- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,217,652
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
Rutgers football ended many long droughts in recent seasons.
In 2023, the Scarlet Knights had their first 1,000-yard rusher in 11 years (Kyle Monangai) and earned their first traditional bowl bid in nearly a decade.
In 2024, they had their first 2,000-yard passer in a decade (Athan Kaliakmanis), their first back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher in two decades (Monangai) and a winning record (and bowl bid) in back-to-back seasons for the first time since joining the Big Ten.
In 2025, Kaliakmanis became the third 3,000-yard passer in program history and the first to reach 2,500 yards in back-to-back seasons since 2007 and 2008, when Rutgers had its best offense in program history; running back Antwan Raymond joined the 1,000-yard rusher club; and wide receiver KJ Duff became the seventh 1,000-yard receiver in program history — the first in 11 years.
So what’s on the docket for the 2026 season?
The Scarlet Knights will hope to snap some long-term droughts as a team, from upsetting nationally-ranked teams to getting into the rankings themselves, and for their star players — Duff and Raymond — to join exclusive clubs in program history.
Here are some of the long-standing skids Rutgers could end in 2026:
As a team
- Rutgers has not been ranked in the Associated Press’ Top 25 poll since the final week of the 2012 season, when it stood at No. 22 in the country. That marks 217 consecutive weeks without being ranked, the longest active drought among Power Four programs.
The latter is not particularly close: West Virginia, owner of the second-longest active drought, was last ranked in the Week 2 poll of the 2018 season.
- Rutgers has not defeated a ranked team since Nov. 12, 2009, when it beat No. 23 South Florida in Piscataway. The Scarlet Knights are 0-43 against ranked opponents since then, with an average margin of defeat of 29.2 points per game. It is the longest drought of ranked wins among all Power Five programs.
— Rutgers can earn its first-ever win against three different opponents this season: USC (0-1), Wisconsin (0-6) and Nebraska (0-7).
The Scarlet Knights can also earn their first win over Penn State as Big Ten opponents, a result that would snap a 18-game losing streak; they last defeated the Nittany Lions during the 1988 season and are 2-32 against them all-time.
Rutgers came agonizingly close to upsetting Penn State in its season finale last fall, but it suffered a crushing 40-36 loss.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE RUTGERS RANT ON YOUTUBE: Watch our weekly podcast, live postgame reactions and more
— Rutgers will look to start 3-0 for a sixth consecutive season, expanding the program record it set last fall.
To do so, the Scarlet Knights will need to keep another impressive streak alive. They are undefeated in regular season meetings against non-conference opponents since Schiano’s return in the 2020 season (15-0), a record that will be tested on the road against Boston College.
- Rutgers has never hosted ESPN’s College Gameday, nor has it been the road team in any marquee games that the iconic pregame program was being held.
Its best chance will come early in the season: if it starts the season off with four consecutive wins — including a road win over Boston College and a home upset of USC — it could be an enticing matchup against defending national champion Indiana, which should also start with a 4-0 record.
The only other potential option is a home game against Michigan on Halloween, but the Wolverines are not expected to be a top-10 caliber team this season.
- Rutgers has never finished with a winning record in Big Ten play. The closest the Scarlet Knights came was the 2024 season, when they finished 4-5 (44.4%), setting a program record for most Big Ten wins in a single season.
MORE BY BRIAN FONSECA
Former Rutgers football captain dies at 36Jul. 8, 2026, 1:33 p.m.
Rutgers basketball adds Italian forward as 1 of final pieces of 2026-27 rosterJul. 7, 2026, 3:45 p.m.
Individual accolades:
— Rutgers has not had a tight end catch more than two touchdowns in a season since Matt Flanagan finished with three during the 2015 season.
— Rutgers has not racked up at least 25 sacks in a season since the 2014 campaign (33) and have not had an individual player reach five sacks in a season since 2016 (Julian Pinnix-Odrick), eight sacks since 2009 (Jonathan Freeny, 9.5) or double-digit sacks since 2005 (Ryan Neill, Val Barnaby had 10 each).
Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Continue reading...
