Rutgers opens much-anticipated season against two-time defending MEAC champion Howard

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Howard at Rutgers, Thursday, 6 p.m. ET (BTN)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Rutgers 36 1/2.

Series record: Rutgers 5-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Coming off its first winning season since 2014, Rutgers looks to take an even bigger step in the expanded Big Ten Conference this season. Howard is being paid $425,000 to travel to Piscataway, New Jersey for a game against a Power 4 school, and the Scarlet Knights are hoping it gets them started the right way. With the addition of Southern California, UCLA, Washington and Oregon to the league, Rutgers caught a break in the schedule with nationally-ranked Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Michigan not on the schedule.

KEY MATCHUP

While Rutgers lost key linebacker Mohamed Toure to a major knee injury this month, the Scarlet Knights return the bulk of their defense that was ranked in the Top 20 nationally. They have the ability to make life miserable for Howard's new quarterbacks, redshirt sophomore Ja'Shawn Scroggins and graduate student Zach Yeager. The Bison have top receiver Kasey Hawthorne (38 catches for 535 yards and three touchdowns) and running backs Jarett Hunter (646 yards rushing and nine TDs) and Eden James (668, 2 TDs) returning. The three need to take the pressure off the new quarterback.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Howard: DB Kenny Gallop Jr. was the defensive player of the year in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2023. He had 65 tackles, two interceptions, 1 1/2 sacks. four tackles for losses, one forced fumble, one recovered fumble and three passes defended. The graduate student is the conference preseason pick to defend the award and is considered an early-round NFL talent.

Rutgers: RB Kyle Monangai. The senior is the reigning Big Ten rushing leader after running for 1,262 yards and posting seven 100-yard games in 2023. He enters the season with 1,942 career yards rushing, leaving him 58 yards shy of becoming the 16th player in program history to reach 2,000.

FACTS & FIGURES

Rutgers is 5-0 against Howard, winning by a combined margin of 217-53. ... The Scarlet Knights are 14-0 all-time against teams from the MEAC, winning by a combined score of 623-88. ... Rutgers coach Greg Schiano is 11-4 in home openers in his two tenures with the Scarlet Knights, winning the last four. ... Rutgers has won seven consecutive non-conference games and 11 of 12. .... Coach Larry Scott led the Bison to its second straight MEAC title and a berth in the Cricket Celebration Bowl. Hunter is the MEAC preseason choice for offensive player of the year.

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