RUTGERS (4-4, 1-4) vs. MINNESOTA (6-3, 4-2)
November 9, 2024 • Noon ET • NBC
SHI Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football is back at SHI Stadium Saturday to host Minnesota in a game presented by Provident Bank. Kickoff is set for noon on NBC. The Scarlet Knights will wear American flag helmets as part of Military Appreciation Day.

Tickets are available at ScarletKnights.com or by calling 866-445-GORU (4678).

A military flyover will take place prior to the game, while various military vehicles will be placed along The Rutgers Boardwalk for photo opportunities. Military members will be recognized throughout the day and will line the pregame tunnel to welcome the Scarlet Knights onto the field.

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 Minnesota" buttons and shakers.



Fans will see an improved entry process at SHI Stadium for the remainder of the season. 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.

Mandatory statewide fire restrictions in place prohibit all fires unless they are contained in an elevated stove using only propane, natural gas or electricity. No wood or charcoal fires are allowed, and the use of kerosene or gas torches of any kind is prohibited while this level of restriction is in place. The fire ban is in place on all public lands and private properties in all municipalities throughout New Jersey.

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: NBC (Peacock)
Play-By-Play: Jac Collinsworth
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 113/196, 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
Eddie Kalegi, Josh Meyers & Jess Buckley
 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Rutgers ranks first nationally in fewest penalty yards against per game (27.9), second in fewest penalties per game (3.88), third in blocked punts (2), ninth in fewest turnovers surrendered (6) and 25th in red zone defense (76.0 percent).
• Rutgers is 12-6 coming off a bye week under head coach Greg Schiano, including a 26-23 victory earlier this season at Virginia Tech.
• Rutgers is 15-2 since 2020 when not committing a turnover in a game.
• Rutgers has scored 63 non-offensive touchdowns under head coach Greg Schiano, including 12 since 2020.
• Rutgers, "The Birthplace of College Football," has played 1,417 games in program history on record dating back to 1869, the most in the sport.


 

LAST TIME OUT

• QB Athan Kaliakmanis found WR Christian Dremel for a 25-yard passing touchdown and the Scarlet Knights scored a two-point conversion to make it a 28-20 game with 8:11 left in the third quarter, but USC answered with two touchdowns to take a 42-20 win at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It was the first meeting on the gridiron between the teams.
• The offense posted 434 yards, went 11-for-22 on third down held the ball for 36:28 in running 89 plays. The 89 snaps were the most for the Scarlet Knights in a Big Ten game and most since recording 95 in 2011 at Syracuse.
• Kaliakmanis recorded a career-high 27 completions and a season-best 313 passing yards in the game.
• WR Dymere Miller matched his career high with 11 catches in totaling 131 receiving yards. It marked the first time a Scarlet Knight had at least 10 receptions in a game since Mohamed Sanu (13) at Army in 2011.
• RB Kyle Monangai rushed for 86 yards, while RB Antwan Raymond posted his third rushing touchdown of the year.
• PK Jai Patel converted both field goal attempts for his sixth career game with multiple makes.
• DB Shaquan Loyal and LB Tyreem Powell each posted six tackles, while DB Eric Rogers forced a fumble.
• It was the Scarlet Knights' third game in California and marked the fifth-longest trip by miles in program history. The game started at 11:01 p.m. ET.
 

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 nine touchdown passes and accumulated 1,650 yards through the air.
• RB Kyle Monangai ranks seventh nationally in rushing attempts (172), 11th in rushing yards per game (116.4) and 18th in rushing touchdowns (10). The New Jersey native has reached the end zone in 6-of-8 games, has 12 career outings with 100 or more rushing yards and needs 69 yards to record his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season.
• WR Dymere Miller has multiple receptions in all eight games and leads the team with 37 catches and 480 receiving yards.
 

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 six trips to the red zone.
• LB Dariel Djabome leads the team with 69 tackles, ranking 31st nationally and fourth in the Big Ten with 8.6 tackles per game.
• DB Shaquan Loyal leads the team with seven passes defended (five breakups, two interceptions).
• Nine different players have recorded a sack, with DL Kyonte Hamilton posting 2.5 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 21-of-28 career field goals with a long of 51 yards and has hit four consecutive attempts.
• P Jakob Anderson has forced 19 fair catches with 11 punts overall downed inside the 20 on 33 attempts.


 

VERSUS MINNESOTA

• Saturday will be the fourth all-time meeting on the gridiron between Rutgers and Minnesota and second in Piscataway.
• In the most recent meeting in 2022, Minnesota held the ball for 41:02 to beat Rutgers, 31-0, at Huntington Bank Stadium. DB Desmond Igbinosun (14), Deion Jennings (13) and Avery Young (13) posted career highs in tackles, with DL Aaron Lewis (10) also reaching double digits.
• Minnesota won the last matchup in Piscataway in 2019, 42-7. The Golden Gophers were the final Big Ten opponent to make their initial visit to Piscataway before western expansion.
• The Scarlet Knights rallied from a 21-3 deficit in the first quarter to take a 32-31 lead with 4:01 remaining, but the Golden Gophers drove 59 yards to kick a field goal with six seconds left for a 34-32 win in the first meeting between the teams in 2016 in Minneapolis. Giovanni Rescigno sparked the offense with a 22-for-38 performance for 220 passing yards and three touchdowns in his first career start. Justin Goodwin, Andre Patton and Jawuan Harris all caught touchdown passes, while Damon Hayes picked off a pass and ran it back 55 yards for a score. David Bonagura converted a pair of field goals.
• Offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca served the same role at Minnesota for four seasons (2017-19, 2022).
• Defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak spent three seasons (2019-21) at Minnesota after joining the staff for the 2018 Quick Lane Bowl. He was elevated to co-defensive coordinator in 2020.
• Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck served on the Rutgers staff as wide receivers coach for two seasons (2010-11). He also worked for head coach Greg Schiano with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012.
• The next meeting in the series is scheduled for 2025 in Minneapolis.
• Rutgers game highs versus Minnesota:
Rushing Yards: Justin Goodwin, 97 (2016)
Passing Yards: Giovanni Rescigno, 220 (2016)
Receiving Yards: Justin Goodwin, 52 (2016)
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers is on the road to face Maryland on Nov. 16 at SECU Stadium.

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