Link: Full Game Notes (Huskers.com)
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (2-5) at RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (3-5)
When: Friday, December 18 | 3:00 PM (CT)
Where: SHI Stadium | Piscataway, New Jersey
TV: Big Ten Network (Announcers TBD)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Ben McLaughlin)
Online Audio: Huskers.com | TuneIn.com/Huskers | Huskers App | TuneIn App
Satellite Radio: XM (Ch. 382) | Sirius (N/A)
HUSKERS
Record: (2-5)
Last Game: Minnesota (L 17-24)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Scott Frost
- (11-20) - 3rd year at Nebraska
- (30-27) - 5th year overall
vs. Rutgers: First Meeting
SCARLET KNIGHTS
Record: (3-5)
Last Game: at Maryland (W 27-24 OT)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Greg Schiano
- (71-72) at Rutgers (1st year back, 12th year at Rutgers)
- (71-72) 12th year overall
vs. Nebraska: First Meeting
Numbers to Know
8 - Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez needs eight yards of total offense to become the fourth player in school history with 7,000 yards of total offense. Martinez trails only Tommy Armstrong Jr., Taylor Martinez and Eric Crouch on the all-time Husker list.
5 - Sophomore wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson needs five receptions to post the 15th 50-catch season in school history. Robinson has 24 catches over the past three weeks. His average of 6.4 receptions per game ranks 24th nationally.
10 - Safety Deontai Williams has double-figure tackles in each of the past two games, including a career-high 12 stops at Purdue. The last Husker defensive back with double-figure tackles in three straight games was Corey Cooper in 2013 (UCLA, South Dakota State and Illinois)
The Matchup
Nebraska completes its abbreviated 2020 regular season this weekend, when the Huskers take on Rutgers in the Big Ten Champions Week matchup. The contest will be played at Rutgers' SHI Stadium on Friday, Dec. 18, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. Central (4 p.m. local time). The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Nebraska comes into the Champions Week game with a 2-5 record following a 24-17 setback against Minnesota on Saturday in Lincoln. The Huskers fell behind by 10 points in the first quarter, but rallied to take a second quarter lead. However, Nebraska could not get its offense moving in the second half, and Minnesota controlled the clock the secure the victory.
The Huskers will be facing the Scarlet Knights for the first time since 2017, and making their first trip to Piscataway since a 2015 victory. Rutgers comes into the game with a 3-5 record, following a 27-24 overtime victory at Maryland on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights are one of the nation's most improved teams in 2020, posting three Big Ten wins after going winless in league play in 2018 and 2019.
Coach Greg Schiano is completing the first season of his second stint as Rutgers' head coach. Schiano guided Rutgers from 2001 to 2011, before moving on to the professional ranks. Schiano's team features a balanced offense that completes better than 63 percent of its passes. The Scarlet Knights have featured an opportunistic defense, forcing 15 turnovers in eight games this season.
Series History
Friday's game will mark the fifth all-time meeting between Nebraska and Rutgers and fourth as members of the Big Ten Conference. This will be the first meeting since 2017, and the first under coaches Scott Frost and Greg Schiano.
Nebraska leads the all-time series 4-0, and has an average margin of victory in those four games of 18.3 points per game. The Huskers are 3-0 against the Scarlet Knights as members of the Big Ten Conference.
- This will be just the second meeting between the two programs in Piscataway, New Jersey; the Huskers won at Rutgers in 2015.
- Nebraska and Rutgers are next scheduled to meet in the regular season on September 24, 2022 in Piscataway.
Nebraska vs. Rutgers History
1920: Nebraska 28, Rutgers 0 (New York City)
2014: #16 Nebraska 42, Rutgers 24 (Lincoln)
2015: Nebraska 31, Rutgers 14 (Piscataway)
2017: Nebraska 27, Rutgers 17 (Lincoln)
Nebraska Among Top All-Time Programs
- Nebraska is playing in its 131st season this fall, and the Huskers boast a 904-400-40 all-time record in 1,344 games (.688). Nebraska is one of eight programs with 900 all-time wins
- Nebraska joined the 900-win club at Illinois on Sept. 21, 2019, along with Michigan, Ohio State, Texas and Alabama in that club. Since then, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Penn State have joined that elite club.
- Since 1970, Nebraska owns a 470-159-5 record (.745) with five national championships. The Huskers rank second among all FBS programs in national titles and third in wins since 1970.
