PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers wasted no time taking control Friday night, piling up three straight touchdowns on the way to a 21-0 cushion and then stretching the gap to 41-7 by halftime against Howard.
The Scarlet Knights were efficient from the jump, scoring on each of their first seven possessions and never letting the game settle into anything close to a contest. By the break, Rutgers had completely dictated the pace.
Antwan Raymond was at the center of it all. On his first carry, he ripped off 51 yards - the kind of instant jolt that set up a five-play, 75-yard drive finished in just 2:38 and gave Rutgers a 7-0 lead. With that run, Raymond became the 17th player in program history to top 2,000 rushing yards.
He wasn’t done. Raymond’s first-quarter touchdown came after he showed patience and balance, cutting back twice before leaping into the end zone for an 18-yard score, the 23rd rushing touchdown of his career.
Early in the second quarter, he crossed the 100-yard mark, then added his third touchdown of the half with 5:37 left before halftime. That 13-yard run came behind a strong pull from Tyler Needham and pushed Rutgers ahead 38-7.
The offensive line got a look in a few different spots, too. The starting five featured Chris Vigna at left tackle, Tyler Needham at left guard, Terrence Salami at center, Kobe Asamoah at right guard and Mo Giwa at right tackle.
Everett Small entered at left tackle on the third series, then shifted to right tackle on the fourth. Vigna, meanwhile, looked comfortable on the left side and used his length effectively.
Dylan Lonergan opened the night 3-for-3 on Rutgers’ first drive, including a 13-yard strike to Ben Black on a post route. He stayed sharp on the next scoring march, dropping a 77-yard completion into KJ Duff’s stride. After two difficult starts to the season, those first two drives had to feel like a clean reset for him.
Rutgers also made plays on the other side of the ball. Bradlee Jones picked off Howard on the opening drive for his first career interception, reading Ja’Shawn Scroggins’ eyes and taking advantage of an underthrown ball. He struck again early in the second quarter, breaking on another throw and finishing with a diving interception.
Abram Wright turned in a strong first half as well, showing speed in pursuit when he tracked down Travis Kerney for a 1-yard loss with 8:53 left in the second quarter. Wright finished the half with two tackles, while Moses Wright led the Scarlet Knights with five.
Two plays after Abram Wright’s tackle for loss, Devonte Anderson delivered a hard hit that forced an incompletion. Anderson has already made his presence felt since arriving this spring, and he doesn’t look like a true freshman.
Special teams got a moment, too. Dane Pizzaro knocked through a 29-yard field goal with 9:00 left in the second quarter, the first made field goal of his college career. Jai Patel is a multiyear starter.
In Other News...
Rutgers Finally Broke Through Before A Much Tougher Test Awaits
Rutgers finally got the kind of afternoon it needed, rolling past Howard for its first win of the season in a 58-7 rout that doubled as Greg Schianos 100th victory as head coach. The Scarlet Knights piled up 534 yards of offense, with Dylan Lonergan steering the attack and Antwan Raymond helping set the tone on the ground, while the defense turned in the sort of disruptive showing that can steady a locker room after an uneven start.
The challenge now gets a lot sharper. Indiana comes to town next as the No. 5 team in the country for Rutgers homecoming game, a matchup that will tell a lot more about where the Scarlet Knights really stand after the breakthrough against Howard. The defenses sacks, tackles for loss, interceptions and fumble recovery were all encouraging signs, but keeping that momentum against a far tougher opponent is another matter entirely. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Has Two Playmakers Charging Toward Program History
A milestone day against Howard gave Rutgers a clear reminder of how much firepower it has developed in the backfield and on the perimeter. Running back Antwan Raymond and wide receiver KJ Duff each pushed past major career benchmarks, a sign that both players have already carved out prominent places in the program record book while continuing to climb higher as the season moves along.
Raymond now sits 13th all-time in career rushing yards and ninth in rushing touchdowns for Rutgers, while Duff is ninth in receiving yards and 10th in receiving touchdowns. With both players already past 2,000 yards in their respective categories, the bigger storyline is what comes next as they keep stacking production and move within striking distance of some of the schools top marks. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Hoover Is Bringing TCU Fans Old Concern To Indiana
Josh Hoovers arrival at Indiana has given the Hoosiers a transfer quarterback with plenty of promise, and he has already flashed the kind of arm talent that can change a game in a hurry. He has put together efficient drives and found key receivers along the way, which is enough to make Indianas offense look dangerous when everything is clicking.
The concern, though, is the same one TCU fans knew well enough, and it showed up again in a tight game against Northwestern when the passing attack never quite became the reliable threat Indiana needed. The running game has helped keep things moving, but with injuries thinning that room, the pressure on Hoover to settle in and find more consistency is growing fast. [Read more 🡒]