The Rutgers Scarlet Knights set the tone for the 2024 season with a dominating display over the Howard Bisons, winning 44-7. Despite the Bisons playing the Scarlet Knights tough early on, Rutgers began to find their rhythm as the game progressed. Heading into halftime, the Knights led by only 10 points, 17-7, though many suspected the game was already out of reach by then. Nevertheless, the crowd remained electric throughout the game, helping fuel Rutgers as they pulled away in the second half. One of the biggest takeaways from Thursday night's game was the efficiency and decisiveness of transfer quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis.
Athan Kaliakmanis' Standout Performance
In his Rutgers debut, Kaliakmanis completed 15 of 24 passes for 147 yards and three touchdowns against the Bisons. Some believed Kaliakmanis might have a pedestrian passing day, but he shocked many by commanding the offense and looking extremely decisive. Throughout the game, he continuously worked through his progressions and found open targets, one of which was a 34-yard touchdown pass to veteran running back Samuel Brown, which arguably shifted the momentum in Rutgers' favor.
“I think it speaks to the receiving and tight end corps, for sure,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano explained. “I also think it speaks to Athan’s ability to go through his progression and not predetermine. That’s easy to do—it’s easy to predetermine where you’re going with the football.”
Schiano continued, “But you can’t do that; you have to let the defense tell you where to go with the ball. Again, without watching the tape, I thought he did a good job and he looked very decisive.”
Rutgers has struggled in the past to find a quarterback who could elevate them to the next level. After Kaliakmanis’ impressive outing, many believe he may be the player to lead the Scarlet Knights to new heights. In addition to Kaliakmanis’ great performance, veteran running back Kyle Monangai matched his career high with 165 rushing yards and a touchdown, becoming the 16th player in school history to surpass 2,000 career rushing yards. It was his ninth career 100-yard game, tied for the seventh-most in the school record book, and his fifth game with at least 150 yards.
Game Notes: Rutgers vs. Howard
- 1st Quarter:
- Rutgers lost the coin toss and received the ball.
- Kaliakmanis completed his first pass for a first down, and the offense moved the ball. Monangai’s first handoff gained 10 yards, nearly breaking for a touchdown. However, a dropped pass on a key play ended the drive, leading to a punt.
- A great punt landed Howard on their own 10-yard line. The Rutgers defense looked energized, but Howard managed to convert on two third downs, moving the ball from their 10-yard line to the 48-yard line.
- With 8:50 left in the quarter, Rutgers scored their first touchdown of the season—a 52-yard pick-six by Eric Rodgers—giving them a 7-0 lead.
- Howard responded with a big run, but Rutgers’ defense began to contain the run and forced a punt.
- Rutgers' offense continued to feed Monangai, who gained 15 yards on a carry. Kaliakmanis delivered accurate passes in tight windows but also missed a few throws. As the first quarter closed, Rutgers was ahead 7-0, with a total offense of 85 yards (32 passing, 53 rushing).
- 2nd Quarter:
- Rutgers turned the ball over on downs after failing to convert in the red zone. However, the defense forced a punt after sniffing out a screen pass. Nearly blocking the punt, Rutgers’ offense struggled to push the ball down the field and punted again.
- Howard took over at their 15-yard line, but Rutgers' defense forced another punt. Monangai then broke loose for a 39-yard run, putting Rutgers in the red zone. Kaliakmanis completed a slant for 9 yards, and Monangai carried the ball down to the 1-yard line before being stopped. Kaliakmanis then delivered a 2-yard touchdown pass to Dymere Miller, making it 14-0 with 4:52 left in the half.
- Howard answered with a late drive and scored on a 2-yard run by Eden James with 40 seconds remaining, cutting the lead to 14-7.
- Monangai followed up with a big run, but a holding penalty brought it back. However, Monangai responded with another huge run past midfield, and a late hit moved Rutgers closer to field goal range. Jai Patel connected on a 36-yard field goal as time expired.
- Halftime: Rutgers 17, Howard 7 (Rutgers total offense: 204 yards, 141 rushing, 63 passing).
- 3rd Quarter:
- Howard came out strong, moving the ball down the field, but Rutgers held them on fourth down near midfield. Monangai continued to dominate on the ground, picking up big chunks of yardage. He capped off the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, increasing the lead to 24-7.
- Kaliakmanis struggled to pass the ball, managing only 18 yards in the third quarter, but Rutgers stuck to the run game as it was working well. Later, Kaliakmanis connected with Samuel Brown for a 34-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 31-7.
- End of 3rd Quarter: Rutgers 31, Howard 7.
- 4th Quarter:
- Howard managed a big play and converted a fourth down, but their drive stalled in the red zone. They turned the ball over on downs, and Rutgers took over, looking to run out the clock.
- Monangai went to the bench, and Sam Brown took over in the backfield. Kaliakmanis continued to make short completions, methodically driving the ball down the field. Brown eventually punched in a 2-yard touchdown run with 4:16 left, making it 38-7.
- With less than a minute remaining, Rutgers scored one final rushing touchdown by A. Raymond after Howard turned the ball over, sealing the 44-7 victory.
- Final Score: Rutgers 44, Howard 7.
What’s Next for Rutgers?
The Scarlet Knights advance to 12-4 in season openers under Schiano. It was the seventh straight season Rutgers won its opener, improving to 82-64-9 all-time in opening games. Next Saturday, the Scarlet Knights will host the Akron Zips (0-1). Rutgers has won eight consecutive non-conference games and 12 of the last 13. They are now 51-20 overall in such games under Schiano.
