RUTGERS 24 (1-0, 1-0), NORTHWESTERN 7 (0-1, 0-1)
SHI STADIUM • PISCATAWAY, N.J.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2022 • ATTENDANCE: 53,026
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football (1-0, 1-0) delivered a Big Ten Conference win to open the 2023 season, defeating Northwestern (0-1, 0-1), 24-7, on Sunday afternoon in front of 53,026 fans at SHI Stadium. The Scarlet Knights scored touchdowns on their first two drives and held the Wildcats scoreless the first 59 minutes, outgaining NU, 285-201.
QB
Gavin Wimsatt accounted for both a rushing and passing score, as he completed 17 passes for 163 yards and an 11-yard touchdown pass to WR
Ian Strong. RB
Kyle Monangai rushed for 49 yards and a 15-yard touchdown to pace RU's rushing attack.
Rutgers' defense allowed just 13 first downs and 12 rushing yards, which was the lowest rushing total allowed by the defense in a Big Ten game. DL
Rene Konga, DB
Shaquan Loyal, LB
Tyreem Powell, LB
Mohamed Toure and DL
Kenny Fletcher all registered sacks, while DB
Robert Longerbeam and DB
Max Melton recorded interceptions. The 201 total yards against were also the least permitted in a Big Ten game since joining the conference.
The Scarlet Knights opened the afternoon with a 16-play, 75-yard scoring drive, capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Wimsatt to Strong in the back of the end zone for a 7-0 lead. It was the first career catch for Strong, who hauled in the reception over two Wildcat defenders and kept his left foot in for the impressive reception. RU converted two third-down and two fourth-down conversions during the opening sequence, including a 17-yard fourth-down pass from Wimsatt to WR
Christian Dremel in NU territory.
RU's defense forced Northwestern to punt on its first possession, taking a 7-0 lead and the ball into the second quarter.
Rutgers worked another 16-play scoring drive after NU's initial drive, this one spanning two quarters and punctuated with a six-yard touchdown run from Wimsatt. Wimsatt's first career rushing score put the Scarlet Knights up 14-0 with 13:26 left before halftime. PK
Jai Patel then followed with a 32-yard field goal, as Rutgers scored on its first three possessions for a 17-0 lead.
RU's defense held firm for the remainder of the quarter. With 1:54 left before the break, Melton picked off Northwestern QB Ben Bryant for his sixth career interception, helping Rutgers take its 17-0 advantage into the locker room.
In the first half, Rutgers held the Wildcats to just 112 yards of total offense and churned out more than 21 minutes of possession.
The Scarlet Knights continued to control the pace of the game in the second half. With the ball inside Northwestern territory, Monangai scored from 15 yards out to extend RU's lead, 24-0, at the 4:05 mark in the third quarter. RU would hold the Wildcats off the board once again heading into the final 15 minutes of play.
Rutgers forced its second turnover of the afternoon right out of the quarter break, as Longerbeam intercepted Bryant with 13:42 remaining. The Wildcats scored a touchdown with 19 seconds remaining to break the shutout.
- Rutgers defeated Northwestern for the fourth time and first time since 1991. It was the Scarlet Knights' first Big Ten victory over the Wildcats. RU has won 4-of-6 meetings overall and is 2-1 versus NU in New Jersey.
- Rutgers improved to 11-4 in season openers under head coach Greg Schiano. It was the fourth-straight season RU won its opener, improving to 81-64-9 all-time.
- Rutgers improved to 102-40-11 all-time in home openers, winning 12 of the last 14, and 10-5 under Schiano.
- Rutgers opened with a Big Ten home game for the first time since joining the Big Ten in 2014.
- Rutgers improved to 4-0 all-time in games played on Sunday, opening a season with a Sunday game for the first time in program history. The previous occurrences were Oct. 29, 2006 versus Connecticut (24-13), Sept. 21, 1980 against Cincinnati (24-7) and Nov. 25, 1979 at Louisville (31-7).
- Rutgers is now 7-2 in September games since 2021.
- Rutgers improved to 59-32 under Schiano when scoring first, 73-31 when scoring at least 20 points, 27-0 when allowing 10 or fewer points, 58-20 when winning the turnover battle and 27-2 when recording at least five sacks.
- Rutgers held Northwestern to 201 total yards of offense and 12 rushing yards, both the fewest allowed in a Big Ten game since joining the conference.
- Rutgers held the ball for 37:56 of clock, the second-highest mark in a Big Ten play. That included 13:34 in the first quarter.
- Rutgers opened with back-to-back touchdown drives of 16 plays each. It marked the first consecutive touchdown drives of 15 or more plays in a Big Ten game at any point in a game. It was also the first time starting a season with back-to-back touchdown drives since 2018 versus Texas State.
- Rutgers allowed just one touchdown, the fourth time in Big Ten play allowing one or fewer in a game.
- Rutgers allowed no sacks, the seventh overall and fourth time in a Big Ten game since 2020.
- WR Ian Strong scored his first career touchdown on his first career catch. He became the first Rutgers true freshman wide receiver to score a touchdown since WR Isaiah Washington in 2019 versus Liberty.
- QB Gavin Wimsatt scored his career rushing touchdown on a six-yard run in the second quarter.
- PK Jai Patel converted his first career field goal attempt from 32 yards out, ending the game with six points total.
- RB Kyle Monangai scored his seventh career rushing touchdown in the third quarter.
- DL Rene Konga posted a career-high two tackles-for-loss with a sack.
- DB Max Melton recorded his sixth career interception and DB Robert Longerbeam hauled in his third pick.
- Collegiate debut (9): P Flynn Appleby, RB Ja'shon Benjamin, LS Jake Eldridge, LB Timmy Hinspeter, PK Jai Patel, WR Ian Strong, LB Moses Walker, OL Taj White, DB Trevor Yeboah-Kodie
- Rutgers debut (14): P Flynn Appleby, RB Ja'shon Benjamin, TE Shawn Bowman, DB Flip Dixon, LS Jake Eldridge, LB Timmy Hinspeter, DL Isaiah Iton, WR JaQuae Jackson, PK Jai Patel, DB Eric Rogers, WR Ian Strong, LB Moses Walker, OL Taj White, DB Trevor Yeboah-Kodie
- First career start (3): WR Christian Dremel, WR Chris Long, OL Tyler Needham
- True Freshmen (3): RB Ja'shon Benjamin, LS Jake Eldridge, WR Ian Strong
- Consecutive games played: TE Johnny Langan (44), DL Mayan Ahanotu (35)
Rutgers continues its three-game homestand hosting Temple at SHI Stadium on Sept. 9 in a game presented by Rutgers Health. The Blackout is set for a 7:30 p.m. start and will include a pregame light show. Big Ten Network will broadcast the matchup.
Gallery: (9-3-2023) Football vs. Northwestern
