Rutgers Crushes Howard 58-7 as Schiano Hits Milestone 100th Win
Rutgers football finally got back on track in a big way Friday night, dismantling Howard 58-7 in Piscataway. The blowout victory gave head coach Greg Schiano his 100th career win, a milestone that seemed far off after the Scarlet Knights stumbled out of the gate with three straight losses to open the 2026 season.
The win was never in doubt. Rutgers scored on 10 of its 12 possessions, racked up 534 total yards, and forced three turnovers in a complete team performance that should inject some much-needed confidence heading into the brutal stretch of Big Ten play.
Offense Explodes Behind Duff, Raymond, and Lonergan
The Scarlet Knights wasted no time establishing dominance. Antwan Raymond broke off a 51-yard run on the opening drive, setting up a 16-yard touchdown strike from Dylan Lonergan to Ben Black III. On the very next possession, Lonergan connected with KJ Duff for a 75-yard score, as Duff beat his defender on an inside release, made a bobbling catch downfield, and outraced the Bison defense to the end zone.
That touchdown gave Duff a score in five straight games, a new school record. Raymond added two more rushing touchdowns in the second quarter to complete a hat trick, finishing with 140 total yards on the day. Duff totaled five catches for 131 yards and the long score.
Backup running back Clay Thevenin chipped in 69 yards and a rushing touchdown, while Jourdin Houston continued to prove himself a reliable target over the middle with three catches for 50 yards.
Lonergan, who had struggled with turnovers in earlier matchups, delivered a clean performance. He finished 12-of-17 for 214 yards and two scores, posting a QBR of 93.8. It was exactly the kind of confidence-builder he needed before facing a much stiffer test next week.
Defense Creates Sacks, Forces Turnovers and Short Fields
After a disastrous start to the season defensively, Rutgers looked like a different unit against Howard. Quarterback Ja'Shawn Scroggins was limited to 5-of-14 passing with two interceptions, both picked off by cornerback Bradlee Jones, who recorded his first two collegiate interceptions after transferring from The Citadel.
The Scarlet Knights also recovered a fumble, winning the turnover battle 3-0. Howard's drives frequently stalled in three-and-outs, hampered by penalties, high snaps, and a relentless Rutgers pass rush that had been largely absent in the first three games.
Moses Walker continued his strong season with five tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a half-sack. Rondo Porter and Keshon Griffin each recorded solo sacks, with Griffin's sack forcing a fumble that Rutgers recovered. J'Dan Burnett and Sekou Kromah combined for another sack on backup quarterback Isaiah Freeman.
The lone defensive blemish came on a 75-yard rushing touchdown by Howard's Eden James, son of NFL Hall of Famer Edgerrin James, who cut to the edge and sprinted up the left sideline for the Bison's only points of the night.
Rutgers Plays Backups and Beyond in Second Half
With the game well in hand, Rutgers turned to its reserves in the third quarter. AJ Surace entered midway through the period with the Knights up 48-7. He struggled to find his rhythm initially, but eventually connected with Vernon Allen III for a nine-yard touchdown.
Surace finished 3-of-7 for 40 yards and one score, posting a QBR of just 14.0. The performance should put to rest any lingering questions about the starting quarterback job as Rutgers heads into the heart of Big Ten play.
Sean Ashenfelder saw action on the final drive, completing a pass to backup tight end Kam Anthony. But the drive belonged to four-star 2026 commit Aiden Gibson, who flipped from Penn State and picked up 37 yards on nine carries. Gibson showed flashes of the potential that made him a coveted recruit.
Defensively, many second and third-stringers got valuable reps. Freshman defensive back JJ Conyers finished second on the team with four tackles, while several other young defensive backs recorded stops in reserve action.
Greg Schiano Notches His 100th Career Win Ahead of Indiana
Schiano reached the milestone in his 18th season with the program across two stints. His tenure has featured memorable moments, including the 2006 upset of No. 3 Louisville, the 2007 takedown of No. 2 USF, and a 54-34 road thumping of No. 17 Pittsburgh in 2008.
The second Schiano era began with a win over Michigan State in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. In 2023, the Knights rallied from 18 points down to beat the Spartans 27-24 and capped the year with a Pinstripe Bowl victory over Miami. In 2024, Rutgers earned its first-ever win at Virginia Tech and knocked off defending national runner-up Washington.
But there have been plenty of disappointments too. Rutgers has struggled to beat ranked opponents and has routinely fallen to middle-tier Big Ten teams like Iowa and Wisconsin. After a 5-7 campaign in 2025, the 2026 season opened with a brutal loss to UMass that had fans questioning the program's direction.
The narrow loss to USC and Friday's blowout win have revived some optimism, but the real test comes next Saturday when No. 5 Indiana visits Piscataway for homecoming and the blackout game.
Schiano has become synonymous with Rutgers football over his two stints. Whether he can return the program to respectability remains to be seen, but Friday night offered a glimpse of what this team is capable of when everything clicks.
John Damon is a sports contributor for Just The News Iowa.