Tag: Rutgers

Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) prior to the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

K-State adds another late comeback to beat Rutgers in Rate Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Dylan Edwards ran for 196 yards and two touchdowns and added a third score receiving as Kansas State defeated Rutgers 44-41 in the Rate Bowl in Phoenix, Ariz., on Thursday.

The Wildcats trailed by 17 points approaching the midpoint of the third quarter and won their fourth game this season when trailing in the fourth quarter.

Kansas State (9-4) had 542 yards of total offense. Avery Johnson was 15-of-30 passing for 195 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 57 yards and a score.

Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis finished 14 of 32 for 237 yards and a touchdown for Rutgers (7-6).

After opening with a punt, the Scarlet Knights scored on six straight possessions, capped by a touchdown the first time they had the ball in the second half. Kaliakmanis found Ja’shon Benjamin for a touchdown on a 7-yard screen pass to give Rutgers a 34-17 lead.

Following an exchange of punts, Edwards rushed 65 yards to trim the lead to 34-23.

On Rutgers’ next possession, Daniel Cobbs intercepted Kaliakmanis, and the Wildcats capitalized on 13-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Garrett Oakley, and the deficit was down to five at 34-29.

Late in the third, Rutgers took over at the Kansas State 18-yard line following Christian Dremel’s 67-yard punt return. Soon after, Antwan Raymond scored a 1-yard touchdown, giving Rutgers a 41-29 lead with 14:02 left.

Johnson then found Joe Jackson on a 9-yard touchdown pass to trim it the Wildcats’ deficit to 41-36.

After a three-and-out, Edwards ran for a 36-yard score, giving Kansas State its first lead since early in the second quarter. Johnson found Oakley for the two-point conversion and a 44-41 lead with 4:15 left.

The Wildcats then stopped Rutgers on fourth-and-7 at the Scarlet Knights’ 44-yard line with 1:55 left.

In the first half, Kansas State got a 29-yard Chris Tennant field goal.

The teams then traded 75-yard touchdown drives, as Raymond and Johnson scored on 2-yard runs. Rutgers settled for a 31-yard field goal from Jai Patel to tie the game.

Raymond had a 65-yard run to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Benjamin for a 17-10 lead with 9:31 left in the half.

Moments later, Johnson found Edwards on a screen for a 26-yard touchdown to tie the game. But Raymond raced untouched for a 24-yard touchdown to give Rutgers the lead.

Rutgers closed the half with Patel’s 48-yard field goal with 4:15 left in the half.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) passes the ball while being pressured by Cincinnati Bearcats defensive lineman Kameron Wilson (15) during the third quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Kansas State, Rutgers balance bowl prep with December distractions

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Take it from Kansas State and Rutgers. Bowl preparation isn’t what it used to be.

The teams will meet in the Rate Bowl on Thursday in Phoenix, but the list of matters rotating atop the priority list this month is deep and wide.

Coaches have to balance prep time with recruiting and keeping track of their roster and other names in the transfer portal. And both teams are away from home to play the day after Christmas.

“We’re limited in the amount of time (to game plan) because of portal kids on campus pretty much every day,” Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman said. “That’s the balance we have to adjust to. I hope we get it figured out in college football in the near future.”

The game itself features clubs from the Big 12 and Big Ten that had aspirations higher than this game after starting the season with success.

Kansas State (8-4) started the season 7-1 and had its sights set on playing for the Big 12 championship and a possible spot in the College Football Playoff. The Wildcats lost three of their final four games. Rutgers (7-5) started the season 4-0 before losing four straight.

Kansas State is led by dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson, who rushed for 548 yards (45.7 per game), second most on the team, and passed for 2,517 yards (209.8 per game) with 28 total touchdowns (22 passing and six rushing). DJ Giddens, who averaged 111.9 yards per game, has declared for the NFL draft and will sit out, but the Wildcats still have plenty of firepower.

The Wildcats prioritize the ground game — running the ball on offense and working to take away their opponent’s running game on defense. Their 204.5 rushing yards per game were third in the Big 12 and their 114.9 yards allowed on the ground led the conference.

Klieman said the Wildcats have weathered the storm created by the lure of the transfer portal.

“The core of our best players returned,” Klieman said. “Those kids are still getting contacted. It is what it is. I’m excited that those core players have stuck together. We’re excited (about the Rate Bowl). We’re going to play a lot of young kids on the 26th, but we’ve got a lot of veterans who have played a lot of football who are going to play on the 26th.

