RUTGERS (4-4, 1-4) at ILLINOIS (5-3, 2-3)
November 1, 2025 • Noon ET • NBC
Gies Memorial Stadium • Champaign, Ill.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Coming off a victory at Purdue, Rutgers football is back on the road for the fourth time in five games to face Illinois Saturday at Gies Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon ET/11 a.m. local on NBC.

Rutgers ranks third nationally with three blocked punts, fifth in time of possession (33:31), eighth in first downs gained (196), 11th in fewest penalty yards against per game (35.9), 17th in passing offense (286.5), 17th in yards per completion (13.5) and 25th in fewest turnovers lost (7). The Scarlet Knights are second in the Big Ten in passing offense and time of possession.

TV: NBC (Peacock)
Play-By-Play: Paul Burmeister
Analyst: Jason Garrett
Reporter: Zora Stephenson

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 660-AM/101.9-FM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 372, SXM app, Audacy app, Scarlet Knights app
Play-By-Play: Chris Carlin
Analyst: Julian Pinnix-Odrick
Sideline: Anthony Fucilli
Engineer: Paul Shrager
Pre/Post: Marc Malusis & Eric LeGrand

Student Radio: WRSU 88.7-FM
Frankie Palumbo & Sean Newcomb
 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Since 2020, RU is 20-2 when not committing a turnover in a game.
• Rutgers has scored 66 non-offensive touchdowns under head coach Greg Schiano, including 15 since 2020 and three so far this season.
• Rutgers has blocked 76 kicks (46 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) under Schiano, including three blocked punts so far this season.
• Rutgers, "The Birthplace of College Football," has played 1,430 games in program history on record dating back to 1869, the most in the sport.


 

LAST TIME OUT

• PK Jai Patel hit a 30-yard walk-off field goal to lift Rutgers to a comeback win at Purdue. The Scarlet Knights improved to 3-0 all-time against the Boilermakers after overcoming a 10-point deficit in the first half and three in the fourth quarter. It was the 17th fourth-quarter comeback win for RU under head coach Greg Schiano.
• Rutgers used an 11-play, 73-yard drive capped by a Patel 20-yard field goal to tie the game at 24 with 1:06 remaining. On the next defensive play, DL Jordan Walker batted down a pass that was returned to sender, as DL Farell Gnago forced a fumble recovered by DB Jett Elad. RB Ja'shon Benjamin rushed for 17 yards to set up Patel's game-winner as time expired.
• Rutgers totaled 543 yards of offense, its most in a Big Ten game since recording 596 at Indiana in 2015.
• Rutgers held Purdue to 1-for-9 on third down for the game and to four yards of offense in the second quarter.
• WR KJ Duff posted six receptions for a career-high 241 receiving yards. The yardage marked the second most in a game in program history (seven shy of matching the school record). It was also the most receiving yards by a Big Ten player in a game this season and third most nationally. The sixth 200-yard receiving game in Rutgers history, and first since 2011, included a 72-yard touchdown, as all six catches went for either a first down or touchdown and for at least 19 yards.
• QB Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 359 yards, his fourth 300-yard passing game of the season, including a career-long 72-yard completion to Duff. He added his third rushing score of the season.
• RB Antwan Raymond rushed for 116 yards on a career-high 29 attempts. He scored his 10th rushing touchdown of the season. Benjamin set a new career high for rushing yards in a game for the second straight week, totaling 78 yards on eight carries.
• DB Kaj Sanders led the team with a career-high 10 tackles.
 