- Nebraska boasts 27 10-win seasons in school history, including 24 since 1970. The Huskers also have 12 seasons with 11 or more wins, and seven seasons with 12 or more wins and three 13-win seasons
- The Huskers own 50 nine-win seasons, tied with Alabama for the most in NCAA history. Forty-two of those nine-win seasons have come since 1970, and 48 since 1962, 13 more than any other school
- Nebraska was the first team in NCAA history to win 100 games in consecutive decades, leading the nation with 103 wins in the 1980s and ranking second with 108 wins in the 1990s
About Rutgers
One of the oldest football programs in the country, Rutgers is known as the "Birthplace of College Football" after playing the first intercollegiate football game against Princeton on Nov. 6, 1869. Since then, Rutgers has produced 70 All-Americans and six College Football Hall of Famers. The Scarlet Knights claim one national title and have a 6-4 record in bowl games. Most recently, Rutgers beat North Carolina in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl, 40-21.
First Year: 1869
All-Time Record: 655-672-2
Bowl Record: 6-4
Conference Titles: 0
National Titles: 1 (1869)
Stadium: SHI Stadium
Capacity: 52,454
Surface: FieldTurf
Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
Enrollment: 69,000
2020 Rutgers Schedule/Results (3-5)
at Michigan State (W 38-27)
Indiana (L 21-37)
at Ohio State (L 27-49)
Illinois (L 20-23)
Michigan (L 42-48 3OT)
at Purdue (W 37-30)
Penn State (L 7-23)
at Maryland (W 27-24 OT)
Nebraska
Scouting 2020 Rutgers
Rutgers enters the matchup with a 3-5 record but has won two of their last three. Most recently, the Scarlet Knights defeated Maryland in overtime, 27-24 last weekend. Kicker Valentino Ambrosio tied the game at the end of regulation with a field goal, before hitting the game-winner in overtime. The victory was the third of the season for the Scarlet Knights, who matched their highest Big Ten Conference win total from 2014 and 2017.
Noah Vedral leads the Rutgers passing game with 1,257 yards and nine touchdowns. He is 135-of-220 in the air for a 61.4 percent completion rate. Vedral also has 193 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Vedral's top target is Bo Melton who has 41 catches for 547 yards and six touchdowns. Isaih Pacheco has a team-high 473 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Johnny Langan leads the team with four rushing touchdowns.
On defense, Olakunle Fatukasi has dominated opposing offenses with a team-best 99 tackles including 11.0 for loss. The linebacker is averaging 12.4 tackles per game which leads the nation. He also has 3.0 sacks, one pass breakup, two hurries, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble.
About Greg Schiano
Greg Schiano, who led Rutgers to new heights from 2001 to 2011, returned as the head football coach in December 2019.
In his first stint with RU, Schiano led the Scarlet Knights to six bowl appearances, coached 83 players who signed NFL contracts and guided the program to the top APR score in the nation. He was named the 2006 National Coach of the Year. He has three 9-win seasons at Rutgers and coached 16 All-Americans. His 71 wins ranks fourth in school history.
After making one prior trip to a bowl game in school history, Schiano led the team to six bowls in seven seasons, including the program's first ever bowl victory. The Scarlet Knights have won their last five bowl games, the longest active streak in the nation following the 2011 season. In addition, Rutgers was ranked for 20 weeks during Schiano's first tenure. The program appeared in the AP Poll just nine times prior to Schiano's first stint at the school.
The 54-year-old Schiano played linebacker at Bucknell from 1985 through 1987. He began his coaching career in 1989 at Rutgers as a graduate assistant. He then spent time as an assistant at Penn State (1990-1995), Chicago Bears (1996-1998), Miami (FL) (1999-2000) before being named head coach at Rutgers for his first stint from 2001 to 2011. Schiano was named head coach of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012, a job he held for two seasons, where he went 11-21. In 2016, Schiano served as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Ohio State (2016-2018). He rejoined Rutgers for his second stint as head coach beginning with the 2020 season.
Last Meeting: September 24, 2017
Nebraska 27, Rutgers 17
LINCOLN - An air of "here we go again" hung over Memorial Stadium on Saturday when Rutgers' Kiy Hester intercepted Tanner Lee early in the second half and ran 33 yards to the end zone to give the Scarlet Knights a three-point lead. A week earlier here, Northern Illinois had two pick-sixes against Lee in one of Nebraska's most humiliating losses in years. When Lee trotted onto the field for the next series against the Scarlet Knights, he was booed and the Huskers went three-and-out.
But coach Mike Riley stuck with Lee for the possession after that, and the transfer from Tulane completed 6 of 8 passes during a 97-yard drive that produced the go-ahead touchdown in a 27-17 win.
Lee, who has thrown a nation-high nine interceptions, has been the fans' whipping boy during a poor start to Riley's third year in Lincoln. He didn't pretend to not hear the boos.
