Rutgers has filled another slot on its future non-conference calendar, adding Akron to the 2031 schedule.
According to fbschedules.com, which first reported the news before it was confirmed by outlets such as NJ.com, the Scarlet Knights will host the Zips on September 13, 2031. That gives Rutgers a second confirmed game for that season, alongside Temple.
This won’t be the first time Rutgers and Akron have met. The schools have played twice before, and Rutgers won both matchups. They’re also already set to see each other again in 2027.
The addition fits a familiar pattern for Rutgers, which has leaned heavily on MAC opponents for its non-conference slate. In 2025, the Scarlet Knights played Ohio and Miami (Ohio). UMass is on the schedule for 2026, followed by more games against Kent State, Akron twice, and Central Michigan once in later years.
Rutgers is listed at 16-5-1 against teams currently in the MAC, with UMass included in that total even though it was not in the MAC when Rutgers played it previously.
Here’s a look at Rutgers’ upcoming non-conference schedule:
September 4th, 2027: vs Akron
September 11th, 2027: vs Boston College
September 18th, 2027: vs Long Island
2028
September 2nd, 2028: vs Norfolk State
September 9th, 2028: at UConn
September 16th, 2028: vs Kent State
2029
September 8th, 2029: vs UConn
September 15th, 2029: vs Central Michigan
2030
September 7th, 2030: at Temple
September 14th, 2030: vs Kent State
2031
September 6th, 2031: vs Temple
September 13th, 2031: vs Akron
In Other News...
Rutgers Extends A Scheduling Pattern Fans Know All Too Well
Rutgers has already lined up another familiar non-conference date, adding Akron to the 2031 home schedule for Sept. 13. The matchup fits a pattern Scarlet Knights fans have seen before, with the program continuing to bring in at least one Mid-American Conference opponent every year since 2024.
Akron will come to Piscataway under a $1.5 million guarantee, another sign of how Rutgers has used these early scheduling windows to keep its home slate filled. It is the kind of booking that may not move the needle nationally, but it has become a steady part of how the Scarlet Knights have built out their future calendars. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Faces A Rivalry Debate Fans Still Havent Settled
Rutgers place in the Big Ten still comes with one lingering question that other league members rarely have to ask: who, exactly, is the real rival? A look at the Scarlet Knights 2026 schedule brings the issue back into focus, since the usual suspects all seem plausible on paper but none carries the kind of built-in edge that turns a conference matchup into an annual event fans circle immediately.
Maryland, Indiana, Michigan State and Penn State all come up in the conversation, and each has at least some reason to be considered. Still, the debate is part of the point, because Rutgers supporters are left weighing history, geography and recent familiarity without finding a game that clearly rises above the rest. The answer may depend on who you ask, which makes the question itself the most interesting thing left on the board. [Read more 🡒]