Rutgers has its non-conference slate locked in for the 2026-27 season, and it brings the usual Steve Pikiell mix: a few real tests, a bunch of games the Scarlet Knights will be expected to handle, and a third straight trip to Las Vegas.
The 12-game schedule gives Rutgers seven low-major opponents in theory, plus the kind of high-major matchups that can sharpen a team before Big Ten play takes over. It also comes at a time when Pikiell is entering what could be a make-or-break 11th season.
The biggest spotlight early will be the Players Era Eight in Las Vegas from Nov. 17-20.
Rutgers opens there against Houston on Nov. 17 at Michelob Ultra Arena. From there, the Scarlet Knights will play either Florida or Notre Dame the next day, then finish against one of Auburn, Kansas, UNLV or West Virginia, depending on how the rest of the event unfolds.
Before that trip, Rutgers will open with three home games: New Haven on Friday, Nov. 6, NJIT on Tuesday, Nov. 10 and Bryant on Friday, Nov. 13.
The rest of the non-conference board has the familiar mix of local and regional opponents. Rutgers will host Sacred Heart on Tuesday, Nov.
24, Seton Hall on Saturday, Dec. 12, St.
Peter’s on Wednesday, Dec. 16, Army on Sunday, Dec. 20 and Delaware State on Tuesday, Dec.
The annual meeting with Seton Hall remains on the schedule, and Rutgers also picked up Syracuse for Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, a neutral-site game tucked into the middle of its Big Ten stretch.
As for the conference road slate, Rutgers will travel to Indiana, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, Ohio State and Washington.
The league has not yet released dates, tip times or television information.
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