“I’m excited for (running backs Dylan Edwards and Joe Jackson). It’s their chance to get established. We know a lot of things Dylan can do, and we’re excited to be able to showcase those things.”

Rutgers has the idea of balance figured out schematically.

The Scarlet Knights are averaging 381.2 yards per game overall and allowing 381.5 yards per game. They get 204.9 of those yards through the air and 176.3 on the ground.

Their rushing offense is heavily dependent on Kyle Monangai, who averaged 116.3 yards per game and 13 of Rutgers’ 24 rushing touchdowns.

On the passing side, quarterback Athan Kaliakmanus has thrown every pass this season. He completed 54.8 percent of his throws for 2,459 yards, 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. His primary targets are Dymere Miller (57 catches, 731 yards and four touchdowns) and Ian Strong (38, 571, five).

“Offensively, we’ve been finding our stride,” head coach Greg Schiano said. “It’s important to keep up the continuity.”

Schiano said his team knows a tough game awaits.

“We’ve had some good practices, because Kansas State is a really good team. I’ve done a lot of studying. This is quite a formidable opponent.

“We’ve transitioned over from development (work) to game planning. Some guys have had a little bit of rest, so I’m really excited about getting into the meat and potatoes of getting ready.”

–Field Level Media

Defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak observes warm up exercises before Rutgers University football spring practice at Marco Battaglia Practice Complex in Piscataway, NJ Tuesday April 11, 2023. Ru02

Report: UMass hiring Joe Harasymiak as head coach

Posted on | by Field Level Media

UMass is hiring Rutgers defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak as the new head coach of the Minutemen, ESPN reported Wednesday.

Harasymiak, 38, is expected to earn between $1.3 and $1.4 million annually, according to the report.

Harasymiak was the head coach at Maine from 2016-18, compiling a 20-15 record and winning a Colonial Athletic Association championship in 2018.

He played college football at Springfield College in Massachusetts before working as an assistant coach at Maine from 2011-15. Harasymiak was on the coaching staff at Minnesota from 2019-21 before joining Greg Schiano’s staff at Rutgers in 2022.

UMass parted ways with head coach Dan Brown on Nov. 18 after he compiled a 6-28 record in three seasons. Offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery coached the final two games for the Minutemen (2-10).

UMass moves from independent status into the Mid-American Conference next season.

–Field Level Media

Nov 30, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights running back Kyle Monangai (5) leaps into the air as he crosses the goal line during the first quarter against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images

Kyle Monangai, Rutgers blow out Michigan State 41-14

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kyle Monangai rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown on Saturday as visiting Rutgers finished its regular season with a 41-14 Big Ten Conference rout of Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich.

The Scarlet Knights (7-5, 4-5) controlled both sides of the scrimmage line after a slow start, more than doubling the Spartans in rushing yardage and gobbling up 35 minutes of clock. Athan Kaliakmanis added 157 passing yards on 13-of-22 accuracy, along with a touchdown.

Michigan State (5-7, 3-6) was seeking to become bowl-eligible but saw its season end with an emphatic thud. The Spartans managed 13 first downs, and after a promising start on the ground that saw them rush for 99 yards in the first quarter and a half, barely reached 100 yards for the day.

Michigan State initiated the scoring less than three minutes in as Nate Carter ripped off a 26-yard touchdown run. But that was it for the Spartans’ attack until Aidan Chiles found Jack Velling for a 5-yard strike with 7:21 left in the game. Chiles finished 13-of-23 passing for 150 yards.

By then, Rutgers had more than done its damage. It took the lead for good before the midway point of the first quarter behind Monangai’s 7-yard touchdown run and the first of Jai Patel’s four field goals, a 25-yarder.

Antwan Raymond made it 17-7 at the 6:07 mark of the second quarter with a 13-yard scoring jaunt, capping a 94-yard drive. Patel then punched 42 and 30-yard field goals through snow and a stiff wind in the final 90 seconds of the half for a 23-7 advantage.

The Scarlet Knights essentially ended the game’s competitive phase on the first drive of the second half, chewing up 7 1/2 minutes to drive 75 yards. Kaliakmanis finished it off with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Ian Strong.

