RUTGERS (2-0) at TEMPLE (1-1)
September 17, 2022 • 2:02 p.m. ET • ESPN+
Lincoln Financial Field • Philadelphia, Pa.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Seeking a 3-0 start for the second-straight season, Rutgers football heads to Philadelphia to face Temple Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. The Scarlet Knights are 7-4 in road games since 2020.

Rutgers fans making the trip are invited to attend the official pregame tailgate/pep rally at Xfinity Live just outside of Lincoln Financial Field. The tailgate event opens at 11 a.m. with free snacks and t-shirts while supplies last. The pep rally is scheduled for noon and will include the Marching Scarlet Knights, national champion Rutgers Spirit Squad, Riot Squad and Sir Henry.

The game will broadcast online through ESPN+. Click here to view subscription options.

TV: ESPN+ (ESPN app)
Play-By-Play: Bill Spaulding
Analyst: Barrett Brooks

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 101.9-FM/660-AM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 392, Audacy app, Scarlet Knights app
Play-By-Play: Chris Carlin
Analyst: Julian Pinnix-Odrick
Sideline: Anthony Fucilli
Engineer: Paul Shrager
Pre/Post: Marc Malusis & Eric LeGrand

Student Radio: WRSU 88.7-FM
Alex Carmenaty & Dennis Geissler


 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Rutgers ranks second nationally in rushing defense (24.0), seventh in rushing offense (262.5), ninth in total defense (228.5) and 21st in scoring offense (44.0).
• Rutgers holds a +11 turnover margin since head coach Greg Schiano returned in 2020 (41 forced). That includes one turnover or less against in 17-of-24 games.
• Rutgers has had eight different players combine to score 12 touchdowns. The team has scored in each of the last seven quarters.
• Twenty-eight players made their collegiate debut during the first two weeks of the season.
• The Scarlet Knights will wear a patch with the initials REM on their uniforms this season in remembrance of former Rutgers Athletic Director Robert "Bob" Mulcahy, who passed away in February. Mulcahy, who served as Director of Athletics from 1998 to 2009, was a visionary in New Jersey athletics and was instrumental in building Rutgers University football toward national prominence.
 

LAST TIME OUT

• Rutgers scored touchdowns on its first four drives in the first and second halves on the way to beating Wagner, 66-7, in the home opener at SHI Stadium. The Scarlet Knights are now 106-67-1 all-time when playing a team for the first time, with victories the last four occasions (2019 Liberty, 2018 Texas State, 2017 Purdue).
• The 66 points scored were the most for the Scarlet Knights in a game under head coach Greg Schiano and the most for the team since posting 68 on Sept. 4, 1993, against Colgate at Giants Stadium. It was the seventh time under Schiano totaling 50 or more points and third time topping 60.
• Rutgers picked up 328 rushing yards and 257 passing yards to top 250 in both categories in the same game for the first time since the 2008 International Bowl versus Ball State (303 passing, 292 rushing).
• Rutgers held Wagner to 19 rushing yards, the 12th time under Schiano the Scarlet Knights held an opponent to 30 rushing yards or less, all victories. It was the second-straight week achieving the feat.
• Rutgers had three different players throw a touchdown pass (QB Gavin Wimsatt, QB Evan Simon, TE Johnny Langan) in the same game for the first time since Sept. 20, 1997, versus Boston College (Mike McMahon, Brendan Edmonds, Bill Powell).
• Eight different players combined to score nine touchdowns. The last time RU scored nine offensive touchdowns in a game was Dec. 4, 2008, versus Louisville. WR Chris Long (receiving), RB Samuel Brown V (two rushing) and WR Rashad Rochelle (rushing) all scored their first career touchdowns. WR Aron Cruickshank (receiving), RB Kyle Monangai (rushing) and RB Al-Shadee Salaam (rushing) all scored for the second-straight week. TE Johnny Langan picked up his first career receiving score and threw a touchdown to WR Isaiah Washington.
• QB Evan Simon (two touchdowns, 151 yards) and QB Gavin Wimsatt (one touchdown, 63 yards) both recorded their first career passing touchdown and a career-high in passing yards.
• DB Robert Longerbeam notched his second interception in as many weeks, while DB Max Melton recorded his fourth career pick.
• PK Jude McAtamney recorded a touchback on 10-of-11 kickoffs. It was the most touchbacks for the team in a game this century.
 

