PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football (3-0) defeated Norfolk State (1-2), 60-10, on Saturday afternoon at SHI Stadium. With the win, the Scarlet Knights have started 3-0 for the fifth consecutive season, a program first.
DB
Jett Elad and DB
Kaj Sanders each blocked punts that were returned for touchdowns, making it a nation-best 13 blocked punts since 2022. Under head coach
Greg Schiano, RU has blocked 76 kicks, including 16 games with multiple blocks.
RU's offense produced 30 or more points for the seventh consecutive game dating back to last season – the longest streak in program history. QB
Athan Kaliakmanis finished 18-of-26 for 309 yards and a touchdown pass to WR
Ben Black. WR
KJ Duff hauled in six catches for a career-high 119 yards, while WR
DT Sheffield added three catches for 79 yards. RB
Antwan Raymond produced two rushing touchdowns and RB Ja'Shon Benjamin added a score.
In his first collegiate action, QB
AJ Surace completed four passes four 58 yards and two touchdowns to WR
Dino Kaliakmanis and WR
Michael Thomas III.
Elad secured his first interception of the season, while DL
Eric O'Neill, DL
Jordan Thompson and DL
Bradley Weaver all contributed sacks. O'Neill led the unit with 2.5 tackles-for-loss.
Rutgers' special teams made an immediate impact, as the Scarlet Knights' pressure on Norfolk State's first punt resulted in a block from Sanders, which was recovered and returned by WR
Dylan Braithwaite for a touchdown.
RU followed with a blocked punt on its next opportunity, as Elad flew through the Spartans' line for the block, which was recovered by Sanders for a score. The back-to-back special teams' touchdowns made it 13-0 Rutgers right before the end of the quarter.
Raymond capped a nine-play, 62-yard scoring drive with a three-yard touchdown run. Elad followed with an interception to give back Rutgers possession, which was turned into a 31-yard field goal by PK
Jai Patel. Patel's field goal made it 23-3 Scarlet Knights with 3:50 left in the half.
A 44-yard attempt from Patel in the closing seconds gave RU a 26-3 lead heading into the locker room.
Kaliakmanis connected with Black to open the second half, finding him for 37-yard touchdown to extend Rutgers' lead to 32-10. Norfolk State responded with its first touchdown before Raymond found the end zone again on the ensuing possession. Kaliakmanis hit WR
DT Sheffield for a 51-yard reception to set up the Raymond touchdown run.
Benjamin scored his first touchdown of the season, with his 11-yard scoring rush, making it 46-10 at the end of the third quarter.
Surace threw a pair of touchdown passes in the final 15 minutes of the game, connecting with
Dino Kaliakmanis for a nine-yard touchdown at the 7:40 mark. Surace then found Thomas III three minutes later for a 25-yard score en route to a 60-10 final result.
• Rutgers improved to 3-0 for the fifth straight season, a first in program history.
• Rutgers improved to 15-0 in regular season non-conference games since head coach
Greg Schiano returned, sweeping non-conference games in the regular season for the fifth straight year. The Scarlet Knights are now 56-21 in non-conference games overall under Schiano.
• Rutgers improved to 5-0 versus Norfolk State and 16-0 against opponents from the MEAC.
• Rutgers improved to 15-3 in September games since 2021.
• Dating back to last season, Rutgers has scored at least 30 points in seven consecutive games for the first time in program history.
• Rutgers reached 60 points for the fourth time under Schiano and first time since posting 66 against Wagner in 2022.
• Rutgers has scored points on 20-of-27 drives to start the season, including three drives that ran out the clock to end a half.
• Since 2020, RU is 20-2 when not committing a turnover in a game. The Scarlet Knights have no turnovers through three games.
• Rutgers blocked two punts, both returned for touchdowns. Under Schiano, the Scarlet Knights have now blocked 76 kicks and 46 punts, scoring 18 touchdowns off blocks. Today marked the first time scoring twice in one game off blocks and 16th time recording multiple blocks. Since 2022, Rutgers leads the nation with 13 blocked punts. Overall, RU now has 66 non-offensive touchdowns under Schiano, including 15 since 2020.
• Rutgers recorded 563 yards of total offense, tied for fifth most in a game under Schiano.
• Rutgers recorded 33 first downs, tied for most in a game under Schiano, also done in 2022 versus Wagner.
