(Photo Credit: USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Athan Kaliakmanis, RB Antwan Raymond, WR KJ Duff, WR Ian Strong, OC Gus Zilinskas, OG Kwabena Asamoah, OG Bryan Felter, OT Tyler Neeham, DE Jordan Thompson, DE Jordan Walker, LB Dariel Djabome, CB Bo Mascoe, FS Kaj Sanders, KR Ben Black, PK Jai Patel, and PT Jakob Anderson.
Key Players Departing:
RB Kyle Monangai, WR Dymere Miller, OT Hollin Pierce, DE Aaron Lewis, NT Kyonte Hamilton, LB Tyreem Powell, CB Robert Longerbeam, CB Eric Rogers, FS Flip Dixon, SS Desmond Igbinosun, SS Shaquan Loyal, and PR Christian Dremel.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: LB Talibi Kaba (Hillside, New Jersey), CB Michael Clayton (Warner Robins, Georgia), EDGE Robbie Johnson Jr. (Wilmington, Delaware), DL Bradley Weaver (Ohio transfer), and WR DT Sheffield (North Texas transfer),
3 Star Recruits: LB DJ McClary (Jersey City, New Jersey), OL N’Kye Wynn (Muskegon, Michigan), DL Braxton Kyle (Suwanee, Georgia), OL Chris Vigna (Oradell, New Jersey), and WR Jourdin Houston (Oakdale, Connecticut).
2024 Results:
G01 HOWARD W 44-7
G02 AKRON W 49-17
G03 @ Virginia Tech W 26-23
G04 WASHINGTON W 21-18
G05 @ Nebraska L 7-14
G06 WISCONSIN L 7-42
G07 UCLA L 32-35
G08 @ USC L 20-42
G09 MINNESOTA W 26-19
G10 @ Maryland W 31-17
G11 #25 ILLINOIS L 31-38
G12 @ Michigan State W 41-14
BOWL vs. Kansas State L 41-44
Misc. Team Information:
2024 Record: 7-5 (9th in Big Ten)
Home: 4-3
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 0-1
B10: 4-5
Non-B10: 3-1
Head Coach: Greg Schiano
Rutgers: 94-101
Bowls: 6-3
Career: 94-101
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Athan Kaliakmanis (213-395, 2696 yards, 53.9%, 6.8 avg., 18 TD, 7 INT)
Rushing: Antwan Raymond (100 car., 457 yards, 4.6 avg., 8 TD)
Receiving: Ian Strong (43 rec., 676 yards, 15.7 avg., 5 TD)
TDs Scored: Antwan Raymond (8)
Sacks: Jordan Walker (4)
Tackles: Dariel Djabome (105)
Tackles For Loss: Dariel Djabome (8)
Interceptions: Bo Mascoe/Jordan Thompson (1)
Pass Deflections: Bo Mascoe (5)
Forced Fumbles: Dariel Djabome (2)
Kick Returns: Ben Black (2 ret., 38 ret., 19.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Joe Patel (15-19 fg/fga., 79%, 41-42 xp/xpa., 86 pts.)
Punting: Jakob Anderson (50 punts, 2128 yards, 42.6 avg., 15 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 16 Athan Kaliakmanis (RS SR/TR)
RB: 5 CJ Campbell Jr. (RS SR/TR)
WR: 8 KJ Duff (SO)
WR: 9 Ian Strong (JR)
WR: 0 DT Sheffield (RS SR/TR)
TE: 12 Kenny Fletcher (SR)
LT: 56 Tyler Needham (RS SR)
LG: 65 Brian Felter (RS SR)
OC: 59 Gus Zilinskas (RS SR)
RG: 69 Kwabena Asamoah (RS JR)
RT: 54 Taj White (RS JR)
KR: 0 DT Sheffield (RS SR/TR)
PK: 44 Jai Patel (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 99 Eric O’Neill (RS SR/TR)
NT: 0 Doug Blue-Eli (RS SR/TR)
DT: 92 Darold DeNgohe (RS SO/TR)
DE: 94 Bradley Weaver (RS SR/TR)
LB: 28 Dariel Djaborne (RS JR)
LB: 2 Moses Walker (RS JR)
NB: 10 Jacobie Henderson (RS JR/TR)
CB: 7 Cam Miller (SR/TR)
CB: 3 Bo Mascoe (RS SO)
FS: 5 Kaj Sanders (SO)
SS: 9 Jett Elad (RS SR/TR)
PR: 0 DT Sheffield (RS SR/TR)
PT: 94 Jakob Anderson (SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
0830 OHIO BOBCATS | Rutgers leads the series 2-1. The Scarlet Knights won (38-26) the last meeting in 2011, and they won (24-7) the prior meeting in 2006.
09/06 MIAMI (OH) REDHAWKS | First meeting.
09/13 NORFOLK STATE SPARTANS | Rutgers leads the series 4-0. Ther Scarlet Knights won (63-13) the last meeting in 2015, and they won (38-0) the prior meeting in 2013.
09/20 IOWA HAWKEYES | Rutgers trails the series 0-4. The Scarlet Knights lost (0-22) the last meeting in 2023, and they lost (10-27) the prior meeting in 2022.
09/27 @ Minnesota Golden Gophers | Rutgers trails the series 1-3. The Scarlet Knights won (26-19) last season’s meeting, and they lost (0-31) the prior meeting ion 2022.
10/11 @ Washington Huskies | Rutgers trails the series 1-2. The Scarlet Knights won (21-18) last season’s meeting, and they lost (14-30) the prior meeting in 2017.
10/18 OREGON DUCKS | First meeting.
10/25 @ Purdue Boilermakers | Rutgers leads the series 2-0. The Scarlet Knights won (37-30) the last meeting in 2020, and they won (14-12) the inaugural meeting in 2017.
11/01 @ Illinois Fighting Illini | Rutgers trails the series 3-6. The Scarlet Knights are 2-5 since restarting the series in 2016, and their last series win (20-14) was in 2021.
11/08 MARYLAND TERRAPINS | Rutgers trails the series 8-12. The Scarlet Knights are 3-7 since 2015, and their last series loss (24-42) was in 2023.
11/22 @ Ohio State Buckeyes | Rutgers trails the series 0-10. The Scarlet Knights are 0-9 since 2015, and they lost (16-35) the last meeting in 2023.
11/29 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS | Rutgers trails the series 2-32. The Scarlet Knights are 0-9 since 2015, and their last series win (21-16) was in 1988.
Predictions:
Home: 5-1
Road: 5-1
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 7-2
Non-B10: 3-0
Overall: 10-2 (5th in B10)
gridironpredictions.net 