RUTGERS (3-3, 0-3) vs. INDIANA (3-4, 1-3)
October 22, 2022 • Noon ET • Big Ten Network
SHI Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football is back at SHI Stadium to host Indiana Saturday for Homecoming. In the last nine seasons under head coach Greg Schiano, the Scarlet Knights are 10-5 in games directly off an open week.

Rutgers is set to host its 88th annual Homecoming game and is 53-33-1. The event has been held every season since 1933, except 1943 and 2020. Homecoming also marks the Rutgers Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Sandra Petway (women's track & field coach), C. Vivian Stringer (women's basketball coach), Pat Willis (softball coach & women's basketball assistant coach) and Dr. Sam Crosby (wrestling & football) make up the class.

Giveaways for RU's game with the Hoosiers include "Beat Indiana" buttons, shakers and posters that can be picked up beginning at 9 a.m. at the pregame pep rally. Along Scarlet Knight Way, The Rutgers Boardwalk opens at 8 a.m. and features New Jersey's best food trucks, rides, live entertainment and carnival games (MAP). The area will also include a corn maze, haunted house and other seasonal-themed entertainment for families. The Marching Scarlet Knights will welcome back alumni with joint performances during pregame and at halftime. In addition, be on the lookout for a special announcement from the band at halftime. RU's national champion spirit squad will don throwback uniforms and hold performances with its alumni throughout the day.



Rutgers moved to mobile-only tickets, which can be added to an Apple Wallet or Google Pay app. Digital tickets provide for contactless entry, limiting person-to-person interactions, while speeding up entry time into the venue and also offers a secure means to transfer and exchange tickets. Representatives from the Rutgers ticket staff will be on hand to help assist customers with any digital ticket-related matters or by phone on game day by calling 866-445-GORU (4678). Fans will also receive mobile parking passes that they can manage like their digital tickets. Fans are encouraged to download mobile tickets and parking passes to their Apple Wallet or Google Pay apps prior to arriving at the stadium.

Fans who park in the Jersey Mike's Arena lots can take the free campus buses over to SHI Stadium (MAP). The new drop-off area will be at Lot 53A, allowing fans to walk through The Rutgers Boardwalk on the way to the stadium. The ADA buses will continue to deliver to and from the stadium as in the past. In addition, the Knightingale courtesy shuttle remains in operation, while buses from College Ave will continue running to Johnson Park. All buses run three hours prior to kickoff and return up to one hour following the conclusion of the game.

In addition, guests are advised to review SHI Stadium Fan Guide before arriving, including the bag policy.

TV: Big Ten Network (FOX Sports app)
Play-By-Play: Cory Provus
Analyst: Matt Millen
Reporter: Elise Menaker

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 101.9-FM/660-AM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 195, Audacy app, Scarlet Knights app
Play-By-Play: Chris Carlin
Analyst: Mike Teel
Analyst: Eric LeGrand
Sideline: Anthony Fucilli
Engineer: Paul Shrager
Pre/Post: Marc Malusis & Julian Pinnix-Odrick

Student Radio: WRSU 88.7-FM
Ellis Gordon & Dylan Allen


 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Defensively, Rutgers is eighth nationally in rushing defense (91.7) and 10th in total defense (285.8). The unit ranks as the eighth-most improved nationally by total defense (-110.7), allowing 1.26 yards per play less than in 2021.
• Rutgers leads the Big Ten and is third in the country with four blocked kicks, having blocked 66 under Schiano. The punt team has allowed just -3 return yards on the season, second-best in the country.
• Schiano announced Oct. 9 that Nunzio Campanile will take over as interim offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
• Rutgers holds a +8 turnover margin since 2020 (46 forced). That includes an 8-0 record when not committing a turnover in a game.
• Rutgers has had 11 different players score a touchdown this season.
 

LAST TIME OUT

• Hosting Nebraska on a Friday night, Rutgers jumped out to a 13-0 lead at halftime. However, the Cornhuskers took advantage of three turnovers, posted two touchdowns and took a 14-13 win in the sixth all-time meeting between the programs.
• QB Noah Vedral scored a 21-yard rushing touchdown, with PK Jude McAtamney connecting for field goals from 25 and 40. RB Samuel Brown V rushed for 63 yards on 16 carries. WR Aron Cruickshank had a team-high five receptions, while WR Shameen Jones registered 76 receiving yards.
• LB Deion Jennings totaled a career-high 11 tackles. Both DB Max Melton and DB Christian Braswell hauled in interceptions, with DL Aaron Lewis notching a sack.
• Melton blocked his second punt of the season, which was returned 11 yards by RB Parker Day to setup a field goal. P Adam Korsak pinned 5-of-7 attempts inside the 20.
• The attendance of 53,752 marked the second-straight sellout and second-largest in stadium history. It was the first time with consecutive sellouts since the first three conference games of the Big Ten era in 2014.
 

