2026 Rutgers Football Preview
Jake Wimberly
Abby Boyd Contributing-
What’s to like:
Rutgers has quietly become a more balanced football team over the past few seasons. The passing game continues to improve, giving the Scarlet Knights another way to move the football when the running game stalls. Just as importantly, Rutgers has done a good job protecting the football, committing only 11 turnovers last season. Taking care of possessions has helped keep the team competitive in close games.
The defense has also continued to improve under Greg Schiano. Rutgers plays with discipline, tackles well, and has become much more competitive than it was just a few years ago. The Scarlet Knights may not have the same depth as the conference's top programs, but they have developed an identity that gives them a chance to compete every week.
What’s not to like:
The biggest concern is stopping the run. Rutgers struggled at times against physical rushing attacks, and that became more noticeable against some of the better teams on the schedule. Improving in that area will be important if the Scarlet Knights want to continue climbing the conference standings.
There are also adjustments to make with a new defensive coordinator. Learning a new system can take time, and Rutgers will need to improve its time of possession on offense to keep the defense off the field. Controlling the clock and sustaining drives will become even more important as the season progresses.
What does the Hourglass say?
Rutgers- Big Ten (5-7)
Power ranking 30.44.
2026 Rutgers Analytics
National recruiting rating (three year metric): #56- outside the boundary of a National Championship Roster.
National Coaching Ranking:
Greg Schiano- 50th in Power 5 and 15th in the Big Ten.
2026 coaching value= 13.5 (average 2026 Power 5 coaching value=21.93) Greg Schiano is ranked lower of the pack for coaches in the Power 5.
Quarterback Play: AJ Surace- ranked 64th in the Power 4, 16th in the Big Ten; 2026 QB value= 14.8 (Power 4 average- 26.43).
Impact Ball Catcher Metric: Rutgers has an Impact Ball Catcher Metric of 3. This puts the Scarlet Knights at the upper tier for the Big Ten in this metric.
Final Thoughts:
Rutgers has continued to move in the right direction under Greg Schiano, and the program has become much more competitive in the Big Ten. The passing game and defense provide a solid foundation, but improving against the run and controlling the clock will be important this season. If those areas improve, another bowl appearance is a realistic expectation.
2026 Schedule analysis:
Projected Hourglass W/L record: Games in red denote games that could be a one possession game or even a different outcome than projection.
9/3/26 UMass- Win
9/11/26 At Boston College- Win
9/19/26 USC- Loss
9/25/26 Howard- Win
10/3/26 Indiana- Loss
10/17/26 At Maryland- Loss
10/24/26 At Northwestern- Win
10/31/26 Michigan- Loss
11/7/26 At Wisconsin- Loss
11/14/26 Nebraska- Loss
11/21/26 At Penn State- Loss
11/28/26 Michigan State- Win
