The Rutgers packed student section goes bonkers as Scarlet Knights wide receiver Bo Melton (18) breaks a tackle during the first quarter against the Temple Owls on Saturday, September 4, 2021. Credit: Andrew Mills via TNS
Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
2020 Record: 3-6
Head Coach: Greg Schiano
2021 Record so far: 1-0
Record against Ohio State since 2012: 0-7 (joined Big Ten in 2014)
What’s Happened So Far in 2021:
Coming off its best season since joining the Big Ten in 2014, Rutgers began the 2021 season with a 61-14 trouncing of Temple. The Scarlet Knights dominated the Owls on the ground, rushing for 220 yards and six touchdowns. The team also won the turnover battle 5-0, resulting in a safety and a pick six. Saturday’s victory was a significant stepping stone for a Greg Schiano-led program seemingly on the rise, as their performance earned them 11 votes in this week’s USA Today Coaches poll — the first time the team received votes since 2012. It also marked the first time the Scarlet Knights scored 60 points against an FBS opponent since 2008, when they defeated Louisville 63-14.
Key Offensive Player:
Senior wide receiver Bo Melton emerged as Rutgers’ most productive wide receiver last season, hauling in a team-best 47 catches for 638 yards and six touchdowns. Melton also poses a special teams threat, as he recorded 235 kick return yards and three touchdowns. The senior receiver’s nine total touchdowns ranked third in the Big Ten — earning him an All-Big Ten honorable mention. Melton picked up right where he left off against Temple, catching six passes for 59 yards and an impressive 40-yard touchdown.
Key Defensive Player:
After a breakout 2020 campaign where he was named to the All-Big Ten team by the media, senior linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi will look to wreak havoc on opposing offenses throughout the Big Ten again this season. Fatukasi has been named to the preseason All-Big Ten First Team after leading the Big Ten with 101 tackles in 2020. The senior linebacker also ranked ninth in the nation and first in the Big Ten with 11.2 tackles per game — the most by a Rutgers player since 1999. Fatukasi continued to stuff the stat sheets in his first game, recording a team-high nine tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble and a safety.
Weaknesses:
Although their defense is spearheaded by Fatukasi, the Scarlet Knights struggled with their run defense last season, allowing 203.7 rushing yards per game — the fourth most in the Big Ten. Rutgers also struggled to keep opposing quarterbacks from scrambling outside of the pocket, relinquishing 192 rushing yards to Illinois quarterback Isaiah Williams and 157 rushing yards to Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez. While Schiano’s defense surrendered only 113 rushing yards to an inferior Temple team, they will need to improve upon their run defense during the 2021 season if they have hopes of competing in a run-centric Big Ten.
