Rutgers finally got its first win of 2026, dropping 58 points on Howard in a total blowout that looked like a video game score. After starting the season 0-3, the Scarlet Knights needed something, anything, to spark their year, and they got it with a 58-7 demolishing that saw Greg Schiano hit his 100th win as head coach. But despite the dominant performance, does one lopsided win against a vastly weaker opponent really change what we know about this team’s tough road ahead?
Rutgers’ Offense Flexes Against Howard
The Scarlet Knights offense absolutely carved up the Bison, finishing with a massive 534 yards of total offense. They jumped out to a lead so fast it was almost unbelievable, scoring two touchdowns before five minutes had even ticked off the clock. Howard’s only points came late in the first quarter on a 75-yard run from Eden James. After that, Rutgers piled on 37 unanswered points to seal the rout. Quarterbacks Dylan Lonergan, AJ Surace, and Sean Ashenfelder combined for their best performance of the season. Lonergan was sharp, completing 12 of 17 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns, with zero picks. Surace added a touchdown pass himself, going three of seven for 40 yards late, also without an interception.
The running game was just as impressive, with Antwan Raymond tearing through the Howard defense for 140 yards on 16 carries, scoring three touchdowns. Clay Thevenin chipped in with 69 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown of his own. And get this: KJ Duff broke a Rutgers football record, hauling in a 77-yard touchdown pass from Lonergan for his fifth straight game with a receiving touchdown! He ended up with five catches for 131 yards, with Jourdin Houston adding 50 yards on three catches, and Ben Black and Vernon Allen each snagging at least one catch and a touchdown. That’s a whole lot of offensive fireworks.
Defense Also Shines, But Real Test Awaits
It wasn’t just the offense having a field day, the defense brought the heat too, delivering their best performance of the season. They racked up four sacks, nine tackles for loss, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. Bradlee Jones was a ball hawk, grabbing both of the Knights’ interceptions. Rondo Porter and Keshon Griffin each notched solo sacks. And Moses Walker was everywhere, leading the team with five tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Yeah, the stat sheet looks beautiful.
But here’s the kicker: this was against a vastly weaker opponent. While a dominant, mistake-free win is always nice, especially when you’re 0-3, the schedule is about to get a whole lot harder. Big Ten play reopens next week against No. 5 Indiana. That game kicks off at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, at SHI Stadium. It’s their annual homecoming and blackout game, so the atmosphere will be wild, and live coverage will be available on the Big Ten Network. This is where we’ll see if that 58-7 beatdown actually prepared them for anything.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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