Rutgers Wrestling vs Illinois Match Time Changed Ahead of Snowstorm

With a Snowstorm Likely, Rutgers Wrestling Dual Rescheduled Due to Weather Concerns

Rutgers Wrestling | Peter Ackerman/Asbury Park Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 17 Rutgers wrestling team is set for a crucial Big Ten road trip this weekend. However, fans planning to follow along should note an important scheduling update. Due to forecasted inclement weather in the Midwest, the match schedule has been changed. Now the Rutgers deal meet against No. 12 Illinois has been officially moved to Saturday at 1 p.m. ET in Champaign. The change was confirmed earlier today through the official Rutgers Wrestling X account and was made to ensure safe travel conditions for both programs.

A Pivotal Big Ten Road Swing for Rutgers

While Saturday’s start time has been adjusted, the Scarlet Knights’ Friday night matchup remains unchanged. Rutgers will still open the weekend in Evanston before heading south to Champaign. That creates a demanding two-day conference test that could shape the team’s Big Ten outlook.

🚨SCHEDULE UPDATE🚨

Due to predicted inclement weather this weekend, our dual with No. 12 Illinois has been moved to SATURDAY at 1 p.m. ET in Champaign.#RelentlessPursuit | #GoRU pic.twitter.com/147IsdAgPp

— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) January 23, 2026

Rutgers enters the weekend with a 7-4 overall record and a 1-2 mark in Big Ten competition. The road trip begins Friday night against Northwestern. This sits at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in conference action. The Scarlet Knights will then face a ranked challenge on Saturday afternoon against Illinois. Currently 8-4 overall and also 1-2 in league play. Both duals will be available for streaming on Big Ten Plus.

Following a tough loss to No. 13 Michigan, the Scarlet Knights responded impressively with a 24-9 victory over Purdue. In that win, Rutgers claimed seven individual match victories, showing depth and resilience across the lineup.

Several Rutgers wrestlers enter the weekend riding strong performances. Against Purdue, the Scarlet Knights earned ranked wins from No. 15 Shane Cartagena-Walsh at 184 pounds, No. 18 Remy Cotton at 197, No. 30 Andrew Clark at 149, and No. 33 Anthony White at 157.

Remy Cotton, Andrew Barbosa at 165, and Ayden Smith at 125 all went 2-0 on the weekend. Cotton stood out with back-to-back victories over ranked opponents, while Smith picked up a hard-fought 3-1 decision over Michigan’s No. 19 Diego Sotelo. Those results have helped Rutgers steady itself as conference play intensifies.

National Rankings Reflect Rutgers’ Consistency

Rutgers continues to hold its ground in the national rankings, remaining No. 17 in the latest NWCA Coaches Poll. The Scarlet Knights are also ranked No. 15 by Intermat, No. 17 by WIN Magazine, and No. 18 by The Open Mat.

Individually, Rutgers features ten wrestlers ranked in at least one national poll. Joseph Olivieri at 141 pounds is the team’s highest-ranked competitor, sitting at No. 6 nationally according to Intermat. Remy Cotton has been one of the biggest movers, climbing as high as No. 13 in the country in the FloWrestling rankings following his recent surge.

History adds intrigue to both matchups. Rutgers leads Northwestern 4-1 all-time. However, the Wildcats claimed the most recent meeting with a 28-6 win in Piscataway. Friday night offers the Scarlet Knights a chance at redemption.

Against Illinois, the all-time series is tied 3-3. Rutgers has won the last two meetings, including a dramatic 16-15 upset of the then-No. 10 Illini last season at Jersey Mike’s Arena, which marked the program’s first top-10 win since the 2018-19 season.

Once the Illinois road swing concludes, Rutgers will return home to host Maryland on Friday, January 30. The dual at Jersey Mike’s Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will stream on Big Ten Plus.

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