Rutgers' aspirations for postseason play are hanging by a thread following a tough road defeat to Minnesota, and here are five key takeaways from the game.
MINNEAPOLIS — With just three minutes and 19 seconds left on the clock, Athan Kaliakmanis found himself with the ball, poised for a potentially game-changing drive.
Just as he had done during the initial three drives of the game, the Rutgers quarterback expertly maneuvered his team down the field, setting them up for either a game-winning touchdown or at least a chance to tie the game with a field goal. However, disaster struck when the ball was snapped too low, forcing Kaliakmanis to scramble backward before being brought down for a significant 15-yard loss. This setback proved insurmountable, as Dane Pizarro missed his first career field goal attempt from 55 yards, sealing a hard-fought 31-28 defeat for the Scarlet Knights at Huntington Bank Stadium.
With this loss, Rutgers (3-2, 0-2) now finds itself with a dismal 1-4 record against Minnesota overall and remains winless in Minneapolis, at 0-3. This outcome places the program in a precarious position, as they enter their first bye week with a pressing need to secure victories in their remaining games.
To keep their postseason hopes alive, Rutgers must win three out of their last seven games, leaving them with little room for error. Given the formidable opponents they face, including Oregon, Penn State, and Ohio State, the Scarlet Knights must aim for a 3-1 record against teams like Washington, Illinois, Maryland, and Purdue. This is no small feat, especially after struggling against Iowa and Minnesota, teams that are relatively comparable in skill.
Here are five observations from the Rutgers-Minnesota matchup:
- KALIAKMANIS STRUGGLES TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY IN MINNEAPOLIS RETURN
Kaliakmanis started strong, completing 10 of his first 13 passes, including a remarkable streak of nine consecutive completions. However, he was unable to sustain this early success. In the latter part of the game, he completed only 11 of his final 21 attempts, which included a critical interception and a few near-misses that could have been turnovers. He ended the game with 249 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Entering this game, he had the highest number of completions for passes over 10 yards (36) in college football, and he quickly added to that tally with connections of 18 and 29 yards to receivers KJ Duff and DT Sheffield. Although the Scarlet Knights didn’t capitalize on these early gains, they did manage to score two touchdowns shortly thereafter, with Kaliakmanis connecting with Sheffield and Duff for touchdowns of four and 14 yards, respectively.
However, his performance took a downturn after that. He missed five of his next seven attempts, including a poorly thrown pass that resulted in an interception, allowing Minnesota to score their second touchdown and tie the game at 14. Remarkably, Kaliakmanis had not recorded a turnover-worthy pass in his first four games, according to ProFootballFocus, but he put the ball in jeopardy at least three times during this match. After a stalled drive to start the second half, he regained some momentum as offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca adjusted the game plan to favor shorter passes. This shift led to a go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, when the defense failed to make a crucial stop, the offense could not respond effectively on their final drive.
- ANTWAN RAYMOND CONTINUES TO SHINE
The sophomore running back delivered an impressive performance, rushing for 161 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries against the Gophers. He made history by becoming the first Scarlet Knight in 52 years (since JJ Jennings) to score multiple rushing touchdowns in four consecutive games, having found the end zone 14 times in his last seven outings.
Raymond displayed skills reminiscent of Kyle Monangai, breaking tackles and providing solid pass protection. He came through in critical moments, converting two third-and-long situations with significant runs and scoring a touchdown shortly after.
- DEFENSIVE STRUGGLES CONTINUE
Robb Smith’s defensive unit started strong, forcing Minnesota into back-to-back three-and-outs at the beginning of the game, but their performance was inconsistent. When they faltered, it was glaringly obvious. On the first play of Minnesota's third drive, quarterback Lindsey connected with Jalen Smith for a staggering 78-yard completion, marking the longest pass allowed by the Rutgers defense this season. Just three plays later, Minnesota scored their first touchdown. Less than a minute later, following Kaliakmanis' interception, the Scarlet Knights allowed another score.