Patel added his fourth field goal, a 29-yarder, with 10:55 left in the game to cap off another seven-minute drive. Raymond tacked on a 5-yard scoring jaunt with 1:57 remaining.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver Ian Strong (9) catches a touchdown pass in front ofIllinois Fighting Illini defensive back Jaheim Clarke (25) during the first half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

No. 25 Illinois’ TD with four seconds left upends Rutgers

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Pat Bryant caught a 40-yard touchdown on fourth down with four seconds remaining as No. 25 Illinois rallied for a dramatic 38-31 victory over Rutgers on Saturday afternoon in Piscataway, N.J.

With Rutgers playing cover-zero defense, Bryant caught Luke Altmyer’s sidearm toss on fourth-and-13 at the 22-yard line in the middle of the field and ran in from the right side for a 36-31 lead.

Bryant’s dramatic catch came after Illinois initially decided to attempt a go-ahead 57-yard field goal into the wind. Following a timeout, the Ilini went for it on fourth down.

Altmeyer’s two-point conversion attempt to Bryant was incomplete, but the visitors recorded a safety on the game’s final play.

Bryant finished with seven catches for a career-high 197 yards, and his score came after Rutgers took a 31-30 lead on a 13-yard rushing TD by Kyle Monangai with 1:08 left.

Monangai gave the Scarlet Knights the lead after Illinois overcame a nine-point deficit on Aidan Laughery’s 8-yard TD run with 13:48 remaining and Altmyer’s 30-yard run with 3:07 left.

Bryant’s clutch catch gave Illinois (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) eight wins for the second time in three seasons on a day when it committed 11 penalties.

Altmyer finished 12-of-26 passing for 249 yards and threw two touchdowns. He also gained a team-high 74 yards on the ground as the Ilini totaled 182 rushing yards.

Monangai finished with 122 yards on 28 carries and Kaliakmanis completed 19-of-37 passes for 175 yards, but Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) was unable to win a third straight Big Ten game for the first time. Kaliakmanis also rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

The Scarlet Knights saw their losing streak against ranked teams reach 41 games after taking a 17-9 halftime lead and a 24-15 advantage early in the fourth.

–Field Level Media

Oct 26, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) throws a pass during the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

No. 25 Illinois, Rutgers reveling in 2024 accomplishments

Posted on | by Field Level Media

While Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State are hogging Big Ten headlines, Illinois and Rutgers are enjoying a few big accomplishments of their own.

No. 25 Illinois attempts to reach eight wins for the second time in three seasons and inch closer to its first nine-win season since 2007 when it meets Rutgers on Saturday in Piscataway, N.J.

For its part, Rutgers hopes to reach seven wins in consecutive seasons for the first time in since 2012.

Illinois coach Bret Bielema appreciates what his team has accomplished.

“We have an unbelievable opportunity in front of us with Rutgers and to put ourselves in a position here at the end of the season with two games remaining. To have a lot to play for is pretty awesome,” Bielema said.

Illinois (7-3, 4-3) is coming off a 38-16 win over Michigan State last week in its home finale, finishing 6-1 at home. The defense led the way with five sacks, while running back Josh McCray scored three touchdowns and Pat Bryant totaled 135 receiving yards. Luke Altmyer threw for 231 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown pass to Bryant.

The Illini close the season against Northwestern on Nov. 30 and are heading to their second bowl game in four seasons under Bielema. Illinois was 8-5 two seasons ago but slumped to 5-7 last year for its 11th losing campaign in 12 years. The Illini are attempting to reach nine victories since it went 9-4 in 2007 and advanced to the Rose Bowl under Ron Zook.

Rutgers (6-4, 3-4) went 12-22 in the first three seasons of coach Greg Schiano’s second stint. The program is seeking back-to-back seven win seasons for the first time since finishing 9-4 in 2011 and 2012, its final seasons in the Big East.
Rutgers is attempting to end a 40-game losing streak against ranked opponents that dates back to a 31-0 win over South Florida on Nov. 12, 2009.

And Schiano sees good things ahead.

“We operate in the moment,” Schiano said. “If we let the future steal or the past steal from the moment, the present, that’s where we get in trouble. I don’t know if anybody can handle that, but we certainly can’t. We’re a developing program. We’re on the rise.”

Rutgers heads into its final home game coming off consecutive wins over Minnesota and Maryland. After earning a 26-19 win over Minnesota on Nov. 9, the Scarlet Knights followed it up with last week’s 31-17 win at Maryland to become bowl-eligible.

Rutgers topped 30 points for the second time in a conference game as Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 238 yards with two TD passes and Dymere Miller finished with eight catches for 107 yards for his second-highest total in both categories this season.

