RUTGERS (2-8, 0-7) vs. MICHIGAN STATE (4-6, 2-5)
November 23, 2019 • 12:03 p.m. ET • FS1
SHI Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football welcomes Michigan State to SHI Stadium on Saturday for its seventh and final home game of the season. Kickoff is set for noon and the contest is presented by Provident Bank.
 
Watch live on FS1 or the Fox Sports App with John Strong (play-by-play) and Evan Moore (analyst) on the call. Listen to the action on the Rutgers Sports Network (WCTC 1450-AM, WOR 710-AM, WENJ 97.3-FM, WNJE 920-AM, Sirius 119, XM 203) 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. WRSU 88.7-FM will additionally announce the game.
 
Prior to the game, Rutgers will honor its senior class in a pregame ceremony. The group includes DB Damon Hayes, DB Kyle Laporte, DB Kobe Marfo, WR/H Cole Murphy, OL Jim Onulak, DL Willington Previlon, LB Aslan Pugh, DL Freddie Recio, LB Austin Rosa, OL Kamaal Seymour, OL Manny Taylor, WR Prince Taylor and OL Zach Venesky (captain).
 
Capping off the final theme game of the 150th anniversary season, Saturday will recognize Eric LeGrand, whose No. 52 is the only retired number in Rutgers football history. The Believe Game will focus on the legacy of LeGrand and help raise awareness and support for spinal cord research. Learn more at EricLeGrand52.com.


 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

Rutgers is coming off a 56-21 loss to No. 2 Ohio State last week at SHI Stadium, its fourth game this season opposing a ranked team. The 21 points tied the most allowed by the Buckeyes this season, while the three touchdowns scored by the Scarlet Knights marked the most surrendered by OSU so far in 2019. Ohio State entered last week as the top-ranked scoring defense in the country.
 
Sophomore Isaih Pacheco broke free for a 26-yard touchdown for his 10^th career score, the first touchdown permitted by Ohio State in the first quarter this year. Redshirt freshman Johnny Langan connected with junior Bo Melton for a 45-yard touchdown through the air in the third quarter, while Langan crossed the goal line on a 1-yard rush in the last period. Defensively, both junior Tyshon Fogg and redshirt freshman Christian Izien racked up 11 tackles. Junior Tre Avery picked up a strip sack, with junior Lawrence Stevens also gathering a muffed punt that led to points. In addition, junior Tyreek Maddox-Williams and sophomore Mike Tverdov teamed up to stuff the Buckeyes on a fourth-and-goal at the 1.
 
For the season, Langan has 903 yards of total offense (619 passing, 284 rushing) and accounted for seven touchdowns (four passing, three rushing) in six starts. The quarterback leads the team with 24 first downs gained. Pacheco, who is eighth in the Big Ten with 65.7 rushing yards per game, has scored seven touchdowns on the ground in 2019, the most by a Scarlet Knight in a season since Robert Martin had seven in 2014. The last to reach eight was Paul James, who had nine in 2013. Melton is up to 369 receiving yards and has logged at least one reception in all 10 games this year.
 
Fogg ranks third in the Big Ten with 9.2 tackles per game, owning 92 overall. The linebacker aims to make it 10 consecutive seasons a Scarlet Knight reaches triple digits. Hayes is set for his final home game, leading the active roster with 45 games played, six interceptions and 24 pass breakups, ranking second with 155 career tackles.
 
Junior Adam Korsak has helped Rutgers sit atop the Big Ten with a net punt average of 42 yards with 28 pinned inside the 20-yard line, 16 inside the 10 and eight inside the 5 with only one touchback this season. Junior Justin Davidovicz has made his last four field goals and is 14-for-15 in his career on attempts inside 40 yards.
 

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE

The Spartans have dropped their past five games, including a 44-10 loss at No. 14 Michigan most recently. MSU is averaging 21.3 points per game and ranks first in the Big Ten with only 1.5 sacks permitted per game this season. Brian Lewerke, who has started all 10 games at quarterback, is 183-for-328 passing for 2,178 yards and 13 touchdowns, adding 277 yards on the ground with one score. Antjuan Simmons owns 14 tackles-for-loss on defense.
 
Mark Dantonio is in his 13^th season as head coach in East Lansing.


 

THE SERIES

Saturday will be the sixth Big Ten meeting between the programs and the fifth overall matchup in New Jersey. Michigan State leads the series, 7-3, dating back to 1988.
 
The Spartans won last season's matchup in East Lansing, 14-10. Davidovicz drilled a 34-yard field goal with 7:52 remaining in the fourth quarter to put Rutgers up, 10-7, but Michigan State used a 22-yard rushing touchdown from Cody White for the deciding score with 3:57 left. The RU defense totaled 14 pass defended (12 breakups, two interceptions), its most in a game this century.
 
Two of the signature victories in school history for the Scarlet Knights have come against Michigan State. Rutgers opened the 1988 campaign with a 17-13 victory over the 15th-ranked and defending Rose Bowl-champion Spartans at Spartan Stadium. In the win, Eric Young caught nine passes for 124 yards, including the game's first touchdown on a 61-yard pass from Scott Erney. In front of an ABC television audience and a sellout crowd at Rutgers Stadium, Rutgers stopped Michigan State, 19-14, to open the 2004 season. Jeremy Ito connected on four field goals and Ryan Neill returned an interception 31 yards for a score to on the way to the triumph.
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers wraps up its season Nov. 30 at No. 9 Penn State. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
 
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