RUTGERS (6-4, 3-4) vs. No. 24 ILLINOIS (7-3, 4-3)
November 23, 2024 • Noon ET • Peacock
SHI Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Having won its last two games to secure bowl eligibility, Rutgers football closes out the home schedule hosting Illinois Saturday at SHI Stadium for the annual Senior Day/Thank You Fans game. Kickoff is set for noon on Peacock. Tickets are available at ScarletKnights.com or by calling 866-445-GORU (4678). The Scarlet Knights are 9-4 at home since 2023.

The Senior Day recognition will take place as part of the Scarlet Walk. The class will join family and friends for a final time participating in one of the favorite RU traditions. Fans are encouraged to line the way at 9:30 a.m.

The Rutgers Boardwalk, presented by VisitNJ.org, opens at 8 a.m. and features free rides and games, activities, live entertainment and fun for the whole family. Giveaways for the game include "Beat Illinois" buttons and shakers.

In an effort to give back to the community, the R Fund is organizing a food drive to support local families in need. As part of their ongoing commitment to community outreach, the R Fund is partnering with REPLENISH to collect non-perishable food items. Fans attending the game are encouraged to bring donations, as collection bins will be at the football truck stationed near the circle at the top of The Rutgers Boardwalk. The R Fund's initiative aims to provide essential resources for families facing food insecurity, and together, we can make a difference this holiday season.

The game will stream exclusively on Peacock. Peacock, NBCUniversal's direct-to-consumer streaming service, features the most live sports of any SVOD service in the United States. To celebrate the historic partnership with the Big Ten, NBCUniversal is offering a student discount for a 12-month plan at $1.99 per month. Click here for more information on Peacock and to subscribe.

Fans will see an improved entry process at SHI Stadium. During our efforts to amplify safety measures at SHI Stadium, we have seen these changes present increased congestion at stadium gates and longer than expected wait times. Through the feedback we have received in our postgame surveys from our season ticket holders, fans and guests, the following adjustments will take effect immediately:

• Fans are permitted to enter ALL gates with an approved bag (view bag policy).
• Fans are permitted to walk through the weapons detection system with an approved bag.

In an effort to encourage a safe environment for fans, as well as improve the ease of entry into the stadium, Rutgers continues to use mobile tickets, which can be added to an Apple Wallet or Google Wallet app. Digital tickets provide for contactless entry, which can speed up entry time into the venue and also offers a secure means to transfer and exchange tickets. Representatives from the Rutgers ticket staff will be on hand to help assist customers with any digital ticket-related matters. Fans will also receive mobile parking passes that they can manage like their digital tickets. Fans are encouraged to download mobile tickets and parking passes to their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet apps prior to arriving at the stadium.

SHI Stadium is now cashless at all merchandise and concession stands with the exception of parking lots, the ticket office and food trucks on The Rutgers Boardwalk. Cash-to-card kiosks (no fees) are available at sections 104 and 124 to convert cash to a debit card. Cards can be loaded for any value up to $500 and cards will work anywhere in the U.S. that accepts MasterCard. No cardholder information is gathered, while purchases and refunds are handled like any other credit card.

Fans who park in the Jersey Mike's Arena lots can take the free campus buses over to SHI Stadium (MAP). The drop-off area is located at Lot 53A, allowing fans to walk through The Rutgers Boardwalk on the way to the stadium. The return to Jersey Mike's Arena picks up near the Bubble on the Green Lot side. Buses from College Ave will run to Johnson Park and back. All buses operate three hours prior to kickoff and return up to one hour following the conclusion of the game. The ADA shuttles will continue to take passengers to and from the stadium with locations at the Blue Lot, Silver Lot and Jersey Mike's Arena, in service until 2.5 hours after the game.

Guests are advised to review Football Game Day Central before arriving.



