RUTGERS (0-0) vs. OHIO (0-0)
August 28, 2025 • 6 p.m. ET • Big Ten Network
SHI Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football opens its 2025 season by hosting Ohio Thursday at SHI Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on Big Ten Network. The Scarlet Knights are 12-4 in season openers under head coach Greg Schiano, including victories each of the past five years.

Celebrate Youth Football Night at SHI Stadium, as youth teams from across the area will participate in the pregame parade down The Rutgers Boardwalk and will be featured during the game. Stick around after the final whistle for a postgame fireworks show.

Fans will see an improved entry process at SHI Stadium. Through the feedback received from postgame surveys completed by season ticket holders, fans and guests, the following adjustments will continue to remain in place:

• Fans are permitted to enter ALL gates with an approved bag.
• Fans are permitted to walk through the weapons detection system with an approved bag. A full list of approved bag sizes and dimensions are available here. An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection.

Fans are advised to arrive early to ensure a smooth entry into the stadium before kickoff. The walk-through weapons detection system, familiar to spectators who have attended other events in the region, does not require individuals to empty their pockets to enter. Those attending the event are asked to follow the instructions of public safety personnel.

The Rutgers Boardwalk, presented by Visit New Jersey, returns for year four to highlight the pregame festivities around SHI Stadium. The fun on Scarlet Knight Way begins at 2 p.m. and is free for all fans to enjoy. Check out the top food trucks in New Jersey, plus free rides, mini golf, petting zoos, pony rides, prizes and live entertainment. Week one is "Country Night" with live country music, a lasso station and special appearances from characters like Woody and Jessie. Giveaways for the game include "Beat Ohio" buttons, posters and shakers. New for 2025, visit the air brush station to purchase a game-specific t-shirt while supplies last.

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 digital 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 digital parking passes that they can manage like their digital tickets. Fans are encouraged to download digital 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, and now the ticket office and parking lots. Only credit or debits cards will be accepted. A cash-to-card kiosk (no fees) is available at section 113 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. Food trucks on The Rutgers Boardwalk determine their own payment system and may accept cash.

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: Big Ten Network
Play-By-Play: Jason Horowitz
Analyst: Brock Vereen
Reporter: Caroline Hendershot

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 101.9-FM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 161/195, 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
Phil Jaccoma & Will Carmenaty
 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Rutgers is 103-40-11 all-time in home openers, winning 13 of the last 15, and is 11-5 under head coach Greg Schiano.
• Rutgers is 12-0 in non-conference regular season games since Schiano returned. The Scarlet Knights are 53-21 overall in non-conference games under Schiano.
• Rutgers is 8-3 all-time in games played in August. The Aug. 28 opener marks the earliest home game on the calendar in program history, matching 2014 versus Washington State in Seattle for the earliest game overall. This will mark the third straight year not opening on a Saturday.
• Rutgers opens a season with four consecutive home games for the first time since starting with five in a row at home in 2007. The Scarlet Knights are set to host four home games in a span of 23 days, the most home games in the shortest amount of time since playing four in a row at home over 22 days in Oct. 1973 (6-27).
• Rutgers is coming off a second straight winning season, which included a program-high four victories in the Big Ten.
• Since 2020, RU is 17-2 when not committing a turnover in a game.
• Rutgers, "The Birthplace of College Football," has played 1,421 games in program history on record dating back to 1869, the most in the sport.


 

PRESEASON AWARDS & HONORS

Senior Bowl Top 300
(recognizes the top draft eligible prospects)
• RB CJ Campbell Jr. (Aug. 20)
• DL Eric O'Neill
• WR DT Sheffield

Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List
(presented annually to the nation's top quarterback who best exemplifies character, scholastic and athletic achievement)
• QB Athan Kaliakmanis (Aug. 19)

Mackey Award Watch List
(presented annually to the best tight end in college football)
• TE Kenny Fletcher Jr. (Aug. 8)

Rimington Trophy Watch List
(presented annually to the most outstanding center in NCAA Division I)
• OL Gus Zilinskas (Aug. 8)

Biletnikoff Award Watch List
(recognizes the college football season's outstanding FBS receiver, regardless of position)
• WR DT Sheffield (Aug. 6)

Paul Hornung Award Watch List
(given to the most versatile player in major college football)
• WR DT Sheffield (July 31)

Shrine Bowl 1000
(collection of the top 1,000 all-star game eligible players at the FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA levels, and serves as an early look into the scouting process ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft)
• RB CJ Campbell Jr. (July 28)
• LB Dariel Djabome
• OL Bryan Felter
• QB Athan Kaliakmanis
• DB Bo Mascoe
• DL Eric O'Neill
• WR DT Sheffield
• DL Bradley Weaver
• OL Gus Zilinskas

Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
(nominees honor college football players making a difference in their communities)
• PK Jai Patel (July 15)

Lott IMPACT® Trophy Watch List
(presented annually to the nation's top defensive player)
• DL Eric O'Neill (May 28)

Frank R. Burns Award
(named after former Scarlet Knight All-America quarterback Frank Burns and awarded to the player who demonstrates extraordinary mental and physical toughness during the spring)
• DL DJ Allen