The Huskers (2-2, 1-0 Big Ten) pounded away at the Scarlet Knights and ultimately wore them down in the second half in what was a much-needed win for Mike Riley two days after the firing of athletic director Shawn Eichorst was announced. With Eichorst out, the focus has shifted to Riley and what he and his team must do the rest of the season for him to keep his job.
The Scarlet Knights (1-3, 0-1), who have lost 15 straight Big Ten games, had leads of 7-0 and 10-7 in the first half before De'Mornay Pierson-El ran a punt back 63 yards to set up a Mikale Wilbon 4-yard touchdown run that put the Huskers up 14-10 at the half.
Nebraska outgained Rutgers in total offense with 306 yards (109 pass, 197 rush) to Rutgers' 194 yards (126 pass, 68 rush). Both teams committed two turnovers in the game. Nebraska had six penalties for 46 yards, while RU committed four infractions for 35 yards. Nebraska held a sizeable advantage in time of possession, 35:21 to 24:39.
Tanner Lee ended the day going 13-of-26 for 109 yards with 2 TD passes and 2 interceptions. Devine Ozigbo was the leading rusher with 24 carries for 101 yards. Mikale Wilbon added 14 carries for 78 yards and a TD and Jaylin Bradley carried 6 times for 16 yards.
In the receiving department for the Huskers, JD Spielman had five catches for 46 yards and a TD; Gabe Rahn hauled in two passes for 27 yards; De'Mornay Pierson-El had three catches for 22 yards and a TD and Tyler Hoppes had two catches for 16 yards.
Antonio Reed was the team's top tackler with 10 stops. He, along with Luke Gifford, also grabbed an interception on the day. JD Spielman had two kick returns for 49 yards (24.5 ypr) and Pierson-El had three punt returns for 56 yards (18.7 ypr), with a long of 63 yards. Drew Brown was 2-of-2 on field goals with a long of 32 yards, and Caleb Lightbourn punted five times for an average of 38.8 yards per kick, with a long of 64 yards.
For Rutgers, Kyle Bolin was 15-of-29 for 126 yards with 2 INT. Gus Edwards was the leading Knight rusher with 15 carries for 58 yards and a TD, and the leading receiver was Dacoven Bailey with three catches for 38 yards.
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (2-5) at RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (3-5)
When: Friday, December 18 | 3:00 PM (CT)
Where: SHI Stadium | Piscataway, New Jersey
TV: Big Ten Network (Announcers TBD)
Radio: Husker Sports Network (Greg Sharpe, Matt Davison, Ben McLaughlin)
Online Audio: Huskers.com | TuneIn.com/Huskers | Huskers App | TuneIn App
Satellite Radio: XM (Ch. 382) | Sirius (N/A)
HUSKERS
Record: (2-5)
Last Game: Minnesota (L 17-24)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Scott Frost
- (11-20) - 3rd year at Nebraska
- (30-27) - 5th year overall
vs. Rutgers: First Meeting
SCARLET KNIGHTS
Record: (3-5)
Last Game: at Maryland (W 27-24 OT)
Rankings: NR
Coach: Greg Schiano
- (71-72) at Rutgers (1st year back, 12th year at Rutgers)
- (71-72) 12th year overall
vs. Nebraska: First Meeting
Numbers to Know
8 - Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez needs eight yards of total offense to become the fourth player in school history with 7,000 yards of total offense. Martinez trails only Tommy Armstrong Jr., Taylor Martinez and Eric Crouch on the all-time Husker list.
5 - Sophomore wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson needs five receptions to post the 15th 50-catch season in school history. Robinson has 24 catches over the past three weeks. His average of 6.4 receptions per game ranks 24th nationally.
10 - Safety Deontai Williams has double-figure tackles in each of the past two games, including a career-high 12 stops at Purdue. The last Husker defensive back with double-figure tackles in three straight games was Corey Cooper in 2013 (UCLA, South Dakota State and Illinois)
The Matchup
Nebraska completes its abbreviated 2020 regular season this weekend, when the Huskers take on Rutgers in the Big Ten Champions Week matchup. The contest will be played at Rutgers' SHI Stadium on Friday, Dec. 18, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. Central (4 p.m. local time). The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Nebraska comes into the Champions Week game with a 2-5 record following a 24-17 setback against Minnesota on Saturday in Lincoln. The Huskers fell behind by 10 points in the first quarter, but rallied to take a second quarter lead. However, Nebraska could not get its offense moving in the second half, and Minnesota controlled the clock the secure the victory.
