RUTGERS (6-5, 3-4) at MICHIGAN STATE (5-6, 3-5)
November 30, 2024 • 3:30 p.m. ET • FS1
Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, Mich.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football wraps up the regular season with a road trip to Spartan Stadium to face Michigan State Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on FS1. It will be the 11^th consecutive year the two teams square off on the gridiron.

The Scarlet Knights rank fifth nationally in fewest fumbles lost (2), fifth in blocked punts (2), ninth in fewest penalties per game (4.45), ninth in fewest turnovers surrendered (8) and 22nd in first downs offense (249). RU leads the Big Ten in time of possession (31:41).

TV: FS1 (FOX Sports app)
Play-By-Play: Dan Hellie
Analyst: Petros Papadakis

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 101.9-FM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 380, SXM app, Audacy app, Scarlet Knights app
Play-By-Play: Chris Carlin
Analyst: Julian Pinnix-Odrick
Sideline: Anthony Fucilli
Engineer: Tony Guastella
Pre/Post: Marc Malusis & Eric LeGrand

Student Radio: WRSU 88.7-FM
Nick Hart & Josh Meyers
 

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 secure a winning season in back-to-back years for the first time since 2011-12.
• Rutgers, "The Birthplace of College Football," has played 1,420 games in program history on record dating back to 1869, the most in the sport.


 

LAST TIME OUT

• QB Athan Kaliakmanis led a 10-play drive, 65-yard touchdown drive (38 passing, 27 rushing), capped by a 13-yard passing score to RB Kyle Monangai with 1:08 left, but No. 24 Illinois answered by posting a go-ahead touchdown with four seconds on the clock to claim a 38-31 win at SHI Stadium.
• Rutgers rushed for 213 yards, its most in Big Ten play this season.
• Rutgers picked up 30 first downs, its most in a Big Ten game since joining the league.
• Monangai matched his career high with 28 carries in totaling 122 rushing yards. He reached 3,000 career yards on the ground in the game, also recording his first collegiate receiving touchdown.
• Kaliakmanis finished with a career-high 84 rushing yards, posted his first game with multiple rushing scores and threw two touchdown passes.
• WR Ian Strong brought in a receiving touchdown for the third straight game.
• DB Shaquan Loyal reached double-digit tackles for the second consecutive week and third time in his career with 10 stops, while DL Aaron Lewis registered a sack.
• PK Jai Patel made his seventh straight field goal attempt.
 

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 a career-high 16 touchdown passes, tied for ninth-most in a season in program history, and rushed for three. He has thrown for 2,302 yards, the most by a Scarlet Knight in a season since Gary Nova totaled 2,851 in 2014.
• RB Kyle Monangai ranks third in program history with 3,092 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 225 carries in 2024.
• WR Dymere Miller has multiple receptions in all 11 games and leads the team with 53 catches and 683 receiving yards. WR Ian Strong has scored a receiving touchdown in each of the past three games.
 

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 has held opponents scoreless on eight trips to the red zone.
• LB Dariel Djabome leads the team with 95 tackles, ranking fourth in the Big Ten with 8.6 tackles per game.
• DB Shaquan Loyal leads the team with two interceptions, while DB Robert Longerbeam has 11 passes defended (10 breakups, one interception) and ranks third among active FBS players with 40 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 24-of-31 career field goals with a long of 51 yards and has hit seven consecutive attempts.
• P Jakob Anderson has forced 25 fair catches with 15 punts overall downed inside the 20 on 45 attempts.
• PK Jack Scullion has booted 27-of-54 kickoffs for a touchback.


 

VERSUS MICHIGAN STATE

• Rutgers is set to take on Michigan State for the 11th consecutive year in a Big Ten game, ninth time at Spartan Stadium and 16th time overall.
• Last season at SHI Stadium, Rutgers scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to erase an 18-point deficit and defeat Michigan State, 27-24. It was the largest comeback for a win in Big Ten play since rallying from 25 points down at Indiana in 2015 and largest overall since erasing a 21-point deficit in 2016 versus New Mexico. The 18 points overcome matched the largest deficit to win under head coach Greg Schiano era, tying the 34-16 deficit at Vanderbilt to win 37-34 in 2004. Rutgers outgained Michigan State by 140 yards, 120 to minus 20, in the fourth quarter. RB Kyle Monangai recorded 148 rushing yards (107 in the fourth quarter) on 24 carries. He scored a rushing touchdown to put RU ahead with 8:21 remaining. The go-ahead score was set up by a recovered sky kick by DB Thomas Amankwaa. Aaron Young recovered a fumble in the end zone and Isaiah Washington received a four-yard touchdown pass as part of the comeback. DB Desmond Igbinosun recorded a career-high four tackles-for-loss and DB Robert Longerbeam forced two fumbles on defense.
• In 2022 in East Lansing, Rutgers outgained Michigan State, 460-453, but fell short in a 27-21 loss. Monangai sparked the run game with 162 rushing yards, the most by a Scarlet Knight in a Big Ten game and his first career 100-yard game.
• In the 2020 season opener in East Lansing, Rutgers put together a 75-yard touchdown drive on the first possession and forced a fumble on its first defensive play on the way to a wire-to-wire 38-27 win in the return of Schiano as head coach. RU forced seven turnovers in the road victory.
• Two of the signature victories in school history for the Scarlet Knights have come against Michigan State. Rutgers opened the 1988 campaign with a 17-13 victory over the 15th-ranked and defending Rose Bowl-champion Spartans at Spartan Stadium. In the win, Eric Young caught nine passes for 124 yards, including the game's first touchdown on a 61-yard pass from Scott Erney. In front of an ABC television audience and a sellout crowd at Rutgers Stadium, Rutgers stopped Michigan State, 19-14, to start the 2004 season. Jeremy Ito connected on four field goals, Brian Leonard rushed for 150 yards and Ryan Neill returned an interception 31 yards for a score in the win. RU held the ball for 40:14, the second-highest time of possession for the Scarlet Knights in the Schiano era.
• Rutgers game highs versus Michigan State:
Rushing Yards: Kyle Monangai, 162 (2022)
Passing Yards: Ryan Hart, 266 (2003)
Receiving Yards: Leonte Carroo, 134 (2015)
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers will play in the 13th bowl game in program history. Bowl selections will be announced Sunday, Dec. 8.

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