PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Connecticut was able to do what no other team could this season: stop Rutgers sophomore sensation Ray Rice. However, that wasn't enough to stop the No. 15 Scarlet Knights.

Unbeaten Rutgers (8-0) used its opportunistic defense and special teams to defeat the Huskies 24-13 Sunday night and set up a showdown with No. 5 Louisville next week.

"We didn't play our best football of the season, that's for certain," Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. "But we made plays to win the football game, and that's what good teams do."

Rice entered the game with 1,124 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns in seven games, but he was outplayed by UConn freshman Donald Brown, who ran for 199 yards and two touchdowns in his first collegiate start.

Rice finished with 79 yards on 22 carries, his lowest output of the season, though he did score on a 5-yard run on the game's first series.

Perhaps more important for Rutgers was that it was able to win a game in which Rice fell far short of his 161 yards per game average, which is second in the nation behind Northern Illinois' Garrett Wolfe.

"I set high goals for myself, but I can't reach them every game," Rice said. "They did a great job. I'm just happy we came out with the win."

Rice gave Rutgers fans a momentary scare when he limped off the field in the fourth quarter, but he returned to help the Scarlet Knights run out the clock.

"I thought he was done, but I looked up and he was back in there," Schiano said. "He's a tough kid."