The Huskers will be facing the Scarlet Knights for the first time since 2017, and making their first trip to Piscataway since a 2015 victory. Rutgers comes into the game with a 3-5 record, following a 27-24 overtime victory at Maryland on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights are one of the nation's most improved teams in 2020, posting three Big Ten wins after going winless in league play in 2018 and 2019.
Coach Greg Schiano is completing the first season of his second stint as Rutgers' head coach. Schiano guided Rutgers from 2001 to 2011, before moving on to the professional ranks. Schiano's team features a balanced offense that completes better than 63 percent of its passes. The Scarlet Knights have featured an opportunistic defense, forcing 15 turnovers in eight games this season.
Series History
Friday's game will mark the fifth all-time meeting between Nebraska and Rutgers and fourth as members of the Big Ten Conference. This will be the first meeting since 2017, and the first under coaches Scott Frost and Greg Schiano.
Nebraska leads the all-time series 4-0, and has an average margin of victory in those four games of 18.3 points per game. The Huskers are 3-0 against the Scarlet Knights as members of the Big Ten Conference.
- This will be just the second meeting between the two programs in Piscataway, New Jersey; the Huskers won at Rutgers in 2015.
- Nebraska and Rutgers are next scheduled to meet in the regular season on September 24, 2022 in Piscataway.
Nebraska vs. Rutgers History
1920: Nebraska 28, Rutgers 0 (New York City)
2014: #16 Nebraska 42, Rutgers 24 (Lincoln)
2015: Nebraska 31, Rutgers 14 (Piscataway)
2017: Nebraska 27, Rutgers 17 (Lincoln)
Nebraska Among Top All-Time Programs
- Nebraska is playing in its 131st season this fall, and the Huskers boast a 904-400-40 all-time record in 1,344 games (.688). Nebraska is one of eight programs with 900 all-time wins
- Nebraska joined the 900-win club at Illinois on Sept. 21, 2019, along with Michigan, Ohio State, Texas and Alabama in that club. Since then, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Penn State have joined that elite club.
- Since 1970, Nebraska owns a 470-159-5 record (.745) with five national championships. The Huskers rank second among all FBS programs in national titles and third in wins since 1970.
- Nebraska boasts 27 10-win seasons in school history, including 24 since 1970. The Huskers also have 12 seasons with 11 or more wins, and seven seasons with 12 or more wins and three 13-win seasons
- The Huskers own 50 nine-win seasons, tied with Alabama for the most in NCAA history. Forty-two of those nine-win seasons have come since 1970, and 48 since 1962, 13 more than any other school
- Nebraska was the first team in NCAA history to win 100 games in consecutive decades, leading the nation with 103 wins in the 1980s and ranking second with 108 wins in the 1990s
About Rutgers
One of the oldest football programs in the country, Rutgers is known as the "Birthplace of College Football" after playing the first intercollegiate football game against Princeton on Nov. 6, 1869. Since then, Rutgers has produced 70 All-Americans and six College Football Hall of Famers. The Scarlet Knights claim one national title and have a 6-4 record in bowl games. Most recently, Rutgers beat North Carolina in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl, 40-21.
First Year: 1869
All-Time Record: 655-672-2
Bowl Record: 6-4
Conference Titles: 0
National Titles: 1 (1869)
Stadium: SHI Stadium
Capacity: 52,454
Surface: FieldTurf
Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
Enrollment: 69,000
2020 Rutgers Schedule/Results (3-5)
at Michigan State (W 38-27)
Indiana (L 21-37)
at Ohio State (L 27-49)
Illinois (L 20-23)
Michigan (L 42-48 3OT)
at Purdue (W 37-30)
Penn State (L 7-23)
at Maryland (W 27-24 OT)
Nebraska
Scouting 2020 Rutgers
Rutgers enters the matchup with a 3-5 record but has won two of their last three. Most recently, the Scarlet Knights defeated Maryland in overtime, 27-24 last weekend. Kicker Valentino Ambrosio tied the game at the end of regulation with a field goal, before hitting the game-winner in overtime. The victory was the third of the season for the Scarlet Knights, who matched their highest Big Ten Conference win total from 2014 and 2017.
Noah Vedral leads the Rutgers passing game with 1,257 yards and nine touchdowns. He is 135-of-220 in the air for a 61.4 percent completion rate. Vedral also has 193 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Vedral's top target is Bo Melton who has 41 catches for 547 yards and six touchdowns. Isaih Pacheco has a team-high 473 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Johnny Langan leads the team with four rushing touchdowns.
On defense, Olakunle Fatukasi has dominated opposing offenses with a team-best 99 tackles including 11.0 for loss. The linebacker is averaging 12.4 tackles per game which leads the nation. He also has 3.0 sacks, one pass breakup, two hurries, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble.
