RUTGERS (4-3, 1-3) at USC (3-4, 1-4)
October 25, 2024 • 11 p.m. ET • FOX
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, Calif.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football heads to the west coast to face USC Friday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Kickoff is set for 11 p.m. ET (8 p.m. local). This will be the Scarlet Knights' third all-time trip to California and marks the fifth-longest trip in program history.

The first matchup between RU and USC on the gridiron broadcasts nationally on FOX and follows Game 1 of the World Series.

TV: FOX (FOX Sports app)
Play-By-Play: Jason Benetti
Analyst: Brock Huard
Reporter: Allison Williams

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 660-AM/101.9-FM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 372, SXM app, 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
Eddie Kalegi & Philip Jaccoma


 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Rutgers ranks second nationally in blocked punts (2), fourth in fewest penalties per game (3.86), 13th in red zone defense (71.4 percent) and 21st in fewest turnovers surrendered (6).
• Rutgers is 15-1 since 2020 when not committing a turnover in a game.
• Rutgers has scored 63 non-offensive touchdowns under head coach Greg Schiano, including 12 since 2020.
• Rutgers, "The Birthplace of College Football," has played 1,416 games in program history on record dating back to 1869, the most in the sport.
 

LAST TIME OUT

• RB Kyle Monangai scored his third rushing touchdown of the day to make it a one-score game with 1:23 remaining, but UCLA recovered the ensuing onside kick to win, 35-32, on Homecoming & Family Weekend at SHI Stadium. It was the first meeting on the gridiron between the Scarlet Knights and Bruins.
• Rutgers recorded 422 yards of total offense and scored on all five trips to the red zone (four touchdowns).
• Monangai finished with 106 rushing yards on 19 carries for his fourth game of the season in triple figures. He contributed scoring runs from six, five and one yard out.
• QB Athan Kaliakmanis passed for a season-high 287 yards, including seven connections of at least 15 yards. He added his fourth career rushing touchdown, first of the year.
• WR KJ Duff collected a career-high 82 receiving yards, while WR Dymere Miller had a team-high five receptions.
• DL Kyonte Hamilton (1.5), LB Abram Wright (1.0) and DL Jordan Thompson (0.5) all posted sacks on defense.
• PK Jai Patel made two field goals (49, 35) for his fifth career game with multiple conversions.
• The attendance of 53,726 marked the ninth sellout at SHI Stadium since 2022.
• A mural honoring famed actor, singer, scholar, groundbreaking global activist and New Jersey native Paul Robeson was unveiled in SHI Stadium during the game. Robeson played for Rutgers from 1915-18 and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame (class of 1995).
 

OFFENSE

• Kirk Ciarrocca is in his second season back as Rutgers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2024. Ciarrocca has over 30 years of coaching experience (20 as an offensive coordinator). He has been selected as a semifinalist for the Broyles Award and coached 27 players who had their name called in the NFL Draft (six in the first round). Ciarrocca has coached the Big Ten's leading rusher each of the past two seasons (Monangai, Mohamed Ibrahim).
• The offensive line earned a spot on the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll. The Joe Moore Award annually honors the top offensive line in college football based on toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique and finishing. Rutgers has seven games since 2023 with no sacks allowed and 15 with no more than one permitted.
• QB Athan Kaliakmanis has thrown eight touchdown passes and accumulated 1,337 yards through the air.
• RB Kyle Monangai ranks second nationally in rushing attempts (154), ninth in rushing yards per game (120.7) and 10th in rushing touchdowns (10). The New Jersey native has reached the end zone in 6-of-7 games and has 12 career outings with 100 or more rushing yards.
• WR Dymere Miller has multiple receptions in all seven games and leads the team with 26 catches and 349 receiving yards.


 

DEFENSE

• Joe Harasymiak is in his third season as the Rutgers football defensive coordinator in 2024. A native of Waldwick, New Jersey, Harasymiak also leads the linebackers and has been a nominee for the Broyles Award each of the past two seasons.
• Rutgers has held opponents scoreless on six trips to the red zone.
• LB Dariel Djabome leads the team with 66 tackles, ranking 15th nationally and third in the Big Ten with 9.4 tackles per game.
• DB Shaquan Loyal leads the team with seven passes defended (five breakups, two interceptions).
• Nine different players have recorded a sack, with DL Kyonte Hamilton posting 2.5 so far.
 

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Rutgers has blocked 73 kicks (43 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) under head coach Greg Schiano. That includes 15 games with multiple blocks, 15 touchdowns off blocks and two resulting in safeties. The Scarlet Knights lead the nation with 10 blocked punts over the previous three seasons.
• PK Jai Patel has connected on 19-of-26 career field goals with a long of 51 yards.
• P Jakob Anderson has forced 16 fair catches with 11 punts overall downed inside the 20 on 30 attempts.
 

VERSUS USC

• Rutgers will play USC for the first time.
• Rutgers is set for its third trip to California, previously visiting Fresno State (2013) and Cal (1999).
• This will mark the fifth-longest trip in program history by miles:
> 1974 at Hawaii: 4,948 miles
> 1989 vs. Pitt (Dublin, Ireland): 3,216 miles
> 1999 at Cal: 2,540 miles
> 2013 at Fresno State: 2,436 miles
> 2024 at USC: 2,431 miles
• Rutgers is 106-68-1 all-time when playing a team for the first time.
• Head coach Greg Schiano previously coached at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as an assistant coach for Penn State in 1990 and 1991.
• WR Gunnison Bloodgood (Los Angeles) is the only player on the roster from the state of California.
• The next meeting in the series is scheduled for 2026 at SHI Stadium.
 

UP NEXT

Following an open week, Rutgers is back in action Nov. 9 to host Minnesota at SHI Stadium. Military Appreciation Day is presented by Provident Bank.

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