Kyle Monangai finished with 97 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Monangai reached 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season.

Rutgers will close the regular season against Michigan State on Nov. 30.

Illinois leads the all-time series 5-3, including a 4-2 mark in Big Ten games.

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) throws a pass during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Kyle Monangai scores twice in return as Rutgers tops Maryland

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kyle Monangai rushed for two touchdowns and Athan Kaliakmanis tossed for two scores Saturday as Rutgers secured bowl eligibility with a 31-17 win over Maryland in College Park, Md.

Monangai scored from 2 and 6 yards out, the latter giving the Scarlet Knights a 21-17 lead with 5:14 left in the third quarter. He finished with 97 yards on 25 carries after missing last week’s game with an undisclosed injury.

Kaliakmanis completed 20 of 30 throws for 238 yards for Rutgers (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten), which clinched bowl eligibility in consecutive seasons for the first time since making four straight bowls from 2011-14.

Billy Edwards Jr. went 32-of-55 for 335 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while Roman Hemby tallied 87 rushing yards and a score as the Terrapins lost their third straight game. Maryland (4-6, 1-6) must win its last two games to make a fourth straight bowl.

The Scarlet Knights seized control after Hemby’s 1-yard run slid the Terrapins ahead 17-14 early in the second half. Monangai’s second score put Rutgers back in front, and Dymere Miller’s 32-yard catch on the first play of the fourth quarter extended the lead to 28-17.

Miller finished with eight receptions for 107 yards, both game-highs.

Jordan Thompson intercepted Edwards at the Scarlet Knights’ 28-yard line on Maryland’s next possession, and Jai Patel drilled a 46-yard field goal to make it 31-17 with 9:53 left. Rutgers’ defense notched fourth-down stops on the Terrapins’ next two drives to seal the victory.

Maryland converted 3 of 6 fourth downs overall, while the Scarlet Knights finished 3-for-3.

Jack Howes’ 48-yard field goal with 2:01 left in the first quarter put Maryland up 3-0. Rutgers responded with a 17-play, 75-yard drive that lasted almost nine minutes and ended with Kaliakmanis’ 12-yard touchdown pass to Ian Strong.

Edwards hit Tai Felton for a 12-yard score on Maryland’s next possession for a 10-7 lead. The Scarlet Knights answered again, this time on Monangai’s 2-yard run to swing Rutgers ahead 14-10 with 1:01 remaining in the first half.

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) throws a touchdown pass during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Win over Maryland would send Rutgers bowling

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Rutgers’ second rebuild under coach Greg Schiano could take a big step on Saturday when the Scarlet Knights visit Maryland in College Park, Md.

A win over the Terrapins (4-5, 1-5 Big Ten) would make Rutgers (5-4, 2-4) bowl-eligible in consecutive seasons for the first time since it made four straight bowls from 2011 to 2014.

Schiano returned for his second stint with the Scarlet Knights in 2020 after Rutgers endured five straight losing seasons. He previously had led the Scarlet Knights to relevance during his first head coaching tenure from 2001 to 2011 before leaving to coach the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Schiano’s second Rutgers tenure started with three losing campaigns — albeit with a bowl appearance in 2021 — but began to take shape last year, when the Scarlet Knights finished 7-6 and won the Pinstripe Bowl.

Rutgers now is on the brink of something it has not achieved in a decade, but the Scarlet Knights must first snap their head-to-head skid against Maryland. The Terrapins won each of the past three meetings by at least 18 points.

“Offensively very explosive,” Schiano said of Maryland. “Coach (Michael) Locksley does a great job. Certainly he’s been a handful for us in our time back here. We haven’t had a ton of success against them, especially playing on the road.”

Terrapins quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. ranks third in the Big Ten with an average of 280.0 passing yards per game, but Maryland has lost four of five since a 3-1 start. Edwards threw for 206 yards while completing 22 of 44 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions in a 39-18 loss at No. 1 Oregon last week.

Needing two wins in their last three games to reach their fourth straight bowl, Locksley said his team is playing its own version of “playoff football.”

“The pillars of our program (are) how we start and how we finish, and obviously we’ve got some work to do to finish the right way,” Locksley said.

Rutgers snapped a four-game slide with a 26-19 win over visiting Minnesota last week.

