Tag: 2023 Rutgers football

Five things to know about Northwestern football

Learn a bit about Northwestern football ahead of Sunday’s game at Rutgers.

The Rutgers football season will officially be underway on Sunday afternoon when the Scarlet Knights open their season against Northwestern. It will also be a historic day for Rutgers as they will begin their season against a team in their conference for the first time since joining the Big Ten. However, just like Rutgers, Northwestern has plenty to prove after a disappointing 2022 campaign.

Last year, the Wildcats finished with a 1-11 record. As a result, long-time head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired and replaced with David Braun. As the former defensive coordinator looks to bring the program back to relevance, his main focus will be improving the offense. Last year, the Wildcats averaged 13.8 points a game, the lowest in the Big Ten.

In their matchup with Rutgers, the Wildcats will be looking to turn the page on the 2022 campaign. This opening-day matchup should be a fun game to watch between two Big Ten teams.

Scroll down and check out five things to know about Northwestern football:

Breaking: Sunday’s season opener trending towards a sell-out for Rutgers football

Sunday’s season opener is trending towards a sell-out for Rutgers football.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Rutgers football is set to open their season on Sunday and it appears that SHI Stadium is closing in on a sell-out.

On Thursday, a source close to the situation tells Rutgers Wire that tickets sold for Sunday’s game against Northwestern are close to 50,000. The ticket situation, the source said, is trending towards a sell-out of the Big Ten game.

Four times last season, Rutgers announced an attendance higher than 50,000 for a home game. This includes a crowd of 55.676 for Senior Day against Penn State, a single-game attendance home record for Rutgers.

All four games of 50,000 or more fans were against Big Ten opposition.

Sunday’s game against Northwestern will air on CBS beginning at noon.

“I love playing at home obviously. Love playing at SHI Stadium. Love our fans. I’m sure they will bring a huge home-field advantage this week,” head coach Greg Schiano said on Tuesday.

“Can’t wait. Can’t wait to get back there with them. I’ve been here a long time, a lot of years. I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly. But we have some very loyal fans.

“And we’re going to provide what they are looking for. I believe that over time, it’s a steady growth and we are going to continue to grow, and like I’ve said before, we are going to get it back to where it needs to be and beyond but it’s a journey, and we’re all on that journey together, our fans, our team, the university, the state.”

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Watch: Rutgers Football Kickoff Special airs on MSG Networks

The Rutgers Football Kickoff Special is now available online to wach.

The Rutgers Football Kickoff Special began airing on the MSG Networks starting last week, giving Rutgers football an important platform in New York City ahead of the season opener next Sunday.

The 30-minute special on MSG offered a glimpse into the people and personalities on this Rutgers football team, now in its fourth season under head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag]. MSG Network’s Anthony Fucilli had a sitdown interview with Schiano to start the show, providing an outlook for this important season.

In addition, there was an entertaining cold tub special with Aaron Lewis, whose gregarious personality was the buzz of last month’s Big Ten Media Days.

Fooch, who is a sidelines reporter for Rutgers, also had interviews with several key players on the team including tight end Johnny Langan and linebacker Tyreem Powell among others.

There was also an interesting segment with George Nikola, who is the head chef of Rutgers football.

The entire show is narrated by Dom Savino.

Catch the full show on YouTube:

Being on MSG Network is another important way for the closest Power Five program to New York City to continue to make inroads into the five boroughs and Long Island.

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Rutgers football’s Week 1 matchup against Northwestern is a must-win

Rutgers week one matchup against Northwestern is a must-win game for the program, knowing the other Big Ten opponents will be a battle.

On Sunday, September 3, Rutgers football is preparing to kick off their 2023 season against Northwestern. The Scarlet Knights’ week one matchup is a must-win game for the program, knowing the other Big Ten opponents they have waiting on their schedule (Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Indiana, Ohio State, Iowa, Penn State, and Maryland) is an uphill battle.

The Scarlet Knights have a chance to defeat Northwestern for the first time since 1991, but if they fall short, the 2023 season can be ugly for the Scarlet Knights. According to ESPN, the Wildcats were the only Power Five school ranked in the 2023 Preseason Bottom 10, finishing the fourth-worst team in college football.

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In 2022,  the Wildcats opened up the season with a huge upset win against Nebraska football in Ireland, as big underdogs. Northwestern is looking for the same magic this year as they take on the Scarlet Knights.

The Wildcats went on to finish the 2022 season with a 1-11 record and now are missing a head coach for the 2023 season after head coach Pat Fitzgerald was recently fired after a hazing scandal began.

The Wildcats’ defensive coordinator, David Braun, will step in as interim coach while they look for Fitzgerald’s full-time replacement.

If the Scarlet Knights want to compete in a bowl game in 2023, the first task is beating Northwestern at home. Rutgers, even with a very strong Michigan team come Week 4, has the chance to start the season strong.

A win over Northwestern would be an important first step in the process.

