RUTGERS (3-2, 0-2) vs. NEBRASKA (2-3, 1-1)
October 7, 2022 • 7 p.m. ET • FS1
SHI Stadium • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers is back in action on a short week to host Nebraska Friday night at SHI Stadium, presented by RWJBarnabas Health. The Scarlet Knights are set to suit up in all-black uniforms with black helmets for the "Blackout Game."

For the second-straight game, SHI Stadium is sold out. No general tickets remain. This marks the first time for the Scarlet Knights with consecutive home sellouts since the first three conference games of the Big Ten era in 2014. Limited student tickets are still available. Students can claim their seats up until kickoff while supplies last by clicking here. Tickets for the public are still available on StubHub, the official fan-to-fan ticket marketing place of the Scarlet Knights, click here to view availability. The first 10,000 Rutgers students that enter SHI Stadium will receive a limited-edition "Black Friday" t-shirt.

The Rutgers Boardwalk opens at 3 p.m. along Scarlet Knight Way and features New Jersey's best food trucks, rides, live entertainment and carnival games.

Current and former women letterwinners will be in attendance to commemorate Title IX as Rutgers Athletics celebrates the 50th anniversary of the landmark federal law throughout 2022-23. Women letterwinners will be welcomed back "On the Banks" for a pregame tailgate and join current women student-athletes and rising young women from the community in a halftime march-on to celebrate the past, present and future of women in sport. The parade, also including the Marching Scarlet Knights, cheerleaders and Scarlet Knight, will kick off the team's arrival and pep rally. Click here to learn more about the foundation of success within Rutgers women's athletics.

Giveaways for the "Blackout Game" include black shakers and "Beat Nebraska" buttons. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by kickoff for a special pregame light show.

Rutgers has 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: FS1 (FOX Sports app)
Play-By-Play: Adam Alexander
Analyst: Devin Gardner

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 101.9-FM/660-AM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 84, 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
Dennis Geissler & Alex Carmenaty


 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Rutgers is 16-8 in home night games with fans under head coach Greg Schiano (excludes 2020).
• Defensively, Rutgers is 18th nationally in total defense (282.2), 18th in rushing defense (95.6), 22nd in interceptions (6), 27th on third down (.302) and 29th in passing yards against (186.6).
• Rutgers leads the Big Ten and third in the country with three blocked kicks, having blocked 65 under Schiano.
• Rutgers holds a +9 turnover margin since 2020 (44 forced). That includes one turnover or less against in 18-of-27 games and an 8-0 record when not committing a turnover in a game.
• Rutgers has had 10 different players combine to score 15 touchdowns.
 

LAST TIME OUT

• Traveling to No. 3 Ohio State, Rutgers took advantage of a muffed punt to score first on a 14-yard touchdown pass from QB Evan Simon to WR Sean Ryan. However, the Buckeyes posted four touchdowns after to take a 28-7 lead into halftime. DB Avery Young recorded an interception to start the second half, which set up a 35-yard field goal by PK Jude McAtamney. OSU followed with three touchdowns to take a 49-10 win.
• RB Samuel Brown V led the offense with 79 rushing yards on 15 carries, while DB Christian Braswell contributed eight tackles on defense. LB Tyreem Powell recorded a sack.
 

OFFENSE

• A native of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Sean Gleeson is in his third season as offensive coordinator at Rutgers. He was named a candidate for the 2020 Broyles Award, which annually honors the top assistant coach in college football.
• The unit has had 14 different players carry the ball, 14 catch a pass, four throw a pass and nine score a touchdown through five games.
• QB Evan Simon has thrown four touchdown passes on 65 completions with 640 yards. He recorded a career-high 300 yards in the last home game versus Iowa to become the fourth Rutgers quarterback to pass for at least 300 yards in a Big Ten game (Gary Nova, Chris Laviano, Noah Vedral).
• WR Aron Cruickshank paces the team with 172 receiving yards on 20 receptions.
• RB Kyle Monangai, RB Al-Shadee Salaam and RB Samuel Brown V have all rushed for two scores, with Brown registering a team-high 210 yards on the ground.
 

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 18th nationally in total defense (282.2), 18th in rushing defense (95.6), 22nd in interceptions (6), 27th on third down (.302) and 29th in passing yards against (186.6).
• Rutgers held Ohio State to 161 passing yards, 178 below its average entering the game (339).
• DB Christian Izien recorded a career-high 15 tackles against Iowa and leads the unit with 37 overall. LB Tyreem Powell has picked up three sacks and DL Wesley Bailey five tackles-for-loss.
• DB Robert Longerbeam (two), DB Christian Braswell, DB Shaquan Loyal, DB Max Melton and DB Avery Young have all recorded 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 ninth at 42.85. The unit has held opponents to -3 punt return yards on 21 attempts, first in the Big Ten and third nationally.
• Since 2009, Rutgers has blocked 60 kicks (field goals, extra points & punts) on special teams. Breaking down the blocked kicks since 2009, Rutgers has swatted 27 punts, 24 field goals and nine extra points. RU has blocked 65 kicks under head coach Greg Schiano, including punts deflected by DB Christian Braswell and DB Christian Izien versus Wagner. It was the 12th game under Schiano with multiple blocked kicks. Most recently, DB Max Melton blocked a punt against Iowa.
• P Adam Korsak has not recorded a touchback in 145 consecutive punts dating back to 2019.
• PK Jude McAtamney has made a field goal in all five games and is third in the league with 1.4 makes per game.
• WR Aron Cruickshank owns 3,447 career all-purpose yards (2,294 kickoff return, 695 receiving, 272 rushing, 186 punt return) in 48 games to rank 15th among active FBS players. The 2,480 combined kick return yards are second-most nationally.


 

VERSUS NEBRASKA

• Rutgers will take on cross-divisional opponent Nebraska for the fifth time since joining the Big Ten in 2014 and sixth time overall.
• Rutgers concluded its 2020 season hosting Nebraska on a Friday night at SHI Stadium. The Cornhuskers won, 28-21. DB Christian Izien was involved in gaining four turnovers, including two interceptions, while WR Aron Cruickshank recorded a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown, his second such career score against the Cornhuskers.
• In 2017 at Memorial Stadium, Rutgers put together an 11-play, 75-yard opening drive that ended with a two-yard rushing touchdown by Gus Edwards, but Nebraska answered and went on to win, 27-17. The game featured three lead changes. Both Blessuan Austin and Kiy Hester recorded interceptions, with Hester returning his pick for a 33-yard touchdown.
• Nebraska won the first meeting in Piscataway in 2015, 31-14. After falling behind 21-0, Robert Martin scored a one-yard rushing touchdown and Chris Laviano hauled in a five-yard pass from Janarion Grant to make it 21-14 in the third quarter. The Cornhuskers responded with a touchdown and a field goal. RU had three picks on the day, its most in a Big Ten game.
• The first Big Ten game took place in Lincoln in 2014. Leonte Carroo totaled 127 receiving yards, including a 71-yard touchdown from Gary Nova. Both Robert Martin and Desmon Peoples added rushing scores against the 16th-ranked Cornhuskers.
• The first meeting between the programs took place in 1920 in a game played at the Polo Grounds in New York City, as the Cornhuskers prevailed, 28-0.
• Rutgers game highs versus Nebraska:
Rushing Yards: Josh Hicks, 61 (2015)
Passing Yards: Chris Laviano, 165 (2015)
Receiving Yards: Leonte Carroo, 127 (2014)
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers has its open week next before returning to action Oct. 22 versus Indiana at SHI Stadium. Kickoff for the 88th annual Homecoming game is set for noon.

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