PISCATAWAY – SHI Stadium was enveloped in a feeling of déjà vu as the sun set on Saturday evening. With a 35-16 victory over Virginia Tech, Rutgers is now 3-0 for the third consecutive season.
But what comes next?
This is the question that defines the 2023 campaign. In the past two seasons, Rutgers has been unable to capitalize on a strong start. The true measure of progress will be determined in the coming months.
More: Three reasons Rutgers football beat Virginia Tech to improve to 3-0
“I don’t know the significance. We worked really hard to be 3-0,” said Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano.
“So we’re going to relax a little bit tonight and then it’s right back to work tomorrow. We know what’s coming. We know what’s coming the rest of the year. I mean, that’s the league we play in. That’s what we love about it.”
Finishing September with a record of 4-1 would have been a dream scenario for Rutgers. With seven games remaining, the Scarlet Knights have a chance to not only become bowl eligible, but potentially do even better. The key to this goal was winning the first three games, with the matchup against Virginia Tech presenting the biggest challenge.
Mission accomplished. Even if Rutgers loses to Michigan next week as expected, they are almost guaranteed a win against FCS opponent Wagner to close out the month.
There are still many unanswered questions to be addressed in the coming weeks, but for now, Rutgers has made things intriguing.
Speaking of intrigue, the game against Virginia Tech turned into a nail-biter in the second half. After building a 21-3 halftime lead against their former Big East rivals, Rutgers faced a rallying Hokies team that scored two touchdowns, bringing the score to 21-16 early in the fourth quarter.
Fortunately, Rutgers breathed a sigh of relief when Kyle Monangai broke for a fourth-quarter touchdown run. The defense then came up with a crucial stop on fourth down with 6:48 remaining, securing the much-needed breathing room. Monangai sealed the game with a 12-yard TD run with 3:20 left on the clock.
At this point, there isn’t much that distinguishes this Rutgers team from the past two years. However, the defense showed strength in this game, only allowing 30 points over three games.
“We didn’t play our best at times, but our guys figured it out. That’s part of it,” Schiano said.
Bowl dreams for Rutgers
Securing two more wins won’t be easy, as Rutgers faces a tough stretch in October with games against Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Penn State. However, matchups against Indiana, Iowa, and Maryland will provide better benchmarks and a chance to reach or exceed a .500 record.
A win over Virginia Tech adds intrigue to the season.
It remains to be seen how Rutgers’ defense will fare against Michigan’s offense, but based on their current performance, they might be able to make an impact against the Wolverines.
The maturation of quarterback Gavin Wimsatt and the continued progression of the offense will be fascinating to watch as Schiano aims to elevate the program to the next level.
Rutgers did what they needed to do against Virginia Tech, who were coming off a loss to Purdue. The Scarlet Knights secured a turnover in the opening minutes and turned it into a touchdown on the ensuing play. They never allowed the Hokies to fully recover from this early setback.
“We needed that takeaway,” Schiano said. “The two takeaways gave us an opportunity. The good thing is that we converted those opportunities into three touchdowns in the red zone. That’s not easy to do. We need to continue doing that.”
Rutgers headed into halftime with a 21-3 lead thanks to a touchdown pass from Wimsatt to Christian Dremel with just four seconds remaining.
Next up for Rutgers: No. 2 Michigan
Now Rutgers has the opportunity to make a statement against No. 2 Michigan, although they will likely face some challenges of their own.
We’ve been here before. The foundation is in place once again. The question now is whether the Scarlet Knights can build something meaningful upon it.
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