Big Ten crowds were a mixed bag in Week 2, and Rutgers was sitting near the bottom of the conversation on TV.
Across the conference, six Big Ten schools were either on the road or idle. For the teams that did play at home, the average attendance came in at 64,114.
That number, though, only filled 65% of available capacity. With non-conference play still carrying most of the schedule, the energy around the league was hardly overflowing.
Only three schools managed to pack the place: Indiana, Iowa in its game against Iowa State, and Michigan. UCLA, meanwhile, had a rough showing at the Rose Bowl, where a little over 31,000 fans showed up in a stadium built for more than 80,000.
The TV numbers from Week 1 also told an interesting story. An On3 report on the most-watched games of the opening full week of college football showed that four of the top 10 involved Big Ten teams, though Rutgers was not one of them.
Among Big Ten games specifically, Wisconsin’s matchup with Notre Dame led the way at roughly 7.5 million viewers. The Apple Cup followed with just over five million.
Rutgers landed much farther down the list. The Scarlet Knights were the 14th most viewed Big Ten team on TV, drawing about 370,000 viewers for the UMass game.
That makes the next stretch worth watching closely, especially at SHI Stadium. Rutgers’ football situation is not in a good place right now, and if the downward trend continues, attendance in Piscataway could keep sliding. That would mean fewer fans in the seats, less spending on concessions, and less revenue.
There are about 7,000 USC alumni in the NY-NJ area, and how many of them show up for Saturday’s game is anyone’s guess.
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Rutgers Heads Into USC Test With One Huge Decision Still Looming
Rutgers is moving into its Big Ten opener against USC with a few important pieces still coming into focus, but none bigger than the quarterback spot. Dylan Lonergan was back at practice after sitting out the previous game with an injury, yet Greg Schiano has not named a starter for the trip west, leaving the competition with AJ Surace very much alive after Surace handled the last game. For a team trying to find its footing in conference play, the timing adds an extra layer of intrigue.
The uncertainty does not stop there, either. Rutgers is still working through its offensive line rotation, and the return of linebacker Abram Wright from injury should give the defense a needed boost. Even so, the quarterback question is the one hovering over everything as the Scarlet Knights prepare for a USC test that will ask plenty of an offense and a coaching staff still sorting out its best look. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Faces A Big Ten Reality Fans Cant Ignore
The new spending picture around college football has given Rutgers fans another number to sit with, and it is not a flattering one. A recent Athletic report estimated 2026 roster budgets for 68 Power Four programs, and Rutgers landed in the Big Tens lower tier at a projected $20-23 million, putting the Scarlet Knights 14th among 18 conference teams.
Ohio State and USC sit at the top of that financial ladder, underscoring just how wide the gap remains inside the Big Ten. For Rutgers, the report lands at a difficult moment because the athletic department is already carrying a deficit, and the broader roster-spending divide only adds to the challenge of trying to compete in a league where resources increasingly shape expectations. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Offense Faces Its Biggest Test Yet As One Concern Lingers
KJ Duff has given Rutgers an early offensive spark through two games, turning 17 catches into 333 yards and five touchdowns while also showing more willingness to do the dirty work as a blocker. The wide receiver has helped set the tone for an offense that has looked sharper and more confident than it did a year ago, and his emergence comes as the Scarlet Knights prepare for a major test against USC.
The Trojans will force Rutgers to keep that balance going, especially with the quarterback situation still unsettled after Dylan Lonergans injury opened the door for AJ Surace in the last game. Duff has already been part of the teams message about staying focused, but the bigger question is how the offense handles a matchup this demanding if the passing game has to keep adjusting on the fly. [Read more 🡒]