Rutgers is bringing back its Blackout Game this fall, and the opponent is as big as it gets: defending champion Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 3 at SHI Stadium.
That alone gives this one a real shot to be a sellout. It’s a Big Ten game, it’s a blackout, and the Hoosiers arrive with plenty of weight behind them. Rutgers also drew a strong crowd last season against Iowa, so the possibility is there again for Indiana.
The Blackout Game has been part of Rutgers’ identity since 2011, and this program has leaned into it before. The Scarlet Knights have played in the last two seasons, including a 21-18 win over Washington in a sold-out stadium in 2024. Last year, they dropped a 38-28 decision to Iowa in a game that was every bit as physical as the setting suggested.
Rutgers tends to rise to the occasion in these spots, and this matchup should demand that same edge. Indiana figures to test the Scarlet Knights in every phase, and Greg Schiano, now in his seventh season leading the program, will need his team locked in from the start.
There’s also a lot riding on how Rutgers handles this stretch overall. The Scarlet Knights went 2-7 in Big Ten play last season, so repeating that kind of finish is not an option if they want to make real progress. With the additions and recruits brought in during the offseason, expectations are higher, but that only matters if the results follow.
Defensively, Rutgers will need to be sharp against Curt Cignetti’s team. Schiano and his staff will have to do their homework and be relentless in how they prepare for Indiana. In a game like this, the details matter, and every call on the sideline could swing the night.
At quarterback, all eyes will be on Dylan Lonergan, Rutgers’ new starter. He comes into a pressure-packed spot, and the question is simple: can he handle it? He’ll need to protect the football, stay away from fumbles and interceptions, and give the Scarlet Knights a steady hand.
Rutgers is historically 2-3 in blackout games, and the program will be trying to add another win to that ledger on Oct. 3. It has the makings of one of the most anticipated games on the Scarlet Knights’ schedule.
In Other News...
Rutgers Is Making A Clear Bet On Its Rising Programs
Rutgers is continuing to invest in the coaches who have helped lift some of its rising programs, with athletic director Keli Zinn handing out multi-year contract extensions to Melissa Lehman, Justin Price and Rob Shutte. The moves cover womens lacrosse, rowing and mens golf, and they come after each program delivered a season that gave the athletic department reason to believe the momentum is real rather than fleeting.
Lehmans deal now runs through the 2028-29 season, while Price is secured through 2029-30 and Shutte through 2028-29. For Rutgers, the message is pretty clear: when a program shows it can climb, the school wants to make sure the coach leading that climb has every reason to stay put. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Womens Lacrosse Just Made A Staff Move That Matters
Rutgers womens lacrosse is keeping a familiar formula in place after a strong 2026 season, with head coach Melissa Lehman announcing staff changes for 2026-27 that reward the people who helped guide the program to an NCAA Tournament berth and a No. 16 finish in the IWLCA Coaches Poll. Evan Mager has been elevated to associate head coach and defensive coordinator, while TT Naslonski and Livy Rosenzweig also move into expanded roles as the staff continues to build on that momentum.
Rosenzweigs addition as co-offensive coordinator and special teams coach is especially notable given her recent success away from Rutgers, where she helped the Maryland Charm capture a WLL Championship. For the Scarlet Knights, the changes speak to continuity as much as promotion, with Lehman leaning on a group that already proved it could push the program into the national picture and now has a chance to raise the ceiling even further. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Opener Carries One Pressure Fans Cant Ignore
Rutgers opens its season with the kind of matchup that should, on paper, allow the Scarlet Knights to settle in, sort through early nerves and lean on the deeper roster that has been built to handle games like this. Home-field advantage matters here, and the expectation is that Rutgers can control stretches of play while giving fans a first look at how this group handles an opponent that may be able to stay around for portions of the night.
Still, openers have a way of turning routine plans into an examination of everything a team has been working toward, and Rutgers is carrying a little more pressure than usual into this one. The projections point to a comfortable result, but the bigger question is whether the Scarlet Knights can turn that edge into the kind of clean, convincing performance that leaves no room for doubt once the real schedule pressure starts to build. [Read more 🡒]