Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers Scarlet Knights
	Current season:; 2024 Rutgers Scarlet Knights
First season	1869
Athletic director	Patrick E. Hobbs
Head coach	Greg Schiano
	15th year, 87–95 (.478)
Home stadium	SHI Stadium
Year built	1994
Stadium capacity	52,454
Stadium surface	Field Turf
Location	Piscataway, New Jersey, U.S.
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Division	none
	All-time history
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Historical Teams
	1869
All-time record	671–695–42 (.491)
Postseason bowl record	7–5 (.583)
Claimed national titles	1 (1869)
Conference titles	1, as member of Big East Conference
Division titles	3 (Middle Atlantic)
Heisman winners	0
Consensus All-Americans	Template:American college football All-Americans 3
	Current uniform
Colors	Crimson, Black, and White
Fight song	"The Bells Must Ring"
Mascot	Scarlet Knight
Marching band	Marching Scarlet Knights
Rivals	Maryland Terrapins; Penn State Nittany Lions ; Syracuse Orange; Princeton Tigers (former)
Outfitter	Nike
Website	ScarletKnights.com

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers University located in New Brunswick and Piscataway, New Jersey.

The Scarlet Knights are a member of the NCAA FBS Big Ten Conference, which they joined in 2014. Previously Rutgers had been a member of the American Athletic Conference (formerly the Big East Conference) from 1991 to 2013. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team is notable for playing in the first ever intercollegiate football game in 1869, in which they defeated Princeton University by a score of 6–4. For this reason, Rutgers has been described as "the birthplace of college football."

The Scarlet Knights play their home games at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, NJ and are currently coached by Greg Schiano.

Affiliations[]

2014-present - Big Ten Conference
2013 - American Athletic Conference
1991-2012 - Original Big East
1962-1990 - NCAA 1-A independent

Championships[]

National championships[]

Rutgers has one national championship, winning it in the first season of intercollegiate football in the United States. NCAA-designated major selector Parke Davis chose both Rutgers and Princeton as national champion, the teams split two matches 1-1.^[1]

National Championships
Season	Coach	Selector	Record
1869	No coach	Parke H. Davis	1–1

Conference championships[]

Rutgers has won one conference championship.

Conference Championships
Season	Conference	Coach	Overall Record	Conference Record
2012†	Big East Conference	Kyle Flood	9–4	5–2

† Co-champions

Division titles[]

Rutgers has won three division titles. During their time in the Middle Atlantic Conferences, the conference established three leagues that were referred to as Divisions (University, Northern College, and Southern College), with no one true conference champion.^[2]

Division Championships
Season	Division	Coach	Overall Record	Conference Record
1958	University Division	John Stiegman	8–1	4–0
1960	University Division	John F. Bateman	8–1	4–0
1961	University Division	John F. Bateman	9–0	4–0

Bowl games[]

Rutgers has played in ten bowl games. They have a record of 6-4.^[3]

Bowl Game history
Season	Coach	Bowl	Opponent	Result
1978	Frank R. Burns	Garden State Bowl	Arizona State	L 18–34
2005	Greg Schiano	Insight Bowl	Arizona State	L 40–45
2006	Greg Schiano	Texas Bowl	Kansas State	W 37–10
2007	Greg Schiano	International Bowl	Ball State	W 52–30
2008	Greg Schiano	PapaJohns.com Bowl	North Carolina State	W 29–23
2009	Greg Schiano	St. Petersburg Bowl	Central Florida	W 45–24
2011	Greg Schiano	New Era Pinstripe Bowl	Iowa State	W 27–13
2012	Kyle Flood	Russell Athletic Bowl	Virginia Tech	L 10–13^OT
2013	Kyle Flood	New Era Pinstripe Bowl	Notre Dame	L 16–29
2014	Kyle Flood	Quick Lane Bowl	North Carolina	W 40–21
2021	Greg Schiano	Gator Bowl	Wake Forest	L 10–38
2023	Greg Schiano	Pinstripe Bowl	Miami (Fl)	W 31–24

Seasons[]

2020s[]