Mark Mills Second Effort Award
(named in memory of former Scarlet Knight running back Mark Mills and awarded to the offensive player who through determination, dedication and hard work has shown the most improvement during the offseason and spring practices)
• WR Famah Toure

Douglas A. Smith Second Effort Award
(named in memory of former Scarlet Knight defensive tackle Doug Smith and awarded to the defensive player who through determination, dedication and hard work has shown the most improvement during the offseason and spring practices)
• DL Zaire Angoy
 

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.
• In 2024, Rutgers averaged 28.9 points per game for the season, the best mark in the Big Ten era and best overall since posting 29.0 in 2008. The Scarlet Knights placed sixth in the Big Ten in scoring offense, the team's best placement since joining the conference.
• QB Athan Kaliakmanis is coming off a season where he ranked fourth in the school season record book in total offense (2,947), fourth in passing attempts (395), fifth in passing completions (213), tied for fifth in passing touchdowns (18) and sixth in passing yards (2,696). He owns 5,480 career passing yards, 429 completions and 35 touchdowns overall.
• The depth in the backfield includes RB Ja'shon Benjamin (two touchdowns in the Rate Bowl), RB CJ Campbell Jr. (1,310 all-purpose yards in 2024) and RB Antwan Raymond (led all Big Ten true freshmen and ranked fifth among Power Four players in his class with 457 rushing yards).
• WR Ian Strong is the leading returning receiver with 676 yards and five scores in 2024, while WR KJ Duff ranked fourth among Big Ten true freshmen with 425 receiving yards. WR DT Sheffield is a member of multiple preseason watch lists after totaling 66 receptions for 822 yards and 11 touchdowns to earn First Team All-American Athletic Conference honors.


 

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.
• In 2024, Rutgers held three of the four opponents in November under 20 points.
• LB Dariel Djabome, a Third Team All-Big Ten performer in 2024, is coming off a 105-tackle season, second among returning Big Ten players. He also paced the Scarlet Knights with 7.5 tackles-for-loss with a high of 14 stops twice.
• DL Jordan Walker tied for the team lead with four sacks last season, while DL Eric O'Neill leads the active roster with 28.5 career sacks.
• DB Jett Elad is the most experienced player in the secondary with 49 career games, earning honorable mention All-Mountain West honors last season. DB Bo Mascoe totaled 50 tackles with an interception and fumble recovery for the Scarlet Knights in 2024.
 

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.
• PK Jai Patel has connected on 30-of-37 career field goals with a long of 51 yards and has hit 13 consecutive attempts, which is tied for the school record. He has eight career games with multiple makes, three with at least three makes and a career high of four makes.
• P Jakob Anderson forced 29 fair catches with 15 punts overall downed inside the 20 on 50 attempts in his debut season.
• PK Jack Scullion booted 34-of-70 kickoffs for a touchback last season.


 

VERSUS OHIO

• Rutgers is set to take on Ohio for the fourth time, all at home. The Scarlet Knights won the last two meetings (2006, 2011) after the Bobcats won the initial matchup (1937).
• In 2011, WR Mohamed Sanu set the school record with 16 receptions on a career-high 176 receiving yards with two scores in a 38-26 RU victory. QB Chas Dodd went 21-of-32 for 232 yards and three passing touchdowns, while RB Jawan Jamison totaled 97 rushing yards on 29 carries. DB Marcus Cooper returned a fumble for a touchdown on special teams and DB David Rowe led the team with 10 tackles. The Scarlet Knights led in time of possession by a count of 39:55-20:05 and went 11-for-18 on third down.
• On Homecoming in 2006, Ray Rice ran for 190 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-7 win. Ohio scored an early touchdown before RU countered with 24 unanswered points. The defense limited the Bobcats to minus six rushing yards, one of four times RU has held an opponent to negative rushing yards in the Schiano era. DB Courtney Greene and DB Ron Girault each had interceptions, while LB Brendan Renkart scooped up a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown and LB Devraun Thompson picked up two sacks. The Scarlet Knights out-gained the Bobcats, 300-119.
• Ohio won the first meeting, 13-0, in 1937 in one of the final games played on Neilson Field in New Brunswick.
• Rutgers is 13-5-1 against teams currently in the MAC, including a 49-17 win over Akron last season.
• Rutgers has four players from the state of Ohio on the roster: OL Kwabena Asamoah (Pickerington), DL Elijah King (Gahanna), TE Ben Rothhaar (Norwalk) and DL Bradley Weaver (Hilliard). In addition, DB Jett Elad attended high school in Cleveland (Saint Ignatius).
• Rutgers game highs versus Ohio:
Rushing Yards: Ray Rice, 190 (2006)
Passing Yards: Chas Dodd, 232 (2011)
Receiving Yards: Mohamed Sanu, 176 (2011)
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers remains home to face Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 6 for the first matchup on the gridiron between the programs. It will be the R Community Game and a celebration of Eric LeGrand's "A Walk to Believe." The game, slated for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on Peacock, is presented by GGL Law Firm. LeGrand's walk is sponsored by Prudential and GGL Law Firm.

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