OFFENSE

• Campanile was named interim offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Oct. 9. Serving as tight ends coach since 2020, the Fair Lawn, New Jersey, native worked as the interim head coach and offensive coordinator for the final eight games of the 2019 season.
• The unit has had 14 different players carry the ball, 14 catch a pass, five throw a pass and 10 score a touchdown through six games.
• QB Evan Simon has thrown four touchdown passes on 71 completions with 740 yards. He recorded a career-high 300 yards versus Iowa to become the fourth Rutgers quarterback to pass for at least 300 yards in a Big Ten game (Gary Nova, Chris Laviano, Vedral).
• Cruickshank paces the team with 243 receiving yards on 25 receptions.
• Brown V ranks 13^th nationally among true freshmen with 273 rushing yards.
 

DEFENSE

• Joe Harasymiak is in his first season as defensive coordinator. A native of Waldwick, New Jersey, Harasymiak spent the last two seasons as co-defensive coordinator at Minnesota and was previously head coach at Maine. In 2021, Minnesota ranked third in the nation in total defense (278.8), fourth in first downs defense (202), sixth in scoring defense (17.3), eighth in rushing defense (97.5) and ninth in passing yards allowed (181.2).
• Rutgers is one of the most improved defensive teams nationally from 2021. The Scarlet Knights are one of 10 teams that have allowed 100 or more yards less per game, ranking as the eighth-most improved unit in total defense (-110.7) and 10th in rushing defense (-69.8) through week seven. RU has allowed 1.26 yards less per play, also 11th-best.
• Overall, Rutgers is eighth nationally in rushing defense (91.7), 10th nationally in total defense (285.8), 15th on third down (.310), 18th in interceptions (8) and 27th in passing yards against (194.2).
• Jennings ranks ninth in the Big Ten with 7.8 tackles per game, also leading the team with 5.5 tackles-for-loss.
• Braswell, DB Robert Longerbeam and Melton all have recorded two interceptions.
 

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Rutgers set the NCAA record for net punt average (45.25) in 2021, topping the previous mark of 45.04 held by BYU (1983). In 2022, Rutgers ranks 16th at 41.96. The unit has held opponents to -3 punt return yards on 28 attempts, first in the Big Ten and third nationally.
• Since 2009, Rutgers has blocked 61 kicks (field goals, extra points & punts) on special teams. Breaking down the blocked kicks since 2009, Rutgers has swatted 28 punts, 24 field goals and nine extra points. RU has blocked 66 kicks under Schiano. That includes 12 games with multiple blocks.
• Korsak recorded his first touchback in 151 attempts dating back to 2019 versus Nebraska, making it just six career touchbacks in 302 punts (2.0 percent) with 127 downed inside the 20-yard line (42.1 percent).
• McAtamney has made a field goal in all six games and is third in the league with 1.5 makes per game.
• Cruickshank owns 3,526 career all-purpose yards (2,294 kickoff return, 766 receiving, 272 rushing, 194 punt return) in 49 games to rank 17th among active FBS players. The 2,488 combined kick return yards are second-most nationally.


 

VERSUS INDIANA

• Saturday will mark the ninth meeting on the gridiron between Rutgers and Indiana since first playing in 2014.
• Last year in Bloomington, Rutgers rushed for five touchdowns and recorded six takeaways to top Indiana on the road, 38-3. The 35-point win was the largest margin of victory for the Scarlet Knights in a Big Ten game. It was also the largest margin of victory in program history in a conference road contest.
• Rutgers allowed a team-low three points in a Big Ten game, making it the first time not permitting a touchdown in such game. It was the 20th time overall Schiano not allowing an offensive touchdown. Rutgers allowed just 262 yards of total offense, the least amount permitted in a Big Ten game since joining the league. The defense held Indiana to 1-for-14 on third down and 85 rushing yards, including nine attempts for no gain or a loss.
• DL Mohamed Toure recovered a fumble on the first snap of the game, with DL Ifeanyi Maijeh, Billy Taylor and Rashawn Battle (on a force by Longerbeam) also jumping on loose balls. Both LB Tyreem Powell and Melton hauled in interceptions.
• Isiah Pacheco punched in touchdowns on two of the first three drives. RB Aaron Young and Vedral ran over the goal line, with Raiqwon O'Neal crossing as an offensive lineman.
• Rutgers won the first game in 2014 by the score of 45-23.
• In the 2015 meeting in Bloomington, Rutgers tied its school record with a 25-point comeback in a 55-52 victory that featured 1,223 combined yards of total offense. The 55 points are the most scored by Rutgers in a Big Ten game since joining the conference. Rutgers rallied for 28 unanswered points to end the game, as Kyle Federico hit a 26-yard field as time expired.
• In the last meeting at SHI Stadium in 2020, Rutgers made it a 23-15 game in the third quarter, but No. 17 Indiana responded with a pair of touchdowns to take a 37-21 victory. Bo Melton had his first career multi-score game. Defensively, Olakunle Fatukasi notched 14 tackles with 2.5 for loss.
• Rutgers game highs versus Indiana:
Rushing Yards: Robert Martin, 124 (2015)
Passing Yards: Chris Laviano, 386 (2015)
Receiving Yards: Leonte Carroo, 157 (2015)
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers returns to the road to face Minnesota on Oct. 29. It will be the first trip to Minneapolis for the Scarlet Knights since 2016. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.



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