Athan Kaliakmanis tossed three touchdown passes while Antwan Raymond and Ja’shon Benjamin combined for 139 rushing yards as star running back Kyle Monangai sat out due to an undisclosed injury.

It was uncertain whether Monangai, who ranks second in the Big Ten with an average of 116.4 rushing yards per game, would play against the Terrapins.

–Field Level Media

Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) throws the ball against the Southern California Trojans in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Minnesota prepares for familiar QB in clash with Rutgers

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Minnesota is spending this week preparing defensive game plans for a familiar quarterback, although coach P.J. Fleck is downplaying the reunion.

Seeking their fifth straight win, the Golden Gophers will face former Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis on Saturday afternoon when they head to Piscataway, N.J., for a Big Ten encounter with the Scarlet Knights.

The Golden Gophers (6-3, 4-2) are attempting to surpass their win total from last season, when they finished with their first losing record in a full season since 2017. Minnesota ended 6-7 last season with Kaliakmanis, who threw for 1,838 yards and 14 touchdowns in 12 games.

“You look at both sides of the ball, there’s a lot of people who have a lot of connections, and that can’t be the focus,” Fleck said Monday. “And that’s not going to be the focus. The focus is on going to get this football team better. They’re going to work on being better.”

Minnesota has three one-score wins sandwiched around a 48-23 rout of Maryland. The Golden Gophers kept their winning streak alive by earning a 25-17 victory at then-No. 24 Illinois last week by rallying in the final 5:14 on a 1-yard TD to Jameson Geers from Max Brosmer and Dragan Kesich’s fourth field goal, from 46 yards.

Brosmer has thrown seven of his 13 TD passes during the winning streak while completing 89 of 126 passes for 895 yards.

Kaliakmanis and the Scarlet Knights (4-4, 1-4) hope to end a four-game losing streak that has seen the team get outscored 133-66 since it beat Washington on Sept. 27.

During the skid, Kaliakmanis has been intercepted four times and sacked 10 times, including five times in a 42-20 loss at USC on Oct. 25, when he completed 27 of his career-high 47 attempts for 313 yards.

Kaliakmanis played for Minnesota in 2022 and 2023, throwing for 2,784 yards in 23 games.

“I had a great time there,” he said. “Respect to the coaches there. I’m just focused on where I’m at now, making friends here. I’m super grateful for the opportunity I had there, but I’m super grateful for the opportunity I have here.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Kyle Ford (81) hurdles Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Flip Dixon (10) in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Woody Marks (3 TDs), USC blast past Rutgers

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Woody Marks rushed for three touchdowns, Miller Moss passed for two scores and rushed for a third, and Southern California snapped a Big Ten Conference losing streak while outscoring Rutgers 42-20 on Friday night in Los Angeles.

USC (4-4, 2-4 Big Ten) pounced on the visiting Scarlet Knights early, building a 21-3 lead less than 15 minutes into the contest. Marks started the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown plunge to cap the Trojans’ opening drive of 77 yards.

It was the first of four consecutive USC drives that ended in touchdowns.

After Rutgers (4-4, 1-4) scored on a 26-yard field goal by Jai Patel, Makai Lemon returned the kickoff 80 yards to set up the USC offense at the Scarlet Knights’ 20-yard line. Four plays later, Marks punched in his second score, also from 1 yard out.

The kickoff return was part of a standout night for Lemon, who caught four passes for 134 yards. Forty of those yards came on a touchdown connection with Moss just before the end of the third quarter, as USC shut the door on a Rutgers’ comeback attempt.

The Scarlet Knights, who lost their fourth straight game, cut their initial deficit down to a single possession earlier in the third period when Athan Kaliakmanis capped a seven-play, 86-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Christian Dremel. A successful two-point conversion pass play brought the score to 28-20, but Rutgers’ next four possessions ended in two punts and two turnovers on downs.

In the meantime, USC scored on Moss’ 7-yard touchdown run and then scoring pass to Lemon. Moss also scored in the second quarter on an 11-yard completion to Kyle Ford.

Moss finished 20-of-28 passing for 308 yards. Marks rushed for 94 yards on 15 carries, punctuating his three-touchdown night with a 22-yard scoring run late in the second quarter.

Kaliakmanis went 27-of-47 for 313 yards. Kyle Monangai ran 18 times for 86 yards, while Antwan Raymond carried 15 times for 36 yards. Raymond scored on a 3-yard run in the second quarter.

Dymere Miller led Rutgers with 11 receptions for 131 yards.

–Field Level Media