Will Rutgers Play In A Bowl Game This Season?
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The Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Maryland Terrapins came into Saturday's game with a must-win mentality. Both teams needed to secure a win, but only one team could come out victorious, and that was the Scarlet Knights. They bounced back with a 35-20 victory.
Rutgers erupted for 21 points in the second quarter after a slow first-quarter start. It was the best quarter that the Scarlet Knights put on display.
Wide receiver Ian Strong had the most exceptional performance of his season. Strong had the hot hand against the Terrapins. He finished the day with five receptions, 88 yards, and three touchdowns. Running back Antwan Raymond had a monster running game with 240 yards on 41 carries and a touchdown. The run game was physical and dominated the Terrapins' defense throughout the game.
Senior wide receiver DT Sheffield added four receptions, 56 yards, and scored the first touchdown of the game.
Senior Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis redeemed himself after a poor performance against Illinois last week. Kaliakmanis completed 65 percent of his passes (13-20) to go with four touchdowns and two interceptions for 229 yards. It's his best performance since the Purdue game, which was two weeks ago, when Rutgers won 27-24.
Rutgers' defense made some big plays. Defensive end Jett Elad caught an interception. The team's defense held Maryland to just 98 passing yards. Rutgers was great in third-down situations. They converted 8 of 12 third-down attempts and had 25 first downs.
Rutgers improved to 5-5 in the season. Can Rutgers become eligible for bowl season?
It's going to be challenging. The next two games, which will be the final games of the season, will come against the No. 1 Ohio State and Penn State. Rutgers has a strict schedule. They have a chance to beat the Nittany Lions in the season finale, but it's a long shot against the Buckeyes, who will play on Saturday, November 22.
The Scarlet Knights qualified for the bowl game last season, finishing with a 7-6 record. However, they lost to Kansas State, 44-41, in the 2024 Rate Bowl at Chase Field.
Their last bowl victory came against the Miami Hurricanes in 2023 when they won 31-24, at the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. The event took place at Yankee Stadium, marking the program's seventh bowl championship, its sixth under head coach Greg Schiano. Before 2023, Rutgers hadn't had a winning season since 2014.
Rutgers knows it has its back against the wall, and it is aware that it has struggled against good teams. Eliminating turnovers, playing better in the second half, and avoiding big plays on defense could help their chances of ending the season with at least a 6-6 record and being eligible to play in a bowl game.
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Miguel Mike Medina is a Writer and Freelance Sports Journalist who contributes to Rutgers On SI. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Creative Writing and a Minor in Journalism in 2014 from City College of New York.