Year	Coach	Record
2024	Greg Schiano	7-6
2023	Greg Schiano	7-6
2022	Greg Schiano	4-8
2021	Greg Schiano	5-8
2020	Greg Schiano	3-6

2010s[]

Year	Coach	Record
2019	Chris Ash; Nunzio Campanile	2-10
2018	Chris Ash	1-11
2017	Chris Ash	4-8
2016	Chris Ash	2-10
2015	Kyle Flood	4-8
2014	Kyle Flood	8-5
2013	Kyle Flood	6-7
2012	Kyle Flood	9-4
2011	Greg Schiano	9-4
2010	Greg Schiano	4-8

2000s[]

Season	Coach	Record
2009	Greg Schiano	9-4
2008	Greg Schiano	8-5
2007	Greg Schiano	8-5
2006	Greg Schiano	11-2
2005	Greg Schiano	7-5
2004	Greg Schiano	4-7
2003	Greg Schiano	5-7
2002	Greg Schiano	1-11
2001	Greg Schiano	2-9
2000	Terry Shea	3-8

1990s[]

Season	Coach	Record
1999	Terry Shea	1-10
1998	Terry Shea	5-6
1997	Terry Shea	0-11
1996	Terry Shea	2-9
1995	Doug Graber	4-7
1994	Doug Graber	5-5-1
1993	Doug Graber	4-7
1992	Doug Graber	7-4
1991	Doug Graber	6-5
1990	Doug Graber	3-8

1980s[]

Season	Coach	Record
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980

1900s[]

Season	Coach	Record
1909	Herman Pritchard
1908	Joeseph T. Smith
1907	Frank Gorton
1906	Frank Gorton
1905	Oliver D. Mann	3-6
1904	Alfred Ellet Hitchner	1-6-2
1903	Oliver D. Mann	4-4-1
1902	Henry Van Hoevenberg	3-7
1901	Arthur P. Robinson	0-7
1900	Michael F. Daly	4-4

1890s[]

Season	Coach	Record
1899	William V. B. Van Dyck	2-9
1898	William V. B. Van Dyck	1-6-1
1897	John C. B. Pendleton	2-6
1896	John C. B. Pendelton	6-6
1895	Wiliam Ayres Reynolds, H. W. Ambruster	3-4
1894	None	4-6
1893	None	0-4
1892	None	3-5-1
1891	Williams Ayres Reynolds	8-6
1890	None	5-5-1

1880s[]

Season	Coach	Record
1889	None	1-4
1888	None	1-6-1
1887	None	2-6
1886	None	1-3
1885	None	0-1
1884	None	3-4
1883	None	1-6
1882	None	6-4
1881	None	2-4-1
1880	None	2-2

1870s[]

Season	Coach	Record
1879	None	1-2-3
1878	None	1-2-1
1877	None	1-2
1876	None	1-0
1875	None	1-1-1
1874	None	1-3
1873	None	1-2
1872	None	1-1-1
1871	None	None
1870	None	1-1

1860s[]

Season	Coach	Record
1869	None	1-1

Notable Players/Alumni[]

Rutgers has had many key contributing players in its 142-year history of college football. Dating back to the 1910s, the university has had several All-American candidates as well as a couple of once potential Heisman Trophy candidates in its storied history.

1910's: - Paul Robeson, who was born in Princeton, NJ played under future College Football Hall of Fame coach George Sanford. In his junior and senior years, playing as an end, Robeson was selected as an All-American in 1917 and 1918. After college, he played three years in the early NFL, first with the Akron Pros in 1921 and then the Milwaukee Badgers in 1922. Robeson himself was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1995.

1920's: - Homer Hazel first played for Rutgers in 1915, and then from 1923 to 1924. He was twice named an All-American, as an end in 1923 and a fullback in 1924. Hazel was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1951.

