Game 6: Football at Maryland

Saturday, October 17

College Park, Md.

12:30 PM

Rutgers

Maryland

Oct 12 | Football

GameCenter Game Notes

RUTGERS (1-4, 0-2) at MARYLAND (2-4, 0-3)
October 17, 2026 • 12:30 p.m. ET • Big Ten Network
SECU Stadium • College Park, Md.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Following an open week, Rutgers football is on the road Saturday to face Maryland at SECU Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network. The Scarlet Knights have won the last two meetings in the series against the Terrapins.

TV: Big Ten Network (FOX One App)
Play-by-Play: Wayne Randazzo
Analyst: Jake Butt
Reporter: Brooke Fletcher

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 660-AM/101.9-FM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 263, SXM App, Audacy App, Scarlet Knights App
Play-by-Play: Chris Carlin
Analyst: Mike Teel
Sideline: Anthony Fucilli
Engineer: Paul Shrager
Pre/Post: Marc Malusis & Eric LeGrand

Student Radio: WRSU 88.7-FM
Chase Jacoby, Jayden Tomlinson, Makali Pennycooke

Defense

SCOUTING RUTGERS
• Rutgers is 13-8 coming off a bye under head coach Greg Schiano.
• Rutgers ranks first nationally in fewest penalty yards per game (26.6), fourth in kickoff return defense (10.0), sixth in punt return defense (0.0), ninth in yards per completion (15.16) and 18th in net punting (43.71).
• WR KJ Duff ranks third nationally with 125.6 receiving yards per game, fifth with seven receiving touchdowns and 17th with 6.6 receptions per game. RB Antwan Raymond ranks 24th nationally with 93.8 rushing yards per game.
• Since 2020, Rutgers is 21-4 when not committing a turnover in a game.
• Rutgers has scored 66 non-offensive touchdowns under Schiano, including 15 since 2020 and three last season.
• Rutgers has blocked 76 kicks (46 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) under Schiano, including three blocked punts returned for touchdowns last season.
• Rutgers has at least one NFL Draft pick each of the past five years, matching a program record also done from 1981-85. A Scarlet Knight has scored a touchdown in the NFL each of the past 31 seasons dating back to 1996.
• Rutgers, "The Birthplace of College Football," has played 1,439 games in program history, dating back to 1869, the most in the sport.

LAST TIME OUT
• Rutgers lost to No. 6/5 Indiana, 47-15, at SHI Stadium in the first meeting between the programs since 2023.
• QB AJ Surace tossed a 53-yard touchdown pass to WR Ben Black III, while WR KJ Duff hauled in four catches for 78 yards. RB Clay Thevenin added his third rushing touchdown in as many weeks.
• Defensively, DB Jesse Ofurie contributed seven tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and broke up a pass. DL Sekou Kromah and DL Rondo Porter combined for a sack.

OFFENSE
• Kirk Ciarrocca is in his fourth season back as Rutgers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2026. Ciarrocca, who has over 30 years of coaching experience (22 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 29 players who had their name called in the NFL Draft (six in the first round). Ciarrocca has mentored a first or second team All-Big Ten running back each of the past four seasons, as the Scarlet Knights are the only power conference program to feature a 1,200-yard rusher each of the past three seasons. In 2025, the RU offense produced three All-America selections.
• QB Dylan Lonergan and QB AJ Surace have combined for 1,250 passing yards and 13 touchdowns.
• RB Antwan Raymond owns 2,167 career rushing yards on 433 carries, including eight games with at least 100 yards. The Canadian has 25 career rushing touchdowns, ninth most in program history.
• WR KJ Duff owns 120 career receptions for 2,137 yards and 15 touchdowns. The New York native has at least two catches in each of the last 24 games, the longest such Rutgers streak since Kenny Britt had 31 consecutive games from 2006-08.

DEFENSE
• Travis Johansen is in his first season as Rutgers' defensive coordinator in 2026. Leading South Dakota to the FCS Playoffs quarterfinals in his first season as head coach in 2025 and previously winning a national championship at Grand View, the Minnesota native has directed six top-10 defenses in bringing 14 years of defensive coordinator experience to New Jersey. Johansen has produced 16 defensive players who have gone on to be drafted in the NFL, signed as a free agent or received camp invites in his coaching career.
• Rutgers held Howard to nine first downs, 184 yards of total offense, 3-for-11 on third down and forced three turnovers.
• DL Rondo Porter leads the defensive line with 15 tackles through five games, including 1.5 sacks.
• LB Moses Walker recorded two interceptions and a sack at Boston College and leads the team with 3.5 tackles-for-loss on the season.
• DB Bradlee Jones leads the team with 26 tackles this season, adding two interceptions and a forced fumble.

