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It is the year 2024 and Rutgers is … legit?
In the fifth year of his second stint on the job, Scarlets Knights coach Greg Schiano brings back a team that went 7-6 last year. They had Ohio State down at halftime, they beat Virginia Tech and they were 6-2 before dropping four in a row to end the regular season, but came back to beat Miami in an entertaining bowl game.
Rutgers has one of the top running backs in the Big Ten Conference in Kyle Monangai and brought in Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis. He is now reunited with current Rutgers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. Kaliakmanis isn’t flashy at all, but he’s steady. After some bad quarterback play at Rutgers the last few years, steady is a level up.
But was last year a rare situation where the middle of the Big Ten was terrible, and Rutgers was the best of a bad lot? Or was it proof that Rutgers is on their way up for real?
Let’s break down Rutgers 2024 schedule.
Week 1: Howard Bison
The Scarlet Knights open up with a gimme. The last time they played was in 2016 when Rutgers stomped the Bison 52-14.
Howard went 6-6 last year. They lost to Northwestern by a field goal, but have won back-to-back Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships. Kenny Gallop Jr. was MEAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2023.
Quarterback is an issue for the Bison, but they have two solid running backs in Eden James and Jarett Hunter, who each went over 600 yards last year.
Record: 1-0
Week 2: Akron Zips
Rutgers follows a first week gimme with a lay-up. And yes, Rutgers basketball might be top 10 good this season.
Akron is not good. They were 2-10 last year and coach Joe Moorhead has got to start producing some results. The Zips snagged former Cal starter Ben Finley at quarterback out of the Transfer Portal and also have former New Jersey prep school star Tahj Bullock in the mix. The running back stable includes Jordan Simmons, a transfer from New Mexico State. Akron doesn’t have much talent.
Record: 2-0
Week 3: at Virginia Tech Hokies
Hokies starting quarterback Kyron Drones made his first start against Rutgers last year and watched as the Hokies' 12-game win streak against the Scarlet Knights went poof.
Drones is expected to take a big leap forward in 2024 as the Hokies bring back a lot on offense including wide receivers Bhayshul Tuten and Ali Jennings. The defense is led by NFL-prospect Dorian Strong at cornerback.
This game is a turning point for Rutgers' season, but Virginia Tech will be home and have revenge on their minds. Rutgers has never won a game in Blacksburg, Va. This is just not the type of game Rutgers wins.
Record: 2-1
Week 4: Washington Huskies
Rutgers welcomes new Big Ten opponent Washington to New Jersey. On paper, it is a mismatch with the Huskies in the College Football Playoff National Championship game last year, and Rutgers being, you know, Rutgers.
But a lot has changed in Washington in the last nine months. Kalen DeBoer went to Alabama to coach. Jeff Fisch came up from Arizona. Quarterback Will Rogers is the starter after transferring in from Mississippi State, where he was okay, but didn’t exactly set the world on fire.
This is a tough one for Rutgers, especially if they’re coming off a loss to Virginia Tech.
Record: 2-2
Week 5: at Nebraska Cornhuskers
They could write books about Nebraska’s 2023 football season. The Cornhuskers finished 5-7. They lost four games by three points each, including one in overtime. They turned the ball over 31 times. They had a minus-17 turnover margin which was second worst in the nation.
Nebraska overhauled the offense with former USC and Georgia golden boy Dylan Raiola slated to take over at quarterback. Nebraska has weapons at receiver in Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor.
This is a tough stretch for Rutgers, but they’re going to win one of these games. Nebraska still has bad mojo.
Record: 3-2
Week 6: Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin has sank to the middle tier of the Big Ten and needs to get back to running the ball 40 times, but that’s just not how college football works anymore. Last year running back Chez Mellusi was averaging 6 yards a carry before getting hurt in the third game and the Badgers started passing.
The Badgers have Tyler Van Dyke in at quarterback from Miami and he has a bonafide No. 1 receiver in Will Pauling. This is a swing game. Rutgers can beat Wisconsin, but probably won’t.
Record: 3-3
Week 7: UCLA Bruins
UCLA pressed the reboot button elevating assistant coach Deshaun Foster into the head coaching role. Foster won the Big Ten Media Days with his famous/infamous “We’re in L.A.” comment. Awkward.
The Bruins played well down the stretch last year, but there’s not a lot to work with. Quarterback Ethan Garbers is a redshirt senior who has basically outlasted everyone else at UCLA at that spot. This is a game where Rutgers can crank up the defense and win.
Record: 4-3
Week 8: at USC Trojans
After a ridiculous season where the offense was unstoppable and the defense unable to stop anyone, USC has switched up some things on defense, bringing in former UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn II.
Offensively, USC will still have weapons and score a lot of points. This is a rough matchup for Rutgers. USC will have too much speed.
Record: 4-4
Week 9: Minnesota Golden Gophers
This is a payback game for Rutgers. Much like Virginia Tech has Rutgers in their sights after last year, this is a game you know that Rutgers has circled. Former Minnesota quarterback Kaliakmanis came to Rutgers after being shown the portal door when Max Brosmer showed up.
Brosmer is a grad transfer from New Hampshire, who was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award (the FCS Heismen Trophy). He threw for 29 touchdowns and 3,449 yards last year.
Rutgers knows too much about Minnesota and has too much pride to lose this one. This is a game they have to have.
Record: 5-4
Week 10: at Maryland Terrapins
Remember when the Big Ten expanded the first time and tried to make Rutgers versus Maryland a thing? It never really took root.
Maryland has had a solid three-year run with Taulia Tagovailoa at quarterback, but he’s now in the Canadian Football League. The Terps have a QB battle between last year’s back-up Billy Edwards Jr. and North Carolina State transfer MJ Morris. Whoever is behind center has some quality targets in Tai Felton and Kaden Prather.
The Terps defense has a pair of 300-plus pounders in the middle in Jordan Phillips and Tommy Akingbesote.
This is a game Rutgers can win.
Record: 6-4
Week 11: Illinois Fighting Illini
What will be at stake in this one? Illinois was 5-7 last year, losing two of those games by four points combined. This just seems like a stale program. Coach Bret Bielema is in his fourth year in charge. Illinois beefed up the offensive line in the Transfer Portal. Quarterback Luke Altmeyer started nine games last year and threw a whopping 13 touchdowns.
By this point in the season, Rutgers may have momentum while Illinois is already looking at 2025.
Record: 7-4
Week 12: at Michigan State Spartans
For whatever reason, Rutgers always seems to match up well with Michigan State.
Last year was one of the worst seasons in Michigan State history. Coach Mel Tucker made some interesting choices of people to proposition on the phone and was fired midway through the season. State had a lot of dark hours, with one of the worst coming against Rutgers when they blew a 24-6 lead allowing Rutgers to score three touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Michigan State is one of those programs who should get an immediate bounce from new coach Jonathan Smith. It will be a cold, ugly day in East Lansing, but Michigan State will have a lot to play for—unlike last year.
Record: 7-5
Rutgers Overview
Rutgers finds itself with a favorable Big Ten schedule, no Michigan, no Ohio State and no Penn State even.
The middle class of the Big Ten is at least eight deep, with each of them capable of knocking the other off.
This plays right into Schiano’s hands, because his teams are always well prepared and play hard. We don’t know if Rutgers can ever get to the elite in college football, but winning records and bowl games aren’t too shabby either.
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