While Rutgers managed to halt Minnesota's momentum at the end of the first half, including a turnover on downs that prevented a score, they could not maintain that energy into the second half. The Golden Gophers scored a touchdown and a field goal on their first two drives after the break, dominating possession for over 12 minutes. On their first possession, they executed an 11-pass, 13-play touchdown drive that tied the game at 21, while Rutgers struggled to apply pressure on Lindsey. Minnesota then took the lead with a field goal on their next drive.
Although Rutgers briefly regained the lead, their defense faltered again, allowing Minnesota to march down the field for a game-winning seven-play, 72-yard touchdown drive. The ongoing issues for Rutgers' defense have been evident all season: they struggled to pressure the quarterback, managing only two sacks, and failed to force turnovers. In fact, the Scarlet Knights have only forced three turnovers in five games, with two of those occurring against a Norfolk State team that has suffered losses to Towson, Sacred Heart, and Wagner.
- SPECIAL TEAMS CONTINUE TO UNDERPERFORM
After a significant role in Rutgers' previous loss to Iowa, the special teams unit faced another challenging day against Minnesota. Kicker Jai Patel, who had previously set a program record with 18 consecutive field goals, has seen his performance decline. He missed both of his attempts against Iowa and had his first attempt on Saturday blocked from 22 yards due to a low kick. However, he did manage to convert all four of his extra-point attempts.
Following a disastrous 104-yard touchdown return in the opening play against Iowa, the Scarlet Knights nearly faced another calamity at the end of the first half against Minnesota. Defensive back Isaiah Crumpler was outpaced by Perich, who reached the Rutgers 32-yard line before being tackled by Michael Robinson II. The Scarlet Knights were fortunate when Gophers kicker Brady Denaburg missed a subsequent 50-yard attempt.
- ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS
Here are some extra thoughts from Huntington Bank Stadium and the broader Big Ten landscape:
a. While Ian Strong has garnered much attention, his former high school teammate KJ Duff has demonstrated remarkable consistency. By catching six passes for 84 yards, he became the first Scarlet Knight to achieve at least five receptions in each of the first five games of a season since the legendary Marco Battaglia in 1995.
b. Rutgers has lost three more players for the season: starting linebacker Moses Walker, reserve offensive lineman Nick Oliveira, and true freshman defensive tackle Braxton Kyle. Injury concerns didn’t stop there, as several Scarlet Knights went down during the game, although all returned eventually. Tight end Colin Weber left the game in the first quarter after a hard hit on his only reception but was back on the field for the opening drive of the second half. Abram Wright stepped in for Walker, making his first career start.
c. Huntington Bank Stadium remains one of the 12 Big Ten venues where Rutgers has yet to secure a victory since joining the conference. The Scarlet Knights have only managed to win on the road at Illinois’ Memorial Stadium, Maryland’s SECU Stadium, Michigan State’s Spartan Stadium, Indiana’s Memorial Stadium, and Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium.
d. Just about a year after suffering a season-ending injury at Wisconsin, Samuel Brown made his return to the field. He made his season debut during the first drive of the game and played intermittently in Raymond’s place, finishing with 12 rushing yards on five carries.
e. Other Big Ten matchups to watch include:
— Illinois and USC are locked in a close contest in Champaign, where the Scarlet Knights will visit in a month.
— Washington, whom Rutgers will face after their upcoming bye week, is hosting No. 1 Ohio State today. A strong performance against the defending national champions could validate Washington's 3-0 start.
— Iowa is set to host the Big Ten sensation Indiana, following a historic victory over Illinois last week. Depending on Iowa's performance, Rutgers fans may feel reassured about last week’s loss or even more frustrated that the Scarlet Knights couldn’t secure a win.
— Penn State is taking on Oregon in what is being billed as the game of the week. Rutgers will host both teams later this fall, including a Homecoming matchup against the Ducks next month.
f. And let’s not forget, the best burger in the Big Ten can be found in Minneapolis. While we’re open to other suggestions, we stand firm in this belief.
