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Rutgers Scarlet Knights
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Record: 4-0 (1-0 Big Ten)
Coach: Greg Schiano, fifth season
Point Differential: +75
Opponent overview
The Scarlet Knights find themselves 4-0 for the first time since 2012, escaping their past two games by the skin of their teeth. Being put to the test against Virginia Tech and Washington, Rutgers has pulled through with a pair of 3-point wins. Receiving votes in the latest AP Poll, the Scarlet Knights have what it takes to be one of the top teams in the Big Ten.
Rutgers is spearheaded by bell cow running back Kyle Monangai. Already having 97 carries on the year, the senior ranks second in the Big Ten with 589 rushing yards. Paired up with an impressive offensive line, Monangai will be the biggest challenge of the season so far for a Blackshirt run defense coming off a bounceback game vs. Purdue.
While the air attack has taken a backseat role in the Scarlet Knights’ offense, it still has been solid when called on with Minnesota transfer Athan Kaliakmanis at the helm. The senior has completed 61.5% of his passes with a touchdown to interception ratio of 7-to-1.
Despite the Rutgers offense having its way early, its defense has struggled especially against power conference opponents. The Scarlet Knights have allowed 172.75 rushing yards per game, second to last in the Big Ten. Their opponents have had a 100-yard rusher in each of the last three games, a feat that Nebraska hasn’t accomplished yet but has the players capable of the job.
Rutgers brings forth a middle-of-the-pack passing defense giving up 179.5 yards per game. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola should have no problem eclipsing that mark coming off of consecutive 250-plus yard performances against conference opponents who rank higher than the Scarlet Knights.
Where the Rutgers defense turns up is in the red zone, allowing opponents to score on just 54.55% of red zone trips. This bend don’t break style was highlighted against the Huskies who had 521 yards of total offense but only 18 points to show. The Huskers struggled greatly with a short field against the Boilermakers and will need to be more consistent this weekend.
The Scarlet Knights will be a tough out for Nebraska on homecoming. If the Huskers can limit the big plays from Monangai while converting on the offensive end, they should escape with a win.
Players to watch
Running back Samuel Brown V — While Monangai gets the majority of the carries, Brown presents a threat as the No. 2 back. Averaging 5.2 yards per attempt, the junior is more than capable of taking over the game. This happened against the Huskies when Brown took a third-down handoff 37 yards for a score, running right through the heart of the Washington defense. The Blackshirts cannot fall asleep whenever he comes on the field when Monangai needs a break.
Wide receiver Ian Strong — While Rutgers’ main focus is on the run, Strong has been making some noise in the receiving game lately. Against the Hokies, the sophomore hauled in four catches for 110 yards, the only triple-digit receiving yard performance by a Scarlet Knight this season. Last week, Strong used his 6-foot-3 frame to good use, grabbing a heavily contested ball for six. With the Huskers potentially without senior cornerback Tommi Hill for the third straight week, Strong alongside senior receiver Dymere Miller may be in for another big day.
Defensive back Robert Longerbeam — The senior single-handedly sealed Rutgers’ win over Virginia Tech by tipping a pass at the line to himself for a pick. Longerbeam leads the team in pass breakups and should have a busy day facing the likes of senior receivers Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor.
Numbers to know
4 — The Scarlet Knights’ pass rush has been a nonfactor so far, having just four sacks on the year and ranking last in the conference. Nebraska’s offensive line has done a great job protecting freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola despite starting two backups. Raiola should have time, but it will be up to his receivers to get open.
16 — Rutgers is one of the most disciplined teams in the country, being charged with four penalties per game, tied for fourth fewest in FBS. The referees dominated the Huskers-Boilermakers contest as Nebraska was called for 11 penalties for 94 yards. While Purdue had even more, the Scarlet Knights should have significantly less.
5.91 — Against the run, Rutgers is allowing nearly six yards per carry this season. Sophomore running back Emmett Johnson emerged as the Huskers’ lead back in the second half last week and looks to be featured in the offense more going forward. Averaging 8.3 yards per carry, Johnson may be in for another impactful game.
The other side(line)
I interviewed a student journalist at the opposing campus newspaper — The Daily Targum’s Nicholas Hart — to get his thoughts on the matchup. The conversation has been condensed.
What should Nebraska’s game plan be to slow down Monangai and the Scarlet Knight offense?
“The biggest thing is you stack the box. You try to limit the run game early because Athan (Kaliakmanis) has been solid, but he also hasn’t been overly impressive. As far as his stats go, last game, 14-of-20, 115 yards and a touchdown, and then from the running game, they had 184 yards and two touchdowns. So I think if you can game plan, stack the box and slow down the run early, that’s when Rutgers gets in trouble.”
Who is the biggest X-factor for Rutgers in this matchup?
“Offensively, obviously, I have to go with Kyle Monangai. He’s been the leader of this offense now for two years. He’s just passed Isiah Pacheco for seventh-most rushing yards in program history, and he’s just a dynamic back. Another thing that a lot of people say about Monangai, especially Schiano, is he just wears down defenses. The more he runs, the harder he runs, the harder it gets for teams to tackle him.
“And then I have to look to the secondary to have a really strong game as a unit against Nebraska. Obviously, we saw that Robert Longerbeam had the game-sealing interception against Virginia Tech. He’s been so solid for Rutgers. Guys like Tyreem Powell have been awesome. Flip Dixon obviously is a great player. But again, they have to play a full four quarters if they’re going to even compete against Nebraska, in my eyes.”
How would you evaluate Rutgers’ defense heading into this game?
“I think that they’ve played well enough to win so far this season, but they’re definitely going to have to step up against Nebraska. They’re going to have to get pressure on the quarterback, which Rutgers has not done so far this season. And they’re gonna have to play a full game because they haven’t done that.
“They’ve played two quarters good, two quarters not good. So overall, I think they’re a solid unit. They have the potential to be really good, but they also have to play a full four quarters of football in order to keep this one close in Nebraska.”
Anthony Rubek is an Assistant Sports Editor at The Daily Nebraskan. Follow him on X at @AnthonyRubek.
sports@dailynebraskan.com
