RUTGERS (1-5, 0-4) vs. No. 20 MINNESOTA (6-0, 3-0)
October 19, 2019 • 3:40 p.m. ET • Big Ten Network
SHI Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football starts a stretch of playing four of its next five games at SHI Stadium by hosting No. 20 Minnesota Saturday at 3:30 p.m. It will be the 86^th Homecoming game for the Scarlet Knights, a tradition that dates back every season to 1933 except 1943. This will mark the Golden Gopher's first trip to Piscataway, the final Big Ten team to make their initial visit to Rutgers.
 
Watch the game live on Big Ten Network with Lisa Byington (play-by-play), J Leman (analyst) and Elise Menaker (reporter) on the call. With BTN carrying multiple games in the time slot, click here for the out-of-market channel finder. Listen to the action on the Rutgers Sports Network (WCTC 1450-AM, WOR 710-AM, WENJ 97.3-FM, WNJE 920-AM, Sirius 94, XM 195) with Chris Carlin (play-by-play), Ray Lucas (analyst), Eric LeGrand (analyst) and Anthony Fucilli (sideline). The broadcast is also available via ScarletKnights.com, the Scarlet Knights App and TuneIn. The WRSU 88.7-FM student radio broadcast will have Corey Jason and Raj Shah
 
As part of the year-long celebration of the 150^th anniversary of the first college football game played, the week will celebrate the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. RU will sport long-sleeved jerseys for the occasion, which were part of a collaboration between Rutgers Athletics and adidas. The Primeknit A1 uniforms emulate Rutgers football's tradition and heritage through retro designs, colorways and throwback graphics.
 
In addition, the newest members of the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame will be recognized in a ceremony at SHI Stadium: the 1919-1920 men's basketball team, the 1981 men's track & field two mile relay team, Todd Frazier (baseball), Fred Gruninger (athletic administrator) and Greg Rinaldi (men's lacrosse).
 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

Rutgers holds a 53-31-1 record on Homecoming, as Minnesota will mark the second ranked opponent (No. 5 Virginia Tech, 1999) and 39^th different foe for the game. RU's last Homecoming victory was over Purdue, 14-12, in 2017.
 
Most recently, the Scarlet Knights took a 35-0 loss at Indiana. Senior Damon Hayes recorded his second interception of the season and also recovered a fumble, which was forced by sophomore Olakunle Fatukasi. Fatukasi collected a game-high 12 tackles, with fifth-year senior Willington Previlon notching two tackles-for-loss.
 
Redshirt freshman Johnny Langan started the previous two games at quarterback and collected 222 yards of total offense in his last home appearance versus Maryland. Sophomore Isaih Pacheco paces the team with 427 all-purpose yards, averaging 4.31 yards per carry on the ground. In the pass game, junior Bo Melton has at least one catch in all six games this year.

Junior Adam Korsak averaged 47.3 yards on 10 attempts at Indiana, pinning three inside the 3-yard line to take a spot on the Ray Guy Award weekly "Ray's 8" list for the third time this season. He has landed 20-of-41 attempts inside the 20 in 2019. Rutgers is first in the Big Ten and seventh nationally with a net punt of 43.63 yards per attempt.
 

SCOUTING MINNESOTA

The Golden Gophers enter on an eight-game winning streak dating back to last season and are one of 12 undefeated teams remaining in the country this year. After a 34-7 win last Saturday at home against Nebraska, the team moved into the top-25 at No. 20 to signal its highest standing since 2008. Minnesota also beat Purdue and Illinois in Big Ten play. Quarterback Tanner Morgan is 86-for-124 passing with 14 touchdowns, while Rodney Smith is at 675 rushing yards. Sam Renner paces the defense with three sacks.
 
P.J. Fleck, who worked on the Rutgers staff as wide receivers coach for two seasons (2010-11), is in his third year leading Minnesota football.

THE SERIES

Saturday will mark the second all-time meeting between Rutgers and Minnesota on the gridiron. The Scarlet Knights rallied from a 21-3 deficit in the first quarter to take a 32-31 lead with 4:01 remaining, but the Golden Gophers drove 59 yards to kick a field goal with six seconds left for a 34-32 win in the first meeting between the teams on Oct. 22, 2016 in Minneapolis. Giovanni Rescigno sparked the offense with a 22-for-38 performance for 220 passing yards and three touchdowns in his first career start. Justin Goodwin, Andre Patton and Jawuan Harris all caught touchdown passes, while Hayes picked off a pass and ran it back 55 yards for a score. David Bonagura converted a pair of field goals.
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers wraps up the non-conference portion of its schedule with an Oct. 26 game versus Liberty at SHI Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon on Big Ten Network.
 
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