Greg Schiano might be entering a very important season at Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights are coming off a five-win season, failing to make a bowl game when that was the expectation at the beginning of the year. CBS Sports Tom Fornelli made a bold prediction that this could be Schiano’s final year at Rutgers if there is not a big improvement.
“If you understand how important Schiano is to the program, you understand how BOLD this prediction is. This year’s schedule does Rutgers few favors. They’ll play
Indiana, USC, Michigan, and Penn State. Sportsbooks have their win total posted at 4.5, which seems reasonable. If they play to expectations, I can see Rutgers deciding it’s time to move on after the season ends.”
Could this be possible despite Schiano’s pull within the program?
Schiano has gone 31-41 overall and 15-39 in Big Ten play since making his return in 2020. Rutgers has made a bowl game three times total with two being legitimate by reaching the six-win mark. As the Big Ten continues to grow, the schedule does not get any easier for the Scarlet Knights.
We have a long summer ahead of us before the 2026 season begins. Schiano and his staff will work to get the team ready to win some games and potentially return to bowl season. After comments about this being Schiano’s last season, it made us take a look at his second tenure as a whole.
2020 – The Return
The new era began in the midst of a pandemic. Rutgers brought back Schiano ahead of the 2020 season and this brought excitement back to Piscataway after years of irrelevance — and the Scarlet Knights performed in an all-Big Ten schedule.
Final Record: 3-6
High Point: All three wins were exciting in year one but how can you not think about the return as the best game of the year? Rutgers went into East Lansing and forced seven turnovers on the way to an upset win over the Spartans. It does not get better than that to start a new era.
Low Moment: The schedule played out how you might have expected minus one game. It was a mid November matchup with Illinois at SHI Stadium. Rutgers built a 10-0 lead in the first quarter before Isaiah Williams lit up the defense over the final three quarters. A James McCourt field goal sunk Rutgers with three seconds left and a 2-2 start turned into 1-3 real quick.
2021 – Building, Building, Building
The non-conference success began in year two once Rutgers got away from the Big Ten schedule from the previous year. The Scarlet Knights returned some major contributors but struggled in conference play following a 3-0 slate in the non-conference.
Final Record: 5-8, 2-7 in Big Ten
Bowl Season: Loss to Wake Forest (38-10) in Gator Bowl
High Point: The 4-5 Scarlet Knights went into Bloomington and needed a win against a bad Indiana team. Rutgers left absolutely no doubt after going up multiple scores in the first quarter on the way to a 38-3 win. Isiah Pacheco scored twice and Rutgers won the turnover battle 6-0. This was a true party for fans.
Low Moment: The early-season loss to Michigan was a gut punch following a 3-0 start but there was no more defeating moment this season than the win-and-in bowl season matchup against rival Maryland. The Terps punched Rutgers right in the mouth, leading 20-2 at halftime, and it was not close from there. Rutgers got in thanks to a dropout but the stench of this game did not go away.
2022 – Rock Bottom
The quarterback situation was an absolute mess and this impacted the overall success of the team. Play calling was bad, the offense could not score, being shutout twice, and this brought up many questions that led to changes being made.
Final Record: 4-8, 1-8 in Big Ten
High Point: There were not many. The win against Indiana was the lone conference victory in 2022 but the lasting image came from the season opener against Boston College. Rutgers had three different players take snaps at quarterback to begin the game and this kind of set the tone for the season. In the end, trailing 21-15, the 22-year touchdown run by Al-Shadee Salaam is the moment remembered from this season.
Low Moment: Friday night, Nebraska, SHI Stadium. Rutgers led 13-0 at halftime and did not score as the Huskers scored two touchdowns to win 14-13. Nothing else needs to be said here.
2023 – The Turnaround
The expectations were high as Rutgers returned a large majority of starters and revamped the coaching staff. This was the breakout campaign for Kyle Monangai as he led the Big Ten in rushing. The ground-and-pound nature of Rutgers, paired with a strong defense, brought the team back to bowl season after the disastrous 2022 season.
Final Record: 7-6, 3-6 in Big Ten
Bowl Season: Win vs. Miami (31-24) in Pinstripe Bowl
High Point: The season opener against Northwestern was exciting. Rutgers qualified for bowl season at 6-2 after a beatdown against Indiana. But the return to bowl season leading to a victory has to be the highlight. Rutgers rushed for 208 yards, with 180 coming from Monangai, to take down Miami in Yankee Stadium.
Low Moment: The low moment here is a three-game stretch at the end of the season. After going 6-2, Rutgers faced a gauntlet to end the year. The offense scored just six points in two games against Iowa and Penn State. The regular season ended with a 42-24 loss to Maryland. Rutgers had a bowl game to play but the Terps flexing their muscles in this matchup for a few years was not ideal.
2024 – Athan Kaliakmanis Era
Gavin Wimsatt transferred and Kaliakmanis was named the starter after coming in via the transfer portal. Schiano knew the team needed a quarterback that could bring the forward pass back to Piscataway.
Final Record: 7-6, 4-5 in Big Ten
Bowl Season: Loss to Kansas State (44-41) in Rate Bowl
High Point: The Scarlet Knights got off to a quick start. After two blowouts to begin the season, Rutgers hit the road and defeated Virginia Tech. Rutgers followed it up with a Friday night victory against Washington in a blackout. Did the Huskies give it away? In certain spots but Rutgers did enough to win the game and get to 4-0 on the year.
Low Moment: Was this the lowest moment of Schiano’s second tenure thus far? Illinois lined up for a field goal on a windy day late in the fourth quarter but Schiano decided to call timeout. Bret Bielema got some time to think and sent the offense back out onto the field. Luke Altmyer and Pat Bryant connected for a 40-yard touchdown with four seconds left to sink Rutgers.
2025 – Questions Are Back
The questions returned after Rutgers missed bowl season once again. The hope was to make it back for a third straight year but consistency was not there despite a big year under center.
Final Record: 5-7, 2-7 in Big Ten
High Point: Rutgers found itself i a battle against a 2-5 Purdue team on the road. The Scarlet Knights fell behind 17-7 but made a comeback with plenty of memorable moments. KJ Duff had a 72-yard touchdown. Jai Patel made two field goals in the final 66 seconds, including the game winner from 30 yards out.
Low Moment: If Rutgers was ever going to beat Penn State, it was in the season finale in 2025. Ethan Grunkemeyer started for the Nittany Lions. Kaliakmanis threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns. All signs point to Rutgers winning this gme and getting to six wins. Instead, it was a 40-36 win for Penn State after a 61-yard fumble return by Amare Campbell. This loss knocked Rutgers out of bowl season.