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.
• RB Samuel Brown V, WR Aron Cruickshank, RB Kyle Monangai and RB Al-Shadee Salaam all have two touchdowns to lead the team.
• Monangai and Salaam both have 122 rushing yards, while Cruickshank holds team highs with six receptions and 83  receiving yards.
• QB Evan Simon has thrown for 214 passing yards completing 72 percent of pass attempts. QB Gavin Wimsatt owns 110 passing yards and 102 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 has allowed only 48 rushing yards through two weeks.
• Rutgers secured five takeaways through the first two weeks, including a pair of interceptions by DB Robert Longerbeam.
• DL Wesley Bailey ranks 12^th nationally and third in the Big Ten with 1.25 sacks per game. He knocked down a pass and contributed two tackles-for-loss versus Wagner.
 

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). P Adam Korsak has 131 consecutive attempts without a touchback dating back to 2019 (23 games), with only five career touchbacks (1.7 percent of attempts) and 116 downed inside the 20 (41.2 percent).
• PK Jude McAtamney scored 12 points with 9-for-9 on extra points and a 49-yard field goal against Wagner. He booted a touchback on 10-of-11 kickoffs, the first time this century RU had double-digit touchbacks in the same game.
• Since 2009, Rutgers has blocked 59 kicks (field goals, extra points & punts) on special teams. Breaking down the blocked kicks since 2009, Rutgers has swatted 26 punts, 24 field goals and nine extra points. RU has blocked 64 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.
• WR Aron Cruickshank is one of two active FBS players nationally with five career combined kick return touchdowns, ranking second with 2,405 combined kick return yards (2,216 kickoff, 189 punt).


 

VERSUS TEMPLE

• Rutgers will take on Temple for the 38th time, leading the series, 22-15, and having won the last five meetings.
• Rutgers has only played three FBS teams more than Temple: Army (44), Syracuse (44) and West Virginia (39). The game was played every season between 1977-2004.
• Propelled by an early safety on a sack by LB Olakunle Fatukasi in the 2021 season opener, Rutgers raced out to a 26-0 lead and tacked on to claim a 61-14 season-opening win over Temple. The Scarlet Knights scored at least 10 points in each quarter in a game for the first time since at Fresno State in 2013. Rutgers scored five different ways on 10 scores, a safety, a field goal, a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown and an interception return touchdown. The Scarlet Knights picked up six rushing touchdowns overall, the most in a game in the Schiano era. Rutgers won the turnover battle, 5-0, with three fumbles recovered and two interceptions, including a pick-six by DB Max Melton. Rutgers won the field position game by averaging starting at own 47 compared to Temple beginning at own 22.
• In the last meeting in Philadelphia in 2012, the Scarlet Knights erased a 10-0 halftime deficit with 35 unanswered points in a 35-10 win. QB Gary Nova threw four touchdown passes to spark the comeback, while LB Khaseem Greene scored on a 20-yard fumble return.
• Rutgers set a school record with 36 first downs in the 62-0 victory over Temple at Giants Stadium in 1993, also setting program single-game highs with 10 turnovers forced and seven interceptions in the 25-0 shutout win in 1954. The longest pass play in team history came in 1977 versus the Owls, 95 yards from Bert Kosup to George Carter.
• Terrell Willis' 232 rushing yards in the 1994 home win still stands as Rutgers' stadium record, as he finished with 326 all-purpose yards, which is now second-most in a game in program history.
• Rutgers has had 10 games versus Temple with a player rushing for at least 100 yards, eight with a player totaling at least 100 receiving yards and five with a player passing for 300 or more yards (most versus any opponent).
• The first meeting between the programs took place in 1948, a 34-20 Rutgers home victory.
• Wide receivers coach Damiere Shaw is from Chester, Pennsylvania, graduated from Temple in 2016 and served on the Owls' coaching staff from 2013-16.
• Rutgers has 13 players on the roster from Pennsylvania: RB Samuel Brown V (Philadelphia), PK Antonio Chadha (Bryn Mawr), LB Anthony Johnson (Philadelphia), DB Kareem Lewis (Philadelphia), OL Tyler Needham (Newton), LB Ryan Russo (Harrisburg), QB Evan Simon (Mount Joy), DL Cam'Ron Stewart (Shillington), OL Emir Stinette (Philadelphia), LB Andrew Vince (Schwenksville), DB Timmy Ward (Canton), RB Aaron Young (Coatesville) and DB Avery Young (Coatesville). OL Brad Harris Jr. also attended high school in the state graduating from St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia.
• Rutgers game highs versus Temple:
Rushing Yards: Terrell Willis, 232 (1994)
Passing Yards: Gary Nova, 371 (2013)
Receiving Yards: Gary Melton, 155 (1991)
 

UP NEXT

Rutgers opens Big Ten play Sept. 24 at SHI Stadium against Iowa. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on FS1. As part of the "R Community Game," the Scarlet Knights look forward to welcoming and honoring representatives from youth band, youth cheer/spirit, R Heroes, Special Olympics, Rutgers University Dance Marathon (RUDM) and several other community groups.

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