Following a home contest against UMass in Week 3, the Iowa football team will pack their bags for Piscataway, New Jersey, for the Big Ten opener against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
This isn’t your parents’ Scarlet Knights football program. Greg Schiano has found a way to breathe new life into a program that needed a spark. After an 8-5 record and a bowl win in 2014, their first season in the Big Ten, Rutgers went 13-47 across the next five seasons, including a disastrous tenure for Chris Ash. Following the 2019 season, Rutgers fired Ash and brought back Schiano, who had previously coached the Scarlet Knights from 2001-2011 and won five bowl games.
The move has paid off.
Since Schiano returned to Piscataway, Rutgers is 26-34 with three bowl game appearances and a victory in the 2023 Pinstripe Bowl over Miami (FL). And the hype around the team is high entering the 2025 season. After back-to-back seven-win seasons, Rutgers is looking to take the next step. And they return some really talented players. Let’s take a deeper dive into the 2025 Rutgers football team.
Who are some of the key returners for Rutgers?
- Senior QB Athan Kaliakmanis: 2,696 passing yards, 18 TDs, 7 INTs, 53.9% completion percentage in 2024.
- Junior WR Ian Strong: 43 receptions, 676 yards, 5 TDs in 2024.
- Sophomore RB Antwan Raymond: 457 yards, 8 TDs, 4.6 yards per carry in 2024.
- Senior LB Dariel Djabome: 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles in 2024.
- Junior DB Bo Mascoe: 49 tackles, one INT, four passes defended in 2024.
- Senior DL Jordan Thompson: 25 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one INT in 2024.
Who are some exciting newcomers for the Scarlet Knights?
- Senior CB Cam Miller: Transfer from Penn State. 27 tackles, four TFLs, five passes defended in 16 games for the Nittany Lions in 2024.
- Senior DL Bradley Weaver: Transfer from Ohio. 44 tackles, 15 TFLs, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles in 2024.
- Senior WR DT Sheffield: Transfer from North Texas. 66 receptions, 822 yards, 11 TDs for the Mean Green in 2024.
- Senior DB Jett Elad: Transfer from UNLV. 84 tackles, five TFLs, one INT, six passes defended in 2024.
History between the Hawkeyes and Scarlet Knights
Iowa and Rutgers have played each other four times on the gridiron, with the Hawkeyes winning all four games. In those games, Iowa has outscored Rutgers 96 to 17, including a 22-0 victory in the last matchup between the two teams on November 11, 2023. The closest game in the series was the first game between the two back in 2016, a 14-7 Iowa victory on the road.
While Rutgers lost star running back Kyle Monangai to graduation, they still have a talented team that will provide Iowa with a great test to begin their 2025 conference slate. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on September 19 at SHI Stadium.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