TV: Peacock
Play-By-Play: Andrew Siciliano
Analyst: Michael Robinson
Reporter: Caroline Pineda

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 660-AM/101.9-FM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 138/195, SXM app, Audacy app, Scarlet Knights app
Play-By-Play: Chris Carlin
Analyst: Eric LeGrand
Analyst: Mike Teel
Sideline: Anthony Fucilli
Engineer: Paul Shrager
Pre/Post: Marc Malusis & Julian Pinnix-Odrick

Student Radio: WRSU 88.7-FM
Nick Hart & Jack Rabenhorst
 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Rutgers is bowl eligible for the eighth time under head coach Greg Schiano and is poised to earn the 13th bowl invitation in program history. The Scarlet Knights last earned bowl eligibility in consecutive seasons from 2011-14. For bowl ticket information, please submit the 2024 Rutgers Bowl Interest Form. Details will be sent out as they become available in the coming weeks.
• Rutgers has matched the program high with three Big Ten wins in a season, also done in 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2023.
• Rutgers seeks to win three consecutive Big Ten games for the first time since joining the conference.
• Rutgers, "The Birthplace of College Football," has played 1,419 games in program history on record dating back to 1869, the most in the sport.


 

LAST TIME OUT

• Rutgers picked up its sixth win of the season and secured bowl eligibility with a 31-17 road victory over Maryland at SECU Stadium. The 17 points against were the fewest permitted in 11 Big Ten meetings versus the Terrapins, allowing no points in the fourth quarter.
• Rutgers went 3-for-3 on fourth down to match its high of three fourth-down conversions in a Big Ten game. A conversion with 5:40 remaining from the 12-yard line in the third quarter led to the go-ahead score one play later.
• QB Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 238 yards on 20 completions, two touchdowns and 14 passing first downs.
• WR Ian Strong hauled in a career-high seven catches with a score, while WR Dymere Miller totaled eight receptions for 107 yards and a 32-yard touchdown.
• RB Kyle Monangai carried the ball 25 times for 97 yards to surpass 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season. He punched in touchdowns from two and six yards away for his fifth career game with multiple scores.
• DB Shaquan Loyal posted a career-high 13 tackles, adding a pass breakup to lead to an interception by DL Jordan Thompson. DL Aaron Lewis added a sack, as DB Robert Longerbeam and DB Bo Mascoe both broke up two passes.
• PK Jai Patel converted his sixth consecutive make from 46 yards away.
• Rutgers snapped a three-game losing streak to Maryland in winning for the eighth time in the series and third time in Big Ten play on the road.
 

OFFENSE

• Kirk Ciarrocca is in his second season back as Rutgers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2024. Ciarrocca has over 30 years of coaching experience (20 as an offensive coordinator). He has been selected as a semifinalist for the Broyles Award and coached 27 players who had their name called in the NFL Draft (six in the first round). Ciarrocca has coached the Big Ten's leading rusher each of the past two seasons (Monangai, Mohamed Ibrahim).
• The offensive line earned a spot on the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll. The Joe Moore Award annually honors the top offensive line in college football based on toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique and finishing. Rutgers has seven games since 2023 with no sacks allowed and 14 with no more than one permitted.
• QB Athan Kaliakmanis has thrown 14 touchdown passes and accumulated 2,128 yards through the air in becoming the first Rutgers quarterback with more than 2,000 since Chris Laviano in 2015. The passing offense has totaled 719 more yards than at the same point last season.
• RB Kyle Monangai ranks third in program history with 2,970 career rushing yards and tied for seventh with 26 rushing touchdowns. He is one of four Scarlet Knights with multiple 1,000-yard seasons and leads the Big Ten with 197 carries in 2024.
• WR Dymere Miller has multiple receptions in all 10 games and leads the team with 50 catches and 645 receiving yards. WR Ian Strong ranks eighth in the Big Ten with 16.4 yards per reception.
 

DEFENSE

• Joe Harasymiak is in his third season as the Rutgers football defensive coordinator in 2024. A native of Waldwick, New Jersey, Harasymiak also leads the linebackers and has been a nominee for the Broyles Award each of the past two seasons.
• Rutgers allowed less than 20 points in back-to-back Big Ten games for the second time since joining the conference, also in 2022 (Nebraska & Indiana).
• Rutgers has held opponents scoreless on eight trips to the red zone.
• LB Dariel Djabome leads the team with 88 tackles, ranking 24th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten with 8.8 tackles per game.
• DB Shaquan Loyal leads the team with two interceptions, while DB Robert Longerbeam has 10 passes defended (nine breakups, one interception) and ranks fourth among active FBS players with 39 career passes defended.
• Ten different players have recorded a sack, with DL Kyonte Hamilton posting 3.5 so far.
 

