Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano leads his team on to the field - Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports
College football season is here which means it is time to see the 2024 Rutgers football team take the field. Rutgers did lose a couple of players but between the transfer portal and their strong recruitment, the Scarlet Knights are setting up a strong team. Here is a look at the 2024 Rutgers football schedule and predictions for each game.
2023 Rutgers Recap
The 2023 season started pretty well for Rutgers. They opened up their season at home against the Northwestern Wildcats with a win. Opening up with a win against a Big Ten opponent is important, and a great way to start the season. They went up to a 3-0 record until their loss against Michigan. Rutgers went on to win six games, earning a spot in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Scarlet Knights faced the Miami Hurricanes and even won the game. This was a big year for Rutgers, they did better than many expected.
2024 Rutgers Football Schedule
Vs. Howard (Aug 29th) – Win
The first game of the season will be against Howard. It is a home game for the Scarlet Knights, and a chance to show the crowd what this new offense can do. The Rutgers defense should start off strong, potentially testing out linebackers with Mohamed Toure out for the season. Either way, the Scarlet Knights are set to start off the 2024 season with a win.
Vs. Akron (Sep 7) – Win
The Scarlet Knights have two home games in a row to start off the 2024. They will be facing Akron in week two, and this should be another win for the Scarlet Knights. Akron won just two games in 2023, and this Rutgers defense should be able to hold them off. By week two, there should be a good rhythm on the offense as well. The 2024 Rutgers football season should start off with a 2-0 record.
@ Virginia Tech (Sep 21) – Win
Virginia Tech will likely be the first big test for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights should be able to take the win despite this. The two teams faced off in the 2023 season and Rutgers won the game, 35-16. This year, the game will be an away game for Rutgers, which will be a bit more of a challenge. Rutgers is still set to have a strong run game and defense. The assumption is that there will be an improvement in the passing game as well for the Scarlet Knights with new quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis. This is set up to be a tougher matchup, but Rutgers will walk off with a win and a strong 3-0 start.
Vs. Washinton (Sep 27) – Win
Many people would have Washington winning this game. They did make the College Football National Championship game last year. They also lost numerous players to the NFL, as well as losing their head coach to another team. That is not to say they will be a weak team, they just have a couple of hurdles to overcome. They will also be traveling to the East Coast to face Rutgers. This could lead to some sluggishness. Although this may come as a surprise, Rutgers will win this game and start the season 4-0 for the first time since 2006. A big reason for this is seeing the adjustment to traveling to the East Coast.
@ Nebraska (Oct 5) – Win
For the first game in October, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will face the Nebraska Cornhuskers. This is an away game, but Rutgers is the better team on paper. The Scarlet Knights defense should be able to do very well against the Nebraska offense. Last year Nebraska struggled with the quarterback position. Hopefully, that is now figured out, but Rutgers should take the win and start with a 5-0 record.
Vs. Wisconsin (Oct 12) – Win
Wisconsin was set up to have a strong team last season but lost games they should have won. They did defeat the Scarlet Knights, but anything can happen. This is a Rutgers home game, which will give them the edge over Wisconsin. This could very well be a back-and-forth close game. It will likely come down to the end. Rutgers will get the win though.
Vs. UCLA (Oct 19) – Win
UCLA is another newly added Big Ten team and they will be traveling to New Jersey to face the Scarlet Knights. UCLA is not a bad team, but they are also not the biggest threat in the conference. This could be a pretty even matchup. That being said should be another win for this Rutgers football team playing in their home stadium.
@ USC (Oct 25) – Loss
In October, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will have to travel to California to face the USC Trojans. While USC fell apart last season and did lose their starting quarterback, this may very well be the first loss for Rutgers. Playing an away game, already set for a night game, is not going to be easy. This could be a big test for Rutgers but it is predicted as a loss for the Scarlet Knights.
Vs. Minnesota (Nov 9) – Win
Following the USC game, Rutgers will get a week of rest and then have a home game against Minnesota. This is a should-be win, but also an important game. Rutgers quarterback, Kaliakmanis formerly played at Minnesota. He will be playing against his former team, which always makes winning more special. This will end up being a Scarlet Knights win.
@ Maryland (Nov 16) – Loss
Rutgers will head to Maryland to face their rivals towards the end of the season. This will be a big matchup. Maryland lost some key defensive players to the 2024 NFL Draft. This will be a very close game and come down to a crucial fourth quarter. This one will go to the home team, giving Maryland the win.
Vs. Illinois (Nov 23) – Win
The last home game of the season will be against the Illinois Fighting Illini. This will be the last home game for a lot of Scarlet Knights regarding their time at Rutgers. This adds to the motivation of the game. Rutgers will walk out with the win against Illinois.
@ Michigan State (Nov 30) – Win
The final week of the season, Rutgers will head to Michigan to face the Michigan State Spartans. This should be a good game to watch. In 2023, Rutgers defeated Michigan State and it was an exciting matchup. Highlights of the game can be watched here on the Big Ten Football YouTube page. The effort that the Scarlet Knights put into that game was evident and through a fight, they walked out with a win. Although it is at Michigan State, Rutgers will win the final game of the season.
Rutgers Football Record Predictions
The Scarlet Knights are set up for success with them not facing Penn State, Ohio State, or Michigan. Not every game will be easy and they will have to fight, but the ceiling could very well be a one or two-loss season. It may sound crazy, but if this Rutgers team stays healthy, it is possible. The floor is a four-loss season. There are a lot of seniors on this team, but with their recruitment success for the next few years, this could be the start of a more successful Rutgers team.