About Greg Schiano
Greg Schiano, who led Rutgers to new heights from 2001 to 2011, returned as the head football coach in December 2019.
In his first stint with RU, Schiano led the Scarlet Knights to six bowl appearances, coached 83 players who signed NFL contracts and guided the program to the top APR score in the nation. He was named the 2006 National Coach of the Year. He has three 9-win seasons at Rutgers and coached 16 All-Americans. His 71 wins ranks fourth in school history.
After making one prior trip to a bowl game in school history, Schiano led the team to six bowls in seven seasons, including the program's first ever bowl victory. The Scarlet Knights have won their last five bowl games, the longest active streak in the nation following the 2011 season. In addition, Rutgers was ranked for 20 weeks during Schiano's first tenure. The program appeared in the AP Poll just nine times prior to Schiano's first stint at the school.
The 54-year-old Schiano played linebacker at Bucknell from 1985 through 1987. He began his coaching career in 1989 at Rutgers as a graduate assistant. He then spent time as an assistant at Penn State (1990-1995), Chicago Bears (1996-1998), Miami (FL) (1999-2000) before being named head coach at Rutgers for his first stint from 2001 to 2011. Schiano was named head coach of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012, a job he held for two seasons, where he went 11-21. In 2016, Schiano served as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Ohio State (2016-2018). He rejoined Rutgers for his second stint as head coach beginning with the 2020 season.
Last Meeting: September 24, 2017
Nebraska 27, Rutgers 17
LINCOLN - An air of "here we go again" hung over Memorial Stadium on Saturday when Rutgers' Kiy Hester intercepted Tanner Lee early in the second half and ran 33 yards to the end zone to give the Scarlet Knights a three-point lead. A week earlier here, Northern Illinois had two pick-sixes against Lee in one of Nebraska's most humiliating losses in years. When Lee trotted onto the field for the next series against the Scarlet Knights, he was booed and the Huskers went three-and-out.
But coach Mike Riley stuck with Lee for the possession after that, and the transfer from Tulane completed 6 of 8 passes during a 97-yard drive that produced the go-ahead touchdown in a 27-17 win.
Lee, who has thrown a nation-high nine interceptions, has been the fans' whipping boy during a poor start to Riley's third year in Lincoln. He didn't pretend to not hear the boos.
The Huskers (2-2, 1-0 Big Ten) pounded away at the Scarlet Knights and ultimately wore them down in the second half in what was a much-needed win for Mike Riley two days after the firing of athletic director Shawn Eichorst was announced. With Eichorst out, the focus has shifted to Riley and what he and his team must do the rest of the season for him to keep his job.
The Scarlet Knights (1-3, 0-1), who have lost 15 straight Big Ten games, had leads of 7-0 and 10-7 in the first half before De'Mornay Pierson-El ran a punt back 63 yards to set up a Mikale Wilbon 4-yard touchdown run that put the Huskers up 14-10 at the half.
Nebraska outgained Rutgers in total offense with 306 yards (109 pass, 197 rush) to Rutgers' 194 yards (126 pass, 68 rush). Both teams committed two turnovers in the game. Nebraska had six penalties for 46 yards, while RU committed four infractions for 35 yards. Nebraska held a sizeable advantage in time of possession, 35:21 to 24:39.
Tanner Lee ended the day going 13-of-26 for 109 yards with 2 TD passes and 2 interceptions. Devine Ozigbo was the leading rusher with 24 carries for 101 yards. Mikale Wilbon added 14 carries for 78 yards and a TD and Jaylin Bradley carried 6 times for 16 yards.
In the receiving department for the Huskers, JD Spielman had five catches for 46 yards and a TD; Gabe Rahn hauled in two passes for 27 yards; De'Mornay Pierson-El had three catches for 22 yards and a TD and Tyler Hoppes had two catches for 16 yards.
Antonio Reed was the team's top tackler with 10 stops. He, along with Luke Gifford, also grabbed an interception on the day. JD Spielman had two kick returns for 49 yards (24.5 ypr) and Pierson-El had three punt returns for 56 yards (18.7 ypr), with a long of 63 yards. Drew Brown was 2-of-2 on field goals with a long of 32 yards, and Caleb Lightbourn punted five times for an average of 38.8 yards per kick, with a long of 64 yards.
For Rutgers, Kyle Bolin was 15-of-29 for 126 yards with 2 INT. Gus Edwards was the leading Knight rusher with 15 carries for 58 yards and a TD, and the leading receiver was Dacoven Bailey with three catches for 38 yards.