Rutgers finally got into the win column, and it came in emphatic fashion. The Scarlet Knights rolled past Howard, 58-7, in a game that never gave the Bison much of a foothold and gave Greg Schiano his 100th victory as Rutgers’ head coach.
The start told the story. Rutgers came out sharp on both sides of the ball and put 21 points on the board in the first quarter, with Lonergan setting the tone by stacking completions and avoiding mistakes.
He looked completely in command from the opening snap and finished with a career-high 94.1 QBR after going 12-for-17 through the air. He also added 13 rushing yards.
Raymond delivered the kind of breakout game Rutgers has been waiting for. He ran for three touchdowns on 16 carries and piled up 140 total yards, including a long run of 51 yards. Howard never found an answer for him, and it stood out as the best performance Rutgers has gotten from him this season so far.
If Rutgers is going to keep building, the ground game may need to keep producing at that level. Raymond’s three-score day was the kind of burst that can change a game in a hurry.
On defense, Bradlee Jones made the biggest individual impact. The senior finished with just one tackle, but he turned in two interceptions after entering the game without one this season. Through the 2026 season, Jones now has 17 tackles, one forced fumble, and those two picks.
The passing game had plenty to show off as well, and KJ Duff led the way. He topped Rutgers in both receiving yards and catches, finishing with 177 yards and a touchdown on the strength of a 77-yard grab.
Jourdin Houston added 50 yards on three receptions, while Ben Black III and Vernon Allen III each found the end zone. Ben Rothhaar and Kam Anthony combined for 45 receiving yards and three catches, and Rothhaar’s longest reception went for 23 yards.
Rutgers will be back on the field Saturday, Oct. 3, when it hosts No. 5 Indiana for Homecoming.
In Other News...
Rutgers Finally Has Momentum But Indiana Will Test How Real It Is
Rutgers has spent enough of this season searching for signs of traction that the recent uptick has been hard to ignore. Antwan Raymond and KJ Duff have both drawn strong PFN Impact Grades for their work, and they are part of a broader stretch in which the Scarlet Knights have looked better on both sides of the ball. The defense has tightened, the offense has shown more life, and several players have posted grades that suggest this team is starting to look more like a coherent unit than a group still trying to find its footing.
Greg Schiano has pointed to that development as Rutgers heads into its next major test against No. 6 Indiana. The challenge now is not just whether the Scarlet Knights can keep improving, but whether the identity they are building can hold up against a top-ranked opponent. Indiana will provide a clear answer either way, and for Rutgers, this is the kind of game that can confirm progress or expose how fragile it still might be. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Offense Looks Different Now But Indiana Will Reveal Everything
Rutgers offense has looked noticeably cleaner over the past two weeks, and the contrast with the early part of the season has been hard to miss. The Scarlet Knights piled up a 58-7 win over Howard without turning it over, a sharp response after throwing nine interceptions in the first three games and leaving too many drives unfinished.
Now comes the real test. Players have sounded encouraged by the progress, but No. 6 Indiana is a different kind of measuring stick altogether, the kind that can show whether Rutgers has truly corrected its issues or simply found a brief reset against lighter competition. The next game should say plenty about how far this offense has actually come. [Read more 🡒]