1950's: - Bill Austin, a native of Fanwood, NJ was one of the first recognized players from Rutgers. Gifted with a twisting and elusive running style, Austin led the Scarlet Knights in rushing three straight seasons. Despite being undersized at 5'11 and 170 lbs, Austin rushed for 2,073 yards while ranking up 204 points in his career with Rutgers. His 32-touchdown career ranks second in the Rutgers annals among all-time scorers and he had 13 interceptions from his defensive back position, which is one short of the all-time mark. Austin was inducted into the Rutgers Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and was recognized as an AP All-American in 1958. That year, Austin led the team to an 8–1 record, though the team could've gone 9-0 if Austin did not sit out the Quantico Marines game with an apparent hand injury. Austin was also considered[by whom?]a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, though the award was won by Pete Dawkins of Army that year. Austin went on to play for the Washington Redskins after being drafted in 1959.

1960's: - By the 1960s, Alex Kroll came onto the scene as a formidable opponent. At 6'2 228 lbs playing center, Kroll played was enrolled at Yale for two seasons before serving in the Army. He later formed a bond with the football captains at Rutgers before deciding to transfer there. Kroll was extremely physical in the trenches, giving way to his spot as the captain of the team in 1961. In his senior year biography, "his performance and leadership in 1960 helped Rutgers to a season which surpassed even the most optimistic of the previews. He has size, speed, hustle, and an uncanny ability to call defenses best equipped to stop the enemy." Kroll was an excellent student in the classroom, played linebacker at times, and helped lead Rutgers to a 17–1 record in his time at Rutgers, earning him AP All-American center award in the undefeated season of 1961.

1970's: - The 1970's featured several great players for the Scarlet Knights. From 1971 to 1973, running back JJ Jennings tore up the record books, ranking him third all time at Rutgers with 2,935 yards rushing. He also led the nation in scoring during the 1973 season, with Honorable Mention of the AP All-American team.

In the late 1970s, Rutgers football, led by coach Frank R. Burns, showed the nation its capabilities with an undefeated record in 1976 (11-0). That year included Rutgers star defensive tackle, Nate Toran, who finished his career with 52 sacks including 17 in 1976. Toran earned third team AP All-American that year and was joined by honorable mentions John Alexander, Jim Hughes, Henry Jenkins, and Mark Twitty.

1980's: - An array of different players from the 1980s led Rutgers to match-ups against teams such as Penn State, Michigan State, Alabama, and more. During that time, future Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Deron Cherry, then a standout safety for Rutgers, was an honorable AP All-American in 1980, followed by his teammate quarterback Ed McMichael.

Other standouts included Jim Dumont Sr. and Tyronne Stowe, who holds the all-time record of 533 tackles. In the late 1980s, Scott Erney was an Honorable AP All-American mention, leading the team to key victories in 1988 over Michigan State and Penn State. Wide receiver Eric Young, who later went on to play baseball in the MLB, was another Honorable AP All-American mention.

1990's: - The early 1990s brought in a great recruiting class for Rutgers football, featuring running backs Bruce Presley and Terrell Willis. Together they were known as "Thunder and Lightning," they racked up 5,889 yards combined earning Presley 2nd team Freshman All-American honors in 1992, and Willis 1st team Freshman All-American honors in 1993.

In 1994, tight end Marco Battaglia came onto the scene as a force. In his career "on the banks," Marco went from 27 catches, to 58, to 69 catches in 1995. With great size at 6'3", 245 lbs, he was drafted in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft.

2000's - Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice is a player who has stood out as a major icon in Rutgers Football. Recruited out of New Rochelle HS in New York, Rice beat out four other running backs his freshman year to earn a starting spot in 2005. He racked up 1,120 yards that season. In 2006, Rice finished second in the nation in rushing and was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, given to the best player in the country. By 2007, Rutgers University had set up a Heisman campaign for Rice. By the end of his career, Ray had amassed 4,926 yards on the ground and leads the Rutgers record book in almost every rushing category. He was 2nd team AP All-American two years in a row ('06-'07). Wide receiver Kenny Britt, and defensive back Devin McCourty were also Honorable Mentions on the AP All-American team during their careers. Quarterback Gary Nova recruited out of Don Bosco Prep HS in New Jersey, Nova holds sev eral passing records at Rutgers, with 73 career touchdown passes, making him number one in that category in the programs history. Gary is also number two in passing yards with 9,258 placing him second behind Mike Teel who passed for 9,383 yards. Nova is also number one in attempts and number two in completions in his career at Rutgers.