Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) break down the 2026 Rutgers Scarlet Knights roster and what to expect in the Big Ten this season. Is Greg Schiano’s seat really warming up after a 5-7 season pushed his hot-seat meter to 6 out of 10? Can Boston College transfer Dylan Lonergan take over an offense that finished 44th in total offense last fall?
Can offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca get more out of a Rutgers offense that ranked 26th in passing but only 84th on the ground in 2025? Will new defensive coordinator Travis Johansen fix a unit that finished 127th in total defense and 131st against the run? Is Greg Schiano’s 99-108 career record at Rutgers enough to hold the Big Ten off? How does a brutal draw with USC, Michigan and Penn State set up for the Scarlet Knights? Did Rutgers do enough in the portal to climb out of the Big Ten basement? And where’s the betting value on the Rutgers win total, Big Ten odds and College Football Playoff chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Greg Schiano And The Rutgers Hot Seat
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2026 preview opens on the man in charge. First, Greg Schiano is back for another year in Piscataway with a 99-108 record across his time at Rutgers. Then the guys put his hot seat at 6 out of 10, so the pressure is real but not boiling over. Because the Big Ten keeps getting deeper, the margin for a step back keeps shrinking. Meanwhile the guys debate whether Rutgers even belongs in this league given the budget gap. Next they map what a make-or-break 2026 looks like for the staff.
The 2025 tape sets up the whole conversation. Rutgers went 5-7 last fall and finished 2-7 in Big Ten play, so the bowl streak snapped. First the guys note the team went just 2-2 in one-score games, so the record could have swung either way. Then they walk through a season that ended a few points short of bowl eligibility. Because so many games stayed close, the guys see a roster that is not far off. From there they weigh whether year two of this build pushes back toward six wins.
The Offense And The Quarterback Question
The Rutgers offense gives the guys plenty to chew on. Last season the unit finished 44th in total offense and 26th in passing, so the arm talent was there. First, coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca returns for a sixth season to run it back. Then the guys dig into a run game that sat 84th and needs more push up front. Because Rutgers returns just 49 percent of its offensive production, the staff has to rebuild a big chunk of the two-deep. From there they map where the points actually come from this fall.
At quarterback the guys keep the job open. Rutgers brought in Boston College transfer Dylan Lonergan, who started nine games for the Eagles by way of Alabama. He threw 12 touchdowns against 5 interceptions in that stretch, so he arrives with real starting experience. First the guys weigh whether Lonergan locks down the room or has to earn it in camp. Then they break down what he adds to a passing attack that already ranked in the top 30. Because the job is not settled, the guys treat him as the front-runner rather than the sure thing.
Travis Johansen And The Rutgers Defense
The defense is where the biggest change lives. Rutgers hired Travis Johansen as its new coordinator after a strong run at South Dakota. First, he inherits a unit that finished 127th in total defense and 131st against the run in 2025. Then the guys get into how much of a teardown this really is on that side of the ball. Because the group returns just 46 percent of its production, plenty of new faces have to grow up fast. Meanwhile the Big Ten throws physical run games and deep passing attacks at you every week.
The rebuild will take more than one hire to fix. Rutgers ranked 117th in scoring defense and 76th against the pass a year ago, so the whole unit needs to climb. First the guys weigh the returning starters against all the churn in the front seven. Then they ask whether Johansen can lift this defense enough to steal a few extra wins. Because close games decided so much last season, the guys stress that stops in the fourth quarter are the difference. From there they judge how fast this side of the ball can turn.
The 2026 Big Ten Schedule And Win Total
The 2026 slate does Rutgers no favors. First, the Scarlet Knights open with UMass at home before a Week 2 date with Boston College. Then USC rolls into the schedule in Week 3 as a real measuring stick. From there the Big Ten grind takes over with Indiana, Maryland and Northwestern in the middle of the year. Next comes the brutal back stretch of Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska. Also waiting late are Penn State and a Week 13 rivalry date with Michigan State.
Then the guys close it out where the betting value lives. The Rutgers win total sits at 5.5 games, so they dig into that number hard. First they weigh a 5-7 team against a schedule loaded with ranked opponents. Then they get into the Big Ten odds at +100000 and the +25000 College Football Playoff long shot. Because the non-conference draw and the coordinator change swing so much, the guys bracket a bowl push against a step back. Finally they hand you the read they trust on the Scarlet Knights heading into the fall.
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Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
02:45 Colby & Money Mac Kick Off The Show
05:13 Grading The 2025 Season
09:03 Greg Schiano’s Hot Seat & Big Ten Fit
17:27 Schiano’s Tenure Record & What’s Next
20:09 Offense By The Numbers
21:05 Dylan Lonergan Takes Over At QB
25:56 Travis Johansen Arrives On Defense
28:29 Rutgers’ Budget & 2026 Unit Outlook
31:41 The Birthplace Of College Football & NIL Beer
35:49 Tailgating At Rafferty’s & Stadium Traditions
39:10 State Of The Program & Bowl History
42:03 Week 1 Vs. UMass
46:26 Weeks 2-3: Boston College & USC
49:06 Howard, Indiana & Maryland On Deck
53:19 Northwestern, Michigan & The Back Stretch
56:22 Win Total & Best/Worst Case Scenarios
58:30 Who Should Be On Rutgers’ Schedule
1:00:15 Socials, Plugs & What’s Next
1:01:15 Rutgers History Slideshow & Outro
