(BCSNN) — We've got more college football headed our way on Thursday night with Rutgers hosting defending Mid-American Conference champion Ohio at SHI Stadium. The matchup, set for 6 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network, marks a critical early test for two programs with postseason ambitions and momentum from strong 2024 campaigns.
Rutgers enters the season following a 7–6 finish and a Rate Bowl appearance, its best record since rejoining the Big Ten in 2014. Head coach Greg Schiano returns for his fifth consecutive season in his second stint and has built what many believe is his most complete roster since the program’s Big East heyday. With a veteran offensive line and a retooled defense, the Scarlet Knights are aiming to push for a bowl bid and potentially surprise in a loaded Big Ten East.
Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, a former Minnesota transfer, returns after throwing for 2,684 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. He’ll be supported by a backfield led by Antwan Raymond and FAU transfer CJ Campbell Jr., who combined for over 1,300 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns in 2024. The receiving corps features breakout candidate Ian Strong and North Texas transfer DT Sheffield, who caught 11 touchdowns last season.
Ohio, meanwhile, comes to Piscataway riding a seven-game win streak and fresh off its first MAC title since 1968. The Bobcats finished 11–3 last season and defeated Jacksonville State in the Cure Bowl, capping a historic run under former head coach Tim Albin. New head coach Brian Smith, promoted from offensive coordinator, inherits a program with championship pedigree and a veteran quarterback in Parker Navarro.
Navarro, a graduate senior, posted a 12–2 record as a starter and earned MVP honors in both the MAC Championship and Cure Bowl. He threw for 2,509 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing for 412 yards and six scores. Ohio’s offense, which led the MAC in rushing and third-down efficiency last season, returns key playmakers including wideouts Chase Hendricks and Rodney Harris II.
Defensively, Rutgers will lean on a rebuilt front seven featuring transfers Bradley Weaver (Ohio) and Eric O’Neill (James Madison), while linebacker Daniel Djabome anchors the middle after a 105-tackle season. The secondary includes Penn State transfer Cam Miller and UNLV’s Jett Elad, part of a unit expected to improve after allowing 25.4 points per game in 2024.
Ohio’s defense, which ranked 12th nationally in points allowed last season, returns standout safety DJ Walker and edge rusher Tank Pearson. The Bobcats will need to contain Rutgers’ ground game and pressure Kaliakmanis to stay competitive. Smith emphasized discipline and tempo control as keys to pulling off the upset.
The Scarlet Knights are favored by 14.5 points, but Ohio has covered in nine of its last 14 games and enters with confidence. For Rutgers, the opener is a springboard into a brutal Big Ten slate that includes Oregon, Penn State, and Ohio State. For Ohio, it’s a chance to validate its status as a Group of Five (or is it Group of Six now) power and build toward another MAC title run.
Thursday’s game marks the first meeting between the programs and sets the tone for two teams with postseason aspirations. In a season where expectations are rising in both Piscataway and Athens, the opener could be a defining moment for the Bobcats and Scarlet Knights.
