RUTGERS (3-0, 0-0) vs. WASHINGTON (3-1, 1-0)
September 27, 2024 • 8 p.m. ET • FOX
SHI Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Coming off a road win at Virginia Tech, Rutgers football opens Big Ten play hosting Washington Friday at SHI Stadium. The Blackout is presented by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and is set for an 8 p.m. start on FOX.

Fans are encouraged to wear black and enter SHI Stadium by 7:30 p.m. to help "LIGHT UP PISCATAWAY" using their cell phone lights (when cued) during the pregame light and firework show leading up to kickoff. The team will wear its black uniforms and helmets. The night will celebrate football letterwinners and the 2024 Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame class, a group that will be honored at halftime and includes former football standouts Devin and Jason McCourty. Also at halftime, the Marching Scarlet Knights will turn off the lights and put on a memorable performance featuring an "Ode to New Jersey," presented by LG.

The first 10,000 students will receive a limited-edition Black Friday t-shirt upon entering the stadium.



The Rutgers Boardwalk, presented by VisitNJ.org, will open at 4 p.m. Stop by Scarlet Knight Way to enjoy the top food trucks in New Jersey and experience free rides, mini golf, petting zoos, pony rides, prizes and live entertainment by one of New Jersey's favorite Jersey Shore bands: The Eddie Testa Band. Giveaways include black "Beat Washington" buttons and shakers, which will be available at the pep rally and team arrival at 5:30 p.m.

New on The Rutgers Boardwalk this year, all kids 12 and under can stop by the Rutgers Kid's Club next to the stage to pick up their exclusive Rutgers Kid's Club Credential and game-theme specific pin for their lanyard. Kids who collect all seven pins will receive a free pizza and ice cream at the final home game of the year. This week's pin is the Rutgers football black helmet to celebrate Friday's Blackout.



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.

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: FOX (FOX Sports app)
Play-By-Play: Tim Brando
Analyst: Devin Gardner
Reporter: Josh Sims

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 101.9-FM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 83, 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, Brendan Kelly & Jack Rabenhorst
 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Rutgers ranks third nationally in first downs defense (43), sixth in time of possession (35:02), eighth in fewest penalties per game (4.0), ninth in rushing offense (255.7), 11th in third down conversion percentage (52.8), 14th in red zone defense (66.7), 16th in passing defense (134.7), 20th in total offense (471.0), 21st in scoring offense (39.7) and 23rd in yards per completion (14.36).
• Rutgers is 3-0 for the fourth consecutive season and seeks to start 4-0 for the first time since 2012.
• Rutgers is 18-10 in home night games with fans under head coach Greg Schiano (excludes 2020).
• Rutgers has scored points in each of the first 12 quarters. The Scarlet Knights have not allowed a point in the first quarter.
• Rutgers, "The Birthplace of College Football," has played 1,412 games in program history on record dating back to 1869, the most in the sport.


 

LAST TIME OUT

• A 63-yard passing play from QB Athan Kaliakmanis to WR Ian Strong set up a go-ahead field goal by PK Jai Patel with 1:56 remaining and DB Robert Longerbeam followed with an interception on the next series to help Rutgers to a 26-23 road win at Virginia Tech. It was the Scarlet Knights' first victory in Blacksburg in seven attempts.
• Rutgers has won 10 consecutive non-conference games and 14 of the last 15. The Scarlet Knights are 53-20 overall in such games under head coach Greg Schiano.
• Rutgers won the turnover battle, 3-1. LB Dariel Djabome and WR Nasir Montgomery forced fumbles recovered by DL Malcolm Ray and LB Abram Wright, respectively, in addition to Longerbeam's fourth career pick.
• DL Wesley Bailey picked up his first sack of the season for a safety. It was the first safety scored by the Scarlet Knights since Olakunle Fatukasi had a sack in the end zone versus Temple in 2021.
• RB Samuel Brown V recorded two scores on the ground and RB Kyle Monangai added one.
• Strong finished with a career-high 110 receiving yards on four receptions, while Kaliakmanis posted 269 passing yards overall.
• Rutgers went 8-for-17 on third down and compiled 422 yards of total offense.
• Rutgers posted a time of possession of 39:23, its highest since recording 39:55 against Ohio in 2011.
• Rutgers improved to 12-6 coming off a bye week under Schiano.
 

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).
• Rutgers is 20th nationally with 471.0 yards of total offense per game. The Scarlet Knights have posted at least 400 yards in each of the three games. That included 515 yards of offense against Akron, its first time topping 500 against an FBS opponent since 2019 versus Massachusetts.
• Kaliakmanis has completed 45-of-72 passes (62.5 percent) for 646 yards and six touchdowns.
• Monangai ranks third nationally with 152.3 rushing yards per game and 16th with five rushing touchdowns. He is 36 yards away from moving into eighth on the program's career leaderboard.
• WR Dymere Miller has at least four receptions in all three games and leads the team with 212 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. The Scarlet Knights have improved by 83 yards per game since he joined the staff.
• Rutgers has recorded a takeaway in 11 consecutive games dating back to last season, its longest streak since a 19-game run from 2011-13.
• LB Dariel Djabome leads the team with 24 tackles, including 14 in the first game versus Howard.
• Longerbeam, DB Shaquan Loyal and DB Eric Rogers each have interceptions so far and 14 different players have been in on a tackle-for-loss.
• Longerbeam leads the unit with 32 career passes defended (26 breakups, three interceptions) and five forced fumbles.
 

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Rutgers has blocked 71 kicks (41 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) under Schiano. That includes 12 games with multiple blocks and a 9-4 record when returning or recovering a blocked punt for a touchdown in a game.
• Patel has connected on 17-of-19 kicks (all 15 extra points, 2-for-4 on field goals). He set the program record for accuracy on field goals last season (15-for-18).
• P Jakob Anderson has pinned four of his first eight attempts inside the 20.


 

VERSUS WASHINGTON

• Rutgers will take on Washington for the third time and first in Big Ten play. This game marks the Huskies' first road game as a Big Ten member.
• Rutgers and Washington played a home-and-home series in 2016 (Seattle) and 2017 (Piscataway).
• Rutgers opened its 2017 season by hosting No. 8 Washington on a Friday night. The Scarlet Knights took the early lead, but the Huskies rallied for a 30-14 win in front of a crowd of 46,093 in Piscataway. Gus Edwards led the team in rushing (24 attempts, 79 yards).
• In 2016, No. 14 Washington picked up a 48-13 win in the first meeting between the programs in Seattle. Janarion Grant led the Scarlet Knights with 160 all-purpose yards, adding a rushing touchdown.
• Rutgers game highs versus Washington:
Rushing Yards: Gus Edwards, 79 (2017)
Passing Yards: Kyle Bolin, 178 (2017)
Receiving Yards: Janarion Grant, 56 (2016)
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers returns to the road to face Nebraska on Oct. 5. It will mark the Scarlet Knights' first trip to Memorial Stadium since 2017. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. on FS1.

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