SPECIAL TEAMS
• Rutgers has blocked 76 kicks (46 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) under head coach Greg Schiano, including three blocked punts returned for touchdowns last season.
• PK Dane Pizzaro has converted all three field goal attempts and all 19 extra points this season.
• P Jakob Anderson has forced a fair catch on 50-of-96 career attempts with 15 punts of at least 50 yards and 29 downed inside the 20. He completed a pass for 40 yards on a fake punt against USC and was named to the Ray Guy Award's Ray's 8 following three inside the 20 with a long of 57 yards versus Indiana.
• PK Jack Scullion has booted 86-of-164 (52.4 percent) career kickoffs for a touchback.

Athan Kaliakmanis

VERSUS MARYLAND
• Rutgers and Maryland will meet for the 13th consecutive season in Big Ten play, the 10th time in College Park and the 22nd time overall. This will be the first October matchup in the series since 2019. The Scarlet Knights have won the last two meetings.
• Last season at SHI Stadium, Rutgers earned a 35-20 win over Maryland. The offense rushed for 256 yards, passed for 229 yards, went 8-for-12 on third down and held the ball for 34:58 (10:55 in fourth quarter). RB Antwan Raymond rushed for 240 yards (105 in the fourth quarter) on 41 carries with a late touchdown to extend the lead to two scores. The 41 carries tied the school record for a game. Athan Kaliakmanis matched his career high with four touchdown passes, while the defense limited Maryland to three points, 93 yards and 1-for-6 on third down in the second half. Eric O'Neill posted a career-high 10 tackles with two for loss, while Jett Elad brought in an interception.
• In 2024 in College Park, Rutgers picked up its sixth win of the season and secured bowl eligibility with a 31-17 road victory over Maryland. The 17 points against are the fewest permitted in 12 Big Ten meetings versus the Terrapins, allowing no points in the fourth quarter. A fourth-down conversion with 5:40 remaining from the 12-yard line in the third quarter led to the go-ahead score one play later. Kaliakmanis threw for 238 yards on 20 completions, two touchdowns and 14 passing first downs. Kyle Monangai carried the ball 25 times for 97 yards. He punched in touchdowns from two and six yards away. Shaquan Loyal posted a career-high 13 tackles, adding a pass breakup to lead to an interception by Jordan Thompson.
• In 2020, the Scarlet Knights rallied from a 24-21 deficit with 2:56 remaining with an 11-play drive over 61 yards that ended with Valentino Ambrosio hitting a 39-yard field goal to force overtime. The game featured seven lead changes. After Ambrosio connected from 42 yards, the defense held Maryland without a first down on its series, with Mike Tverdov recording a sack on third down to force a 50-yard field goal attempt, which sailed wide left and set a 27-24 final score. Rutgers notched season highs with 13 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks, which set a team Big Ten record. Tverdov became the fourth player in program history to record at least three sacks in a game.
• Also under the direction of head coach Greg Schiano, RU earned a 34-13 road victory over the Terrapins in 2009. The Scarlet Knights forced five turnovers (three interceptions, two fumbles) and allowed just 28 rushing yards and 12 first downs. Both Antonio Lowery (interception return) and George Johnson (fumble recovery in end zone) scored on defense as one of seven RU games under Schiano posting multiple scores on defense/special teams. Offensively, Joe Martinek posted 147 yards on the ground with a pair of touchdowns, while San San Te converted two field goals. Teddy Dellaganna was named Big East Special Teams Player of the Week after averaging 40.6 yards on five attempts, with a long of 51, to pin Maryland to an average starting field position of its own 12.
• In the first Big Ten matchup in College Park in 2014, Rutgers rallied from a 35-10 deficit to win 41-38. The 25-point comeback is tied for the school record, also done in 2015 at Indiana. Gary Nova threw for 347 yards, as Leonte Carroo, Janarion Grant and Andre Patton all topped 100 yards receiving. Defensively, RU allowed just three points in the second half, using a short-yardage stop on a late fourth down to seal the win.
• Rutgers has six players on its roster from the state of Maryland: WR Vernon Allen III (Baltimore), DL Joshua Blackston (West Baltimore), DB Tyler Childress (Huntingtown), TE Jackson Gister (Baltimore), DB Tariq Hayer (PG County) and DB Kevyn Humes (Bowie).
• The next meeting in the series is scheduled for 2027 in Piscataway. The matchup is one of the 12 protected games that is played annually in the Big Ten.
• Rutgers game highs versus Maryland:
Rushing Yards: Antwan Raymond, 240 (2025)
Passing Yards: Gary Nova, 347 (2014)
Receiving Yards: Leonte Carroo, 183 (2015)

UP NEXT
• Rutgers is on the road for the second straight week to face No. 25 Northwestern Oct. 24 at Ryan Field. Kickoff is set for noon ET/11 a.m. local on Peacock.

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