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Rutgers has blocked 73 kicks (43 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) under head coach Greg Schiano. That includes 15 games with multiple blocks, 15 touchdowns off blocks and two resulting in safeties. The Scarlet Knights lead the nation with 10 blocked punts over the previous three seasons.
• PK Jai Patel has connected on 23-of-30 career field goals with a long of 51 yards and has hit six consecutive attempts.
• P Jakob Anderson has forced 24 fair catches with 13 punts overall downed inside the 20 on 42 attempts.
• PK Jack Scullion has booted 23-of-48 kickoffs for a touchback.


 

VERSUS ILLINOIS

• Rutgers will take on Illinois in a Big Ten game for the seventh time and ninth time overall. Illinois leads the series, 5-3. The two teams met six consecutive seasons between 2016-21.
• Rutgers is set to face its first opponent of the season appearing in the AP Poll. It will be the first time facing a ranked Illinois team. The Scarlet Knights own nine victories overall over AP-ranked opponents, including four under head coach Greg Schiano.
• Down 14-10 at halftime, Rutgers held Illinois off the scoreboard in the second half and Noah Vedral scored a 15-yard rushing touchdown to put the Scarlet Knights ahead with 14:16 left in the fourth quarter in a 20-14 win in the last meeting in 2021. The defense allowed just 81 yards and three first downs in the second half to secure the road win.
• Valentino Ambrosio tacked on a field goal to increase the lead to six. Illinois drove down to the Rutgers 35-yard line, but Kessawn Abraham picked up a tackle-for-loss on fourth down to thwart the drive. RB Kyle Monangai scored the first touchdown of the game on a seven-yard carry in the first quarter. Isiah Pacheco registered a game-high 91 rushing yards.
• Before reuniting in the Big Ten in 2016, Rutgers blanked Illinois at home, 33-0, in a non-conference meeting between the teams in 2006. It is one of nine shutouts for RU under Schiano. The Scarlet Knights raced out to a 20-0 lead after one quarter with a score on special teams (Derrick Roberson blocked punt return), on defense (Devin McCourty interception return) and on offense (Clark Harris one-yard touchdown pass from Mike Teel). Ray Rice added a score to highlight a 108-yard performance, as RU out-gained UI in the game, 311-126. In addition, the defense held the Fighting Illini to 0-for-12 on third down and collected five sacks.
• The first meeting in Champaign went to overtime before the Fighting Illini won, 33-30, in 2005. Rutgers piled up 507 yards of total offense, but Illinois managed to erase a 20-point deficit (27-7). Ryan Hart led RU with 342 yards on 27-of-44 passing, while Brian Leonard had 186 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.
• Rutgers picked up a 35-24 win in 2017 at Memorial Stadium. The victory marked the first over a Big Ten West opponent. RU never trailed in the contest, led by as many 18 points and scored in each quarter. The Scarlet Knights won the battle in the trenches on both sides of the ball by out-rushing the Fighting Illini, 274-86. Gus Edwards led the way with 91 yards and two touchdowns. Four different running backs combined for five rushing touchdowns, the most for Rutgers against an FBS opponent since 2003 (Navy). Defensively, Jawuan Harris transitioned to safety for his first collegiate action on defense and totaled a game-high 11 tackles to go with an interception and a forced fumble. The unit garnered three turnovers overall.
• In a close game at SHI Stadium in 2020, Rutgers fell to Illinois, 23-20, on a field goal with three seconds remaining. Bo Melton racked up 150 receiving yards with touchdowns of 29 and 66 yards. Pacheco notched 133 rushing yards. It was the third time RU had a 100-yard rusher and receiver in the same Big Ten game (2014 Indiana, 2015 Indiana).
• Rutgers previously faced Illinois head coach Bret Bielema in 2013 in a 28-24 home win over Arkansas. The Scarlet Knights scored 21 unanswered points sparked by a 58-yard punt return late in the third quarter by Janarion Grant. Leonte Carroo hauled in a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter from Gary Nova. Tyler Kroft contributed six catches for 133 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
• Rutgers game highs versus Illinois:
Rushing Yards: Brian Leonard, 128 (2005)
Passing Yards: Ryan Hart, 342 (2005)
Receiving Yards: Bo Melton, 150 (2020)
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers concludes the regular season traveling to Michigan State for a Nov. 30 matchup at Spartan Stadium. It will be the 11th consecutive season meeting in the series.

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