OFFENSE

• Kirk Ciarrocca is in his third season back as Rutgers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2025. Ciarrocca, who has over 30 years of coaching experience (21 as an offensive coordinator), previously served on head coach Greg Schiano's staff for three seasons, winning two bowl games from 2008-10. He has been selected as a semifinalist for the Broyles Award and coached 28 players who had their name called in the NFL Draft (six in the first round). Ciarrocca has coached the Big Ten's leading rusher two of the past three seasons.
• Rutgers ranks second in the Big Ten in passing offense (286.5) and time of possession (33:31). In conference play, the Scarlet Knights are fourth in the league with 405 yards of offense per game.
• QB Athan Kaliakmanis ranks seventh in Rutgers history with 4,919 passing yards, seventh with 378 completions and eighth with 30 touchdown passes. He leads the Big Ten (seventh nationally) with 2,223 passing yards in 2025, recording four games with at least 300 yards.
• RB Antwan Raymond has scored 11 touchdowns (10 rushing, one receiving) and ranks 13th nationally (third in the Big Ten) with 731 rushing yards.
• WR KJ Duff leads Power 4 players and ranks fourth nationally with 761 receiving yards. He is also second in the league with 18.1 yards per reception and has 15 consecutive games with multiple catches.


 

DEFENSE

• Robb Smith is in his seventh season at Rutgers in 2025 and serves as co-defensive coordinator and play caller. A native of Leechburg, Pennsylvania, Smith previously worked on the Scarlet Knights' staff in various roles, including as defensive coordinator, from 2009-12 and from 2020-21. He is joined by co-defensive coordinator Zach Sparber, a native of Norwood, New Jersey, who comes from James Madison and has been to five bowl games.
• Rutgers held Purdue to 14 first downs and 1-for-9 on third down.
• DL Eric O'Neill leads the team with 4.5 tackles-for-loss on the season, while DL Bradley Weaver has picked up 2.5 sacks.
• LB Dariel Djabome, a Third Team All-Big Ten selection in 2024, owns 163 career tackles and had two forced fumbles at Washington.
• DB Jett Elad leads the team with 52 tackles, adding an interception.
• DB Bo Mascoe leads the unit with four passes defended (three pass breakups, one interception).
 

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Rutgers has blocked 76 kicks (46 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) under head coach Greg Schiano. That includes 16 games with multiple blocks, 18 touchdowns off blocks and two resulting in safeties. DB Jett Elad and DB Kaj Sanders each blocked punts versus Norfolk State to make it 13 for the Scarlet Knights since 2022, the most in the nation.
• PK Jai Patel, who was named Big Ten Co-Special Teams Player of the Week, has connected on 40-of-52 career field goals with a long of 51 yards. He has 12 career games with multiple makes, three with at least three makes and a career high of four makes.
• P Jakob Anderson has forced a fair catch on 41-of-71 career attempts with nine punts of at least 50 yards and 21 downed inside the 20.
• PK Jack Scullion has kicked a touchback on 28-of-48 attempts this season.


 

VERSUS ILLINOIS

• Rutgers will take on Illinois for the 10th time overall, eighth time in a Big Ten game and fifth time at Memorial Stadium. The series is split 2-2 in Champaign. The two teams met six consecutive seasons between 2016-21 and most recently in 2024.
• Last season at SHI Stadium, QB Athan Kaliakmanis led a 10-play drive, 65-yard touchdown drive (38 passing, 27 rushing), capped by a 13-yard passing score to 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.
• Down 14-10 at halftime at Memorial Stadium in 2021, 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. The defense allowed just 81 yards and three first downs in the second half to secure the road win. Illinois drove down to the Rutgers 35, but Kessawn Abraham picked up a tackle-for-loss on fourth down to thwart the drive. 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.
• Rutgers picked up a 35-24 win in 2017 at Memorial Stadium. 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. 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.
• 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. 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 also 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 has four Illinois natives on its roster: DL Raedyn Bruens (Casey-Westfield), QB Athan Kaliakmanis (Antioch), WR Dino Kaliakmanis (Antioch) and WR Dane Pardridge (DeKalb).
• The next meeting is scheduled for 2028 in Piscataway.
• 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 is back at SHI Stadium to host Maryland Nov. 8 for Military Appreciation, presented by Provident Bank. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. on FS1. The Scarlet Knights won last season's meeting, 31-17.

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