After losing to Wisconsin 31-10 on the road last week, Rutgers football will return home to take on Nebraska this Saturday, Nov. 14, at 12:30. The Scarlet Knights, 2-7, will face the 5-4 Cornhuskers, who are coming into this game after being beaten by Illinois 24-13. As is tradition here at OnTheBanks, the staff will try to guess the score of the game and give context as to why they think that way.
Andrew Rice
Rutgers will once again be the “get right game” for their opponent, even though Nebraska has been on a four-game
losing streak. No Duff, no Lonergan, no Asamoah, and possibly no Surace means a long day for the Scarlet Knight offense. Coming into the season, we knew that the offense would have to be the driving force for Rutgers to win games, and it just can’t do that against a good defense missing three of its four best offensive players. The defense likely won’t be able to make up for what the offense now lacks because their improvement compared to last year has not been enough to give confidence that they can stop the Cornhuskers consistently.
With Rutgers overall firepower in the wide receiver and running back room, it’s hard to imagine they will be shut out, but Nebraska’s defense will not make it easy for the depleted offense. On the flip side, the Cornhuskers have the horses to wear down the Knights’ defense, as we have seen in game after game. Like last game, Rutgers keeps it close in the first half before getting exposed in the second.
Nebraska 31, Rutgers 7
Bob Cancro
Rutgers is 1-4 at home this year; the one win is against Howard.
Greg Schiano is 26-42 in the month of November all time; he’s 7-17 in Schiano 2.0 and he’s already 0-1 this year. Three of those seven wins came in 2024 when the team went 3-1, beating Maryland, Illinois, and Michigan State.
KJ Duff is out. And, reading Andrew’s notes: when did they say Lonergan out and Surace maybe? I missed that! Sheesh!
But, the coach has a new lease on life, returning in 2027; so, that’s off the table and no longer a distraction.
What. A. Mess.
On the other side of the field, Nebraska is shaken from its recent fails, and Matt Ruhle is among the coaches on the hot seat. Pretty much as he’s been all season. And he’s moving up the list; he might be coaching for his job.
The Huskers hung tough before falling to Indiana; crazy side note: I was listening to the game on Sirius XM while I was doing work at home that day; they played well. Same thing happened against Oregon. They’re a decent team but just not able to finish against better squads. Rutgers isn’t that.
Please, someone tell me how we win this.
Nebraska 34, Rutgers 10
Ryan Castellano
It’s Military Appreciation Day in Piscataway, and to honor our military, Rutgers decided to wave the white flag by letting Greg stay another year.
Rutgers is going into battle short on supplies. No Duff, no Lonergan, no Asamoah, maybe no Surace, and still a question mark under center. That’s a unit without its heavy artillery. Let’s not try to win an air war. Make it trench warfare on this special day, and run the ball even when it’s two yards a carry, take the clock with you, punt deep, and make Nebraska march the whole field every time.
Nebraska has lost four straight, and Matt Rhule might be coaching for his job. That’s the kind of desperation that makes a team dangerous, not tight. The Huskers need this one more than Rutgers does, and they’ll play like it.
The defense can hold the line for a while. Like we’ve seen all season, they’ll keep it close into the second half, but you can only defend a position for so long without reinforcements. Eventually an offense that can’t stay on the field wears the defense out, and Nebraska breaks through.
Nebraska 24, Rutgers 10
Greg Patuto
Greg Schiano is returning in 2027. Does that do anything to help the Scarlet Knights find a spark? The answer is no.
It is hard to accomplish this without the presence of KJ Duff, the lack of a run game, and major questions under center no matter who of the three are starting.
Nebraska has played competitively this year, especially against superior opponents. This feels like a game to show out a little bit. There is not much to say from here on out for Rutgers.
