On Saturday, Rutgers football (4-0, 1-0) travels to Memorial Stadium to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-1, 1-1) in their first Big Ten road opponent. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. with TV coverage on FSI.
Last week, in front of a home crowd of 54,079 fans (second-highest in stadium history), the Scarlet Knights held off Washington to win its Big Ten opener, 21-18. RU’s victory marked their first win over Washington in three attempts.
Rutgers scored touchdowns on both of its trips to the red zone and held Washington scoreless on three of its possessions inside the 20-yard line. Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai led the Scarlet Knights on offense, recording 25 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker Dariel Djabome anchored the Scarlet Knights on defense, leading the team with 12 tackles.
As for Nebraska, the Cornhuskers stand at 4-1 on the season and are 1-1 in the Big Ten Conference. Nebraska captured a 28-10 road victory over Purdue last week as they prepare to host Rutgers for Homecoming Weekend.
After trailing 3-0 deep into the third quarter last week, Nebraska exploded for 28 points in just over 12 minutes to capture the victory. The Nebraska defense limited Purdue to three points until the game’s final minutes.
The Scarlet Knights enter Week 6 ranked No. 2 in red zone defense (54.5), No. 5 in fewest penalties per game (4.0), No. 8 in time of possession (33:38), No. 12 in rushing offense (237.8), No. 17 in third-down conversion percentage (51.0), No. 18 in first down defense (66), No. 21 in fewest sacks allowed (1.0), and No. 29 in scoring defense (16.3) among FBS schools.
Rutgers Football vs. Nebraska: Series History
On Saturday, Nebraska and Rutgers football will meet for the seventh time overall (Sixth as Big Ten Conference opponents). The Huskers have won each of the six matchups in the series, including victories at Memorial Stadium in 2014 and 2017.
Nebraska defeated Rutgers 14-13 in the most recent matchup in the 2022 season. Rutgers jumped out to a 13-0 lead at halftime, but couldn’t maintain the lead through all four quarters. The Cornhuskers took advantage of three Rutgers turnovers, posting two touchdowns in a 14-13 win.
Saturday’s game will be the first matchup in Lincoln since the 2017 season when Nebraska posted a 27-17 victory over the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers put together an 11-play, 75-yard opening drive that ended with a two-yard rushing touchdown by Gus Edwards, but Nebraska answered and went on to win, 27-17. The game featured three lead changes.
Key Players for Rutgers
Nebraska’s gameplan on offense through their first five contests has been the ability to control games. Rutgers linebacker Dariel Djabome is a must-watch for the Scarlet Knights heading into this matchup.
Djabome has recorded 36 tackles and one forced fumble this season, but Week 6 will be a tall task for the junior linebacker. Rutgers’ defense is gearing up for a Nebraska offense that outscored opposition by 120-20.
On offense, quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis has to take care of the football if RU wants to capture the victory in this matchup. The Cornhuskers have had multiple takeaways in consecutive games (UTEP, Colorado) marking the first time the Husker defense accomplished that since 2020. Kaliakmanis has completed 61.5 percent of his passes while throwing seven touchdowns and one interception.
Key Players for Nebraska
Quarterback Dylan Raiola has been carrying the Huskers all season long. Raiola has recorded 70 percent of his passes through five games this season. He has attempted 142 passes, completing 100 attempts for 1,224 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions.
RU must lock down Raiola’s favorite target, wide receiver Jahmal Banks. Banks has caught 20 catches through five games, logging 252 yards and two touchdowns. Slowing down Raiola will be the key to success for the Scarlet Knights.
On defense, Rutgers’ offensive line must have an eye on linebacker John Bullock. Bullock is the anchor for the Nebraska defense, registering 29 tackles this season.
Rutgers’ keys to victory
The Scarlet Knights have committed just two turnovers through four games this season; RU needs to continue that trend against Nebraska.
Head Coach Greg Schiano’s team features one of the nation’s top rushing offenses, as Rutgers averages 237.8 rushing yards per contest and better than 420 yards per game in total offense. Monangai’s legs and Kaliakmanis’s ball security will be the keys to capturing a win against Nebraska.
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