After earning their first Big Ten win over Maryland 37-30, Rutgers football will look to duplicate that result this week as they hit the road to take on their third-ranked opponent of the season, No. 24 Northwestern. The game will take place at the new Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois, where the home team will kick off as heavy favorites over the Scarlet Knights.
Northwestern's only loss this season came to No.6 Indiana by six points. One of the main reasons why the Wildcats have been so efficient offensively this season is the lack of turnovers, as they have only had two through the first six games, with no interceptions. On top of that, their running game has been top-notch, averaging 191.5 rushing yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry. This is an extremely unfavorable matchup for the Knights, who are ranked as the No.118 overall rushing defense in the NCAA.
The Wildcats have been solid in the passing game as well, as former Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles has found new life with his new team. So far this season, Chiles has thrown for 1,398 yards and nine touchdowns while boasting a completion percentage of 75 percent. To make matters tougher, Rutgers will have to find a way to disrupt this passing attack without safety Kaj Sanders and cornerback Zahnir Dawud, who have been ruled out for the season, according to head coach Greg Schiano. Chiles also can be a runner, something Rutgers has always struggled to defend, as he has 98 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns so far this season.
As with most of their games recently, Rutgers clearest path to victory is to pile up points offensively due to their lackluster defense. That will be easier said than done against Northwestern, who has not surrendered more than 29 points in a game this season. KJ Duff will likely have his number called repeatedly, as he is likely the best mismatch the Knights have to exploit offensively in this game. As for the run game, Clay Thevenin has been emerging as a decent option over the past few games, while Antwan Raymond has been in a slump while battling some injury issues. (He has been listed as questionable on the past few injury reports) Last game, Thevenin had 17 rushes for 109 yards and one touchdown while also adding a receiving touchdown. Either way, the Knights will need to be consistent in both their passing attack and rushing attack, while sustaining long drives so their defense can rest to have any decent shot at pulling off an upset.
Rutgers vs Northwestern will kick off inside Ryan Field at Noon on Saturday, Oct. 24. Live coverage for the game will be available on Peacock.