Northwestern scares me the most out of those four opponents because they have nothing to lose. Northwestern football is seeking to repair its tarnished legacy, and an upset victory over the Scarlet Knights might fix that.

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Rutgers football adds FCS assistant to their coaching staff

On Thursday, Rutgers football added former Arkansas-Pine Bluff linebackers coach Jake Bahr to their 2023 coaching staff.

On Thursday, Rutgers football added former Arkansas-Pine Bluff linebackers coach Jake Bahr to their 2023 coaching staff. Bahr is reunited with a former colleague, Eddie Allen, in the Big Ten. Bahr is brought on as a special teams analyst and will work alongside Allen as a quality control coach for the Scarlet Knights heading into the 2023 season.

FootballScoop broke the news of the addition of Bahr to the staff.

Allen and Bahr worked together at UConn from 2018-21, serving as special teams coordinator while Bahr coached linebackers. Before joining UConn, Bahr started coaching at his alma mater, Texas Lutheran. Bahr coached two seasons at Texas Lutheran, serving as the defensive line coach and special teams assistant.

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When playing at Texas Lutheran, the new Scarlet Knight was an All-American Southwest Conference linebacker and led the team to three straight conference championships (2013-15). In 2017, he coached a Texan Lutheran defense that ranked top 25 in rush defense (91.8).

While at UConn, the Texas native coached and developed a productive linebacking core that produced three of the top four tacklers on the team. Bahr coached linebacker Jackson Mitchell, who finished the regular season in the top 10 in total tackles (FBS).

After coaching at UConn, Bahr joined Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s coaching staff as a recruiting coordinator and linebackers coach for head coach Alonzo Hampton.

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Michigan’s Head Coach Jim Harbaugh to return from a three-game suspension against Rutgers

Michigan’s Head Coach Jim Harbaugh will serve a self-imposed three-game suspension, returning to the sideline in week four against Rutgers.

On Monday, Michigan’s Head Coach Jim Harbaugh informed his team that the school’s Athletic Department has self-imposed a three-game suspension on him to begin the 2023 season. And in doing so, Harbaugh will miss the start of the Big Ten regular season against Rutgers.

Imagin that.

Luckily for the Michigan head coach, he will miss his team’s nonconference schedule against East Carolina (September 2), UNLV (September 9), and Bowling Green (September 16). All three of Michigan’s nonconference games are winnable with or without Harbaugh at the realms.

Harbaugh faces punishment from the NCAA over the investigation into possible recruiting violations and misleading NCAA investigators. He will return for Michigan’s Big Ten schedule, which begins on September 23 at home against the Scarlet Knights.

Harbaugh, one of the best coaches in the Big Ten, has a 61-24 record since taking over Michigan’s football program in 2015. Since Harbaugh has taken over at Michigan, the Scarlet Knights have yet to win against the Wolverines, losing their last eight matchups. The closest Rutgers came to defeating the Wolverines was in 2020, when the Scarlet Knights lost at home in triple overtime 48-42.

Since taking over the Rutgers’ football program in 2020, Greg Schiano has a 12-22 record and a 0-3 record against Michigan. While serving as Ohio State’s Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator from 2016 to 2018, Schiano recorded three victories against the Wolverines.

Michigan has yet to announce the interim coach during Harbough’s three-game suspension.

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Greg Schiano: Rutgers football is closing in on a time when fans can ‘plan their holiday trips around our bowls’

Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano talks about his excitement heading into this season.

Greg Schiano believes that Rutgers football is closer to being a bowl team than not. The Rutgers head coach said this ahead of his team’s crucial fourth season of its rebuilding effort.

It took five seasons for Rutgers to make a bowl game in Schiano’s first tenure at Rutgers. Now as the Scarlet Knights are set to enter their fourth season under Schiano 2.0, the program is clearly in a better place than it was four years ago.

In a recent interview with NBC sports reporter Kathyrn Tappen, Schiano was asked what Rutgers football fans should be excited about heading into this season.

“We play in the best league and college football and we’re getting better and we’re just going to keep getting better and those wins will start to come,” Schiano told NBC Sports in the interview with Tappen. “And we’ll get back to the days when our fans could plan their holiday trips around our bowls. That’s where we need to get back to.”

Rutgers lost their first bowl game under Schiano in 2005. They then made four consecutive bowl games, winning them all. Before Schiano left for the NFL following the 2012 season, Rutgers made bowl appearances in five of their final six seasons. 

It is a pretty impressive bowl record and one that Schiano thinks the program can get back to accomplishing on a regular basis.

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Rutgers football to host Fan Fest on Sunday, August 20th

Rutgers football will host Fan Fest on Busch Campus in front of the Rodkin Academic Success Center on August 20.

One sure fire sign that Rutgers football is back – the Fan Fest is almost here.

