Coming off back-to-back victories against Minnesota and Maryland, Rutgers football (6-4, 3-4) closes out their home schedule by hosting No. 24 Illinois (7-3, 4-3) on Saturday at SHI Stadium. The Scarlet Knights are 9-4 at home since 2023 as Saturday’s kickoff is set for a noon kickoff on Peacock.
Rutgers football defeated Maryland 31-17 last week, securing six wins. Rutgers has secured bowl eligibility in back-to-back seasons with that victory. The 17 points against were the fewest permitted in 11 Big Ten meetings versus the Terrapins.
On offense, Rutgers went 3-for-3 on fourth down to match its high of three fourth-down conversions in a Big Ten game. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis had a stellar performance, throwing for 238 yards on 20 completions, two touchdowns, and 14 passing first downs. Wide receivers Ian Strong and Dymere Miller were Kaliakmanis’s favorite targets.
Strong hauled in a career-high seven catches with a touchdown and Miller totaled eight receptions for 107 yards and a 32-yard touchdown. Running back Kyle Monangai had a strong performance on the ground, carrying the ball 25 times for 97 yards to surpass 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season. He also punched in touchdowns from two and six yards out for his fifth career game with multiple scores. Defensive back Shaquan Loyal led the way for the Scarlet Knights on defense, posting a career-high 13 tackles.
As for Illinois, the Fighting Illini travels to Piscataway, New Jersey, following an impressive bounce-back win over Michigan State, 38-16. Running back Josh McCray led Illinois’s offense, totaling a career-high three rushing touchdowns. Also, senior wide receiver Pat Bryant registered a career-best 135 receiving yards. The Illini never trailed and clinched six home wins in a season for the first time since 2001.
Rutgers football vs. No. 24 Illinois: Series History
Entering Saturday’s matchup, the Illini hold a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series and a 3-1 record in games hosted by Rutgers. Illinois will make its first trip to SHI Stadium since the 2020 season, when they posted a 23-20 victory on November 14, 2020. The Illini have won their last three road contests against the Scarlet Knights.
The two teams met six consecutive seasons between 2016 – 2021 and Rutgers is set to face its first opponent of the season appearing in the AP Poll. The Scarlet Knights have nine victories overall over AP-ranked opponents, including four under head coach Greg Schiano.
Rutgers: Key Players to Watch
Wide receiver Dymere Miller has emerged as Rutgers’ No. 1 receiver on the outside and is Kaliakmanis’s favorite target. Miller has multiple receptions in all 10 games, leading the team with 50 catches and 645 receiving yards. The 5-foot-11, 184-pound wideout is ranked No. 10 in receiving yards within the Big Ten Conference.
Linebacker Dariel Djabome has been a defensive anchor for the Scarlet Knights all season. Djabome leads the team with 88 tackles, ranking 24th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten with 8.8 tackles per game. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound junior linebacker has reached double-digit tackles in five games, forcing two fumbles through ten games this season.
Illinois: Key Players to Watch
Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant is a must-watch player on Illinois’s offense. Byrant currently ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten with 43 receptions for 717 yards and eight touchdowns. Defensive backs Robert Longerbeam, Bo Mascoe, and the rest of the RU secondary will have a tall task, trying to slow down Illinois’s No.1 receiver. Bryant’s performance is based on solid play by quarterback Luke Altmyer.
Altmyer has 18 touchdowns and three interceptions, the best ratio in the Big Ten and second-best in Power 4 behind only Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (26:4). Also, Altmyer is 39th in the nation in passing efficiency and is fourth in the Big Ten in passing touchdowns.
Keys to a Rutgers Victory
The Scarlet Knights have held opponents scoreless on eight trips to the red zone and will look to continue that trend against Illinois. The Scarlet Knights can win by controlling the tempo, winning the turnover battle, and limiting the penalties.
Illinois is 6-0 when running for 135 yards or more, and 1-3 when it doesn’t. Rutgers should load the box to slow the Illini down on the ground. Loading the box can control the clock and keep the score low, giving Rutgers a chance to win.
Mike Cavallo
A sportswriter for The League Winners covering all Rutgers athletics. Follow my social media page for all coverage of Rutgers sports. X (Twitter): @M_Cavs55