Game 10: Football at Maryland

Saturday, November 16

College Park, Md.

6:00 PM

Rutgers University

Maryland

Photo by: Cos Lymperopoulos

Nov 11 | Football

Game Notes Digital Program Press Conference Stream: FOX Sports app Listen: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network Live Stats Statistics Media Guide Awards & Honors Download: Scarlet Knights App

RUTGERS (5-4, 2-4) at MARYLAND (4-5, 1-5)
November 16, 2024 • 6 p.m. ET • FS1
SECU Stadium • College Park, Md.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football is on the road this week to take on Maryland Saturday at SECU Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on FS1. The two teams have met on the gridiron every season since 2014.

The Scarlet Knights seek their third win in Big Ten play to match the program high set in 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2023.

TV: FS1 (FOX Sports app)
Play-By-Play: Chris Myers
Analyst: Spencer Tillman

Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network
WFAN 660-AM/101.9-FM, FOX Sports New Jersey 93.5-FM/1450-AM, SiriusXM 386, 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
Brendan Kelly & Frankie Palumbo

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Rutgers ranks first nationally in fewest penalty yards against per game (29.56), second in fewest penalties per game (3.89), third in blocked punts (2), 12th in fewest turnovers surrendered (7) and 24th in fewest tackles-for-loss allowed (4.11).
• Rutgers is 15-2 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 1,417 games in program history on record dating back to 1869, the most in the sport.

LAST TIME OUT

• Down 16-14 with 8:30 left in the fourth quarter, LB Tyreem Powell forced a fumble recovered by DB Shaquan Loyal to spark a Rutgers comeback win over Minnesota. QB Athan Kaliakmanis found WR Ian Strong for an immediate go-ahead touchdown pass, DL Jordan Walker recorded a sack in the end zone for a safety and PK Jai Patel converted a 22-yard field goal for the 26-19 victory at SHI Stadium. It was the first win for the Scarlet Knights over the Golden Gophers in four attempts.
• Rutgers completed a fourth-quarter comeback to win for the 16th time under head coach Greg Schiano.
• Rutgers improved to 13-6 coming off a bye week under Schiano, including 2-0 this season.
• Rutgers held Minnesota to a season-low 35 rushing yards, including minus 25 in the fourth quarter. It was the second-lowest rushing total Rutgers has permitted in a Big Ten game since joining the league behind the 12 allowed versus Northwestern in 2023.
• Rutgers recorded a season-high eight tackles-for-loss and matched its season best with four sacks.
• Kaliakmanis had his third game of the season with three touchdown passes, also finding WR Dymere Miller in the end zone twice in addition to Strong. Strong also had a 65-yard gain in the passing game.
• RB Antwan Raymond made his first collegiate start and carried the ball 22 times for 73 yards, while RB Ja'shon Benjamin added 66 yards on the ground in his season debut.
• LB Dariel Djabome matched his career high with 14 tackles, including three for loss and a sack. DB Robert Longerbeam contributed three pass breakups.
• Strong recovered Minnesota's on-side kick attempt to seal the win.

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 14 with no more than one permitted.
• QB Athan Kaliakmanis has thrown 12 touchdown passes and accumulated 1,890 yards through the air. The passing offense has totaled 574 more yards than at the same point last season.
• RB Kyle Monangai ranks 11th nationally in rushing yards per game (116.4), 14th in rushing attempts (172) and 21st in rushing touchdowns (10). The New Jersey native has reached the end zone in 6-of-8 games played, has 12 career outings with 100 or more rushing yards and needs 69 yards to record his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season.
• WR Dymere Miller has multiple receptions in all nine games and leads the team with 42 catches and 538 receiving yards. WR Ian Strong ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 17.8 yards per reception.

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.
• Rutgers has recorded two safeties on sacks, last posting multiple safeties in a season in 2005.
• LB Dariel Djabome leads the team with 83 tackles, ranking 18th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten with 9.2 tackles per game.
• DB Shaquan Loyal leads the team with two interceptions, also tying DB Robert Longerbeam with seven passes defended overall.
• Ten different players have recorded a sack, with DL Kyonte Hamilton posting 3.5 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 22-of-29 career field goals with a long of 51 yards and has hit five consecutive attempts.
• P Jakob Anderson has forced 21 fair catches with 13 punts overall downed inside the 20 on 38 attempts.

Kyonte Hamilton

VERSUS MARYLAND

• Rutgers and Maryland will meet for the 11th time in a Big Ten game, ninth time in College Park and 20th time overall.
• Maryland won last season's meeting at SHI Stadium, 42-24. RB Kyle Monangai finished the game with 20 carries for 118 yards. Max Melton intercepted his third pass of the season, while DB Flip Dixon forced a fumble that was recovered by Isaiah Iton. LB Mohamed Toure set a career high with 11 tackles and a sack.
• Rutgers last won in the series in 2020. The Scarlet Knights rallied from a 24-21 deficit with 2:56 remaining with an 11-play drive over 61 yards that ended with Valentino Ambrosio hitting a 39-yard field goal to force overtime. The game featured seven lead changes. After Ambrosio connected from 42 yards, the defense held Maryland without a first down on its series, with Mike Tverdov recording a sack on third down to force a 50-yard field goal attempt, which sailed wide left and set a 27-24 final score. Rutgers notched season highs with 13 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks, which set a team Big Ten record. Tverdov became the fourth player in program history to record at least three sacks in a game.
• Also under the direction of head coach Greg Schiano, RU earned a 34-13 road victory over the Terrapins in 2009. The Scarlet Knights forced five turnovers (three interceptions, two fumbles) and allowed just 28 rushing yards and 12 first downs. Both Antonio Lowery (interception return) and George Johnson (fumble recovery in end zone) scored on defense as one of seven RU games under Schiano posting multiple scores on defense/special teams. Offensively, Joe Martinek posted 147 yards on the ground with a pair of touchdowns, while San San Te converted two goals. Teddy Dellaganna was named Big East Special Teams Player of the Week after averaging 40.6 yards on five attempts, with a long of 51, to pin Maryland to an average starting field position of its own 12.
• In the first Big Ten matchup in College Park in 2014, Rutgers rallied from a 35-10 deficit to win 41-38. The 25-point comeback is tied for the school record, also done in 2015 at Indiana. Gary Nova threw for 347 yards, as Leonte Carroo, Janarion Grant and Andre Patton all topped 100 yards receiving. Defensively, RU allowed just three points in the second half, using a short-yardage stop on a late fourth down to seal the win.
• Rutgers has five players on its roster from the state of Maryland: DB Trent Brown (Crownsville), TE Jackson Gister (Baltimore), DL Kyonte Hamilton (District Heights), TE Matthew Ogunniyi (Springdale) and OL Reggie Sutton (Baltimore).
• The next meeting in the series is scheduled for 2025 in Piscataway. The matchup is one of the 12 protected games that is played annually in the Big Ten.
• Rutgers game highs versus Maryland:
Rushing Yards: Joe Martinek, 147 (2009)
Passing Yards: Gary Nova, 347 (2014)
Receiving Yards: Leonte Carroo, 183 (2015)

UP NEXT

Rutgers concludes its home schedule by hosting Illinois on Nov. 23 at SHI Stadium for Senior Day/Thank You Fans. Kickoff is set for noon on Peacock.

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