• QB
Athan Kaliakmanis recorded 309 passing yards, reaching 300 for the third time in his career and second time as a Scarlet Knight. He is up to 6,300 career passing yards with four straight performances of at least 200 yards.
• Kaliakmanis threw one touchdown pass to make it 25 for Rutgers, tying Bryan Fortay (1992-93) and Bert Kosup (1974, 76-77) for ninth most in program history.
• QB
AJ Surace threw two touchdown passes on four completions in his debut.
• RB
Antwan Raymond recorded two rushing touchdowns to make it five straight games with a score. It was the fourth time in five games posting multiple rushing touchdowns. He is up to 13 career rushing touchdowns.
• RB
Ja'shon Benjamin logged a career-high 111 all-purpose yards (68 rushing, 37 kickoff return, six receiving).
• WR
KJ Duff recorded a career-high 119 yards on six catches.
• WR
DT Sheffield added 79 receiving yards and is over 1,000 for his career.
• WR
Dino Kaliakmanis and WR
Michael Thomas III both scored their first career receiving touchdown, while WR
Ben Black brought in his second and first of the season.
• DL
Eric O'Neill led the team with 2.5 tackles-for-loss, joining DL
Bradley Weaver with a sack. DL
Jordan Thompson also had a sack, now owning 6.5 for his career.
• DB
Jett Elad recorded his fourth career interception and first for Rutgers, while DL Henry Hughes recovered his first career fumble.
• PK
Jai Patel went 2-for-2 to extend his school record with 18 consecutive makes dating back to last season. It was his 10th career game with multiple makes and second this season.
• Collegiate debut (24): QB
Sean Ashenfelder, QB
AJ Surace, DB
Renick Dorilas, WR
Vernon Allen III, LB
DJ McClary, WR
Sah'nye Degraffenreidt, DL
Canaan Edwards, LB
Isaiah Deloatch, RB
Edd Guerrier, TE
Ben Rothhaar, WR
Trent Osborn, RB
Terrell Mitchell, PK
Dane Pizzaro, DL
RJ Johnson Jr., DB
Latrell Noel, LB
Kamar Archie, DL
Wydeek Collier, LS
Sammy El Hadidi, OL
Chris Vigna, OL
Zach Aamland, OL
Raynor Andrews, OL
Kenny Jones, WR
Michael Thomas III, DL
Jyon Simon
• Rutgers debut (26): QB
Sean Ashenfelder, QB
AJ Surace, DB
Renick Dorilas, WR
Vernon Allen III, LB
DJ McClary, WR
Sah'nye Degraffenreidt, DL
Canaan Edwards, LB
Isaiah Deloatch, RB
Edd Guerrier, TE
Ben Rothhaar, WR
Trent Osborn, RB
Terrell Mitchell, PK
Dane Pizzaro, DL
RJ Johnson Jr., DB
Latrell Noel, LB
Kamar Archie, DL
Wydeek Collier, LS
Sammy El Hadidi, OL
Chris Vigna, OL
Zach Aamland, OL
Moshood Giwa, OL
Raynor Andrews, OL
Kenny Jones, OL
Justin Cesaire, WR
Michael Thomas III, DL
Jyon Simon
• True freshmen (16): QB
Sean Ashenfelder, DB
Renick Dorilas, WR
Vernon Allen III, LB
DJ McClary, WR
Sah'nye Degraffenreidt, DL
Canaan Edwards, LB
Isaiah Deloatch, TE
Ben Rothhaar, RB
Terrell Mitchell, DL
RJ Johnson Jr., DB
Latrell Noel, LB
Kamar Archie, DL
Wydeek Collier, OL
Chris Vigna, WR
Michael Thomas III, DL
Jyon Simon
• First career start (1): WR
Ben Black
• Consecutive games played: DL
Jordan Thompson (41), DB
Cam Miller (40), DB
Timmy Ward (37), TE
Colin Weber (31), PK
Jai Patel (29), OL
Gus Zilinskas (29)
Rutgers opens Big Ten play versus Iowa Friday, Sept. 19 at SHI Stadium. "The Blackout is Back" as fans are encouraged to wear black and be in their seats by 7:30 p.m. to see the pregame light and fireworks spectacular. The team will bring out its black uniforms and helmets. The game, presented by Horizon, is set to kick off at 8 p.m. and will be televised nationally on FOX.
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