Rutgers football will host its annual Fan Fest on Busch Campus in front of the Rodkin Academic Success Center on August 20 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Fans will have the opportunity to meet the team during the free event with the chance to receive autographs, the official 2023 Rutgers football season poster, and enjoy The Rutgers Boardwalk. Also,  food trucks will attend the event, providing sandwiches, wings, ice cream, and more.

Fan Fest will include a photo booth, face painter, caricature artist, free carnival games, and an inflatable obstacle course. After the conclusion of Fan Fest, attendees can walk over to Yurcak Field to watch Rutgers women’s soccer host Hofstra.

The Scarlet Knights made the NCAA Tournament last year.

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The Scarlet Knights open their 2023 season home on Sunday, September 3, 2023, against the Northwestern Wildcats (noon, CBS). The 2023 season will be the first time Rutgers football will start the season against a Big Ten opponent at home since joining the conference in 2014.

After their match-up against Northwestern, the Scarlet Knights will remain at SHI Stadium for three consecutive home games against Temple and Virginia Tech. Rutgers’ first away game will be in week four when they take on the Michigan Wolverines. After their game against Michigan, the Scarlet Knights will return home to take on Wagner to cap off their fourth home game in September (Seven 2023 home games total). 

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Rutgers Aaron Lewis gets a shoutout from 247Sports’ Josh Pate

While covering Big Ten media day, 247Sports podcaster Josh Pate praised Rutgers 2023 Preseason All-Big Ten member Aaron Lewis.

Josh Pate is on the Aaron Lewis hype train, the 247Sports analyst believing that the Rutgers football defensive end is poised for a big season.

On Wednesday, the Big Ten Media Days began, with Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano being one of the first coaches to speak about the upcoming 2023 season. But it was Lewis who also made a big impression to the national media present in Indianapolis.

While covering Big Ten media day, Pate, a 247Sports podcaster and CBS Sports analyst, had nothing but praise for the 2023 Preseason All-Big Ten member Aaron Lewis. Pate, the host of Late Kick Extra Podcast, caught up with the 6-foot-5, 250-pound edge rusher at the media day. The two touched upon the upcoming season and life after college football with lewis raving about the Rutgers standout:

“Aaron Lewis of Rutgers was my favorite player to talk to at Big Ten Media Days. Dane and he are the only people who commented on the blueness of my eyes the entire week and I appreciated it from him because he did it on camera. So I asked him, what do you want to do maybe after football? Then he said, I may love to get into media.”

Lewis, from Williamstown N.J., has an excellent work ethic and is a leader for the Scarlet Knights. Lewis figures to be one of the key players on this revamped and improved defense, looking to make an impact as he enters his third year with the Scarlet Knights.

Last season, Lewis had 54 tackles and 1.5 sacks as well as a forced fumble for Rutgers. He was the only Rutgers player named to an All-Big Ten team by PFF.

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Rutgers football will host Virginia Tech in the Scarlet Out/R Community Game

Rutgers will host Virginia Tech in the Scarlet Out/R Community Game on Sept. 16, marking the fourth announced theme game of the 2023 season.

Rutgers football will host Virginia Tech in the Scarlet Out/R Community Game on September 16. The Scarlet Knights Out/R Community Game is the fourth announced theme game of the 2023 season, with three more promotional releases upcoming.

  1. Back to the Birthplace Game – September 3
  2. Blackout Game – September 9
  3. Scarlet Knights Out/R Community Game – September 16
  4. Homecoming & Family Weekend – October 14

The Scarlet Knights Out/R Community Game will include a pregame flyover by the New Jersey State Police, the national anthem performed by a member of Special Olympics New Jersey, celebrity guests, and an inspiring halftime show featuring groups from throughout the Rutgers community. In the second half of the game, there will be a light show for the fans.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early to experience the first-ever Food Truck Festival, featuring over 40 of New Jersey’s best food trucks along the Rutgers Boardwalk. Also, fans can enjoy free rides, games, prizes, and live entertainment. New Jersey local police and fire departments will station their vehicles for fans to check out during the pregame festivities.

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The Rutgers Boardwalk and the Food Truck Festival will open at 11:30 a.m. with a pregame parade and pep rally starting at 1 p.m. The parade and pep rally will feature the Marching Scarlet Knights, Spirit Team, Sir Henry, the Scarlet Knight horse (Excalibur) with the Knight, and the football team’s arrival. Members of the Embrace Kids Foundation, Dance Marathon, Saturdays In Motion, Elijah’s Promise, and Special Olympics New Jersey will also take part in the pregame parade.

The Scarlet Knights Out/R Community Game giveaways will include “Beat Virginia Tech” buttons, posters, shakers, Block R t-shirts, and the third edition of the comic series. Giveaways will be available during the pregame pep rally along the Rutgers Boardwalk.

Special Olympics New Jersey will join as honorary captains for the coin toss before the kickoff at 3:30 p.m. The Scarlet Knights Out/R Community Game will mark the first meeting with the Hokies since the 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando when Virginia Tech beat the Scarlet Knights 13-10.

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