Rutgers heads into Friday night in Chestnut Hill with plenty to sort out, and the timing of the matchup with Boston College only adds to the intrigue. The Scarlet Knights and Eagles will meet for the 29th time in a series that goes all the way back to 1919, and this one arrives with Rutgers trying to steady itself after a rough start.
Boston College has controlled most of the history between these programs, holding a 20-7-1 edge in the all-time series. Rutgers, though, owns the most recent meeting. The Scarlet Knights beat the Eagles 22-21 on Sept. 3, 2022, ending Boston College’s 13-game winning streak in the series.
That 2022 result stands out in a matchup that has produced a few notable swings over the years. Rutgers’ first win came in the opening meeting on Nov. 8, 1919, when it beat Boston College 13-7 at Fenway Park.
The biggest Rutgers victory in the series came on Oct. 17, 1987, a 38-24 win. The largest loss for Rutgers was a 32-0 defeat on Oct. 20, 1956, and the teams played to a 7-7 tie on Oct.
22, 1994.
The recent run of games has mostly gone Boston College’s way. Before Rutgers’ 2022 win, the Eagles had taken the previous nine meetings listed in the last 10, including a 30-16 victory in 2019 and a 21-10 win in 2004. From 1981 on, the teams played annually for 24 years after long gaps earlier in the series.
Friday’s game will be played at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, MA, with kickoff set for 7:30:00 PM ET. The forecast calls for 70 degrees, clear skies, a 0% chance of rain, and winds at 5-10 mph.
ESPN2 will carry the game with Mike Monaco on play-by-play, Jordan Rodgers on color, and Dana Boyle on the sideline. The game will also stream on the ESPN App.
On the radio side, Rutgers coverage will be on the RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network through WFAN 101.9 FM/660 AM and Fox Sports New Jersey 93.5 FM/1450 AM, with Chris Carlin, Mike Teel, and Anthony Fucilli on the call. Additional radio options include WRSU 88.7 FM with Will Carmenaty, Anthony Palumbo and Chase Jacoby, plus the Audacy app, SiriusXM 132 or 231, and the Scarlet Knights app.
On the stat sheet, Rutgers’ passing leader is Dylan Lonergan, who has gone 16-for-29 for 242 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Boston College’s top passing line belongs to Mason McKenzie, who is 18-for-35 for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
McKenzie also leads the Eagles in rushing with 78 yards on 20 carries, while Javarius Green tops Boston College’s receiving chart with six catches for 74 yards. On defense, Anthony Palano has 13 tackles, and E’lla Boykin and Christian Hudson each have 0.5 sacks and no interceptions.
The bigger question is what either team can really offer right now. Rutgers is coming off a blowout loss as a 29-point favorite against a UMass team that went 0-12 last season, and now the Scarlet Knights are the underdogs against a Boston College team that finished 2-10.
Boston College has issues of its own, and AJ Surace will make his first career start for Rutgers. Defensively, Rutgers looked just as shaky as it did a year ago.
Still, head coach Greg Schiano said the team had a great week of practice.
In Other News...
Rutgers Must Navigate A Major Steve Pikiell Absence Before The Season
Rutgers now heads toward the season with an unexpected and significant void on the bench, as Steve Pikiell steps away to begin cancer treatment with no timetable for his return. Pikiell, who has led the Scarlet Knights since 2016, said he is confident in his medical team, his staff and his players, and he plans to stay involved with the program as much as he can while he focuses on his health.
Brandin Knight will take over as interim head coach in Pikiells absence, giving Rutgers a familiar voice in the short term but also forcing the program to adjust quickly before games start to matter. For a team built around Pikiells steady presence and identity, the challenge now is managing the day-to-day work of preseason while waiting to see how long this stretch lasts. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Already Faces Pressure To Stop This From Spiraling
Rutgers is already under a little more pressure than anyone expected in September after dropping its season opener to UMass, a result that immediately changed the feel around a team trying to get its footing. The Scarlet Knights now head into an upcoming game against Boston College with a chance to steady themselves, but also with the burden that comes with needing a better response after a rough start.
The matchup has drawn plenty of attention from writers sizing up whether Rutgers can bounce back on the road, and the general view is that this is the kind of spot that can either calm things down or make the early-season concerns feel even louder. For a team already in a challenging position, the next step matters almost as much as the result, because a second straight letdown would only deepen the pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Needs A Clean Response After Its Opening Week Disaster
Rutgers heads into its first road game of the season in Chestnut Hill trying to steady itself after an opening-week disaster, and the conversation around the program has already shifted from optimism to survival mode. The Scarlet Knights need a cleaner showing, and the matchup with Boston College has become the first real chance to reset the tone before the schedule starts to tighten.
AJ Surace is expected to be the quarterback tasked with helping make that happen, which gives this trip an added layer of interest for a Rutgers team still searching for a reliable response. The preview chatter has centered on whether the Scarlet Knights can turn the page quickly enough to leave Massachusetts with a win, but the bigger question is whether the offense can finally look organized enough to make that possibility feel real. [Read more 🡒]