score one touchdown and two field goals in those opportunities.

Rutgers got great field position thanks to two FIU turnovers and a personal foul that had the Panthers punting from their 12.

In their other chances in FIU territory, the Scarlet Knights turned the ball over on downs and had a field-goal attempt blocked.

However, a 13-0 Rutgers lead at halftime seemed like much more because of the ineffectiveness of the FIU offense.

The Panthers had just three first downs at the half and 57 total yards. FIU was just 2 of 12 in third down conversions for the game.

The passing game FIU was able to execute so well against No. 4 Alabama last week could not get going against Rutgers until late.

``They got some good pressure early,'' quarterback Paul McCall said. ``I missed some checks at the line and that ended up in three sacks in the first half, and those were at critical times. You can't take those.''

The Panthers defense stood its ground, holding the Scarlet Knights to a field goal in the second half, but linebacker Ryan D'Imperio intercepted McCall and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown that gave Rutgers a 23-0 lead with 8:06 left in the game.

FIU rallied on two consecutive drives with less than seven minutes left in the game.

Running back Darriet Perry had runs of 11 and 19 yards to set up a short pass from McCall to freshman Wayne Times, who made some moves on Rutgers defenders and picked up 33 yards to the Rutgers 8.

On the next play McCall connected with T.Y. Hilton for an 8-yard touchdown.

McCall threw another touchdown pass to Hilton with 31 seconds and got the two-point conversion on a pass to Hilton to make 23-15.

But FIU could not recover the ensuing onside kick and the comeback ended.

``You don't go on the road and play that well defensively early on and not produce as much as you can offensively,'' Cristobal said.

``You want to lose as a football team, and the bottom line is you have to score one more point than the other team does, and we didn't.''