Time: 2:30 pm CT
TV: BTN Lisa Byington (play-by-play), J Leman (analyst), Elise Menaker (reporter)
Radio: KFAN
Vegas line: Minnesota by 28.5
SP+: Minnesota No. 17, Rutgers No. 97
Massey Composite: Minnesota No. 23, Rutgers No. 123
RUTGERS 2019 RESULTS AND STATISTICAL LEADERS
W 48-21 vs. Massachusetts
L 30-0 at #20 Iowa
L 30-16 vs. Boston College
L 52-0 at #20 Michigan
L 48-7 vs. Maryland
L 35-0 at Indiana
Passing
Art Sitkowski: 44/68, 429 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT (OUT)
McLane Carter: 22/47, 368 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT (OUT)
Johnny Langan: 19/39, 172 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Isaih Pacheco: 89 carries, 384 yards (4.3 ypc), 4 TD
Raheem Blackshear: 29 carries, 88 yards (3.0 ypc), 0 TD (OUT)
Receiving
Raheem Blackshear: 29 receptions, 310 yards, 2 TD (OUT)
Bo Melton: 16 receptions, 255 yards, 1 TD
Isaiah Washington: 6 receptions, 91 yards, 0 TD
Mohamed Jabbie: 7 receptions, 65 yards
Aaron Young: 9 receptions, 57 yards
STATS COMPARISON
GAME NOTES
-- Minnesota and Rutgers have played just once before, with Minnesota winning 34-32 in 2016. The Gophers and Scarlet Knights won’t play again until 2022.
-- Chris Ash was fired on September 29. Tight ends coach Nunzio Campanile is serving as interim head coach and offensive coordinator for the rest of the season.
-- Rutgers is “the birthplace of college football” and has played the most games in college football history (1,355). The university is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first game this year, and is wearing throwback jerseys on Saturday.
-- Rutgers played Princeton in the first game of college football on Nov. 6, 1869. The Scarlet Knights won, 6-4. The game was played with two teams of 25 men each under rugby-like rules.
-- P.J. Fleck served on the Rutgers staff as wide receivers coach for two seasons (2010-11) under Greg Schiano. Joe Rossi and Jim Panagos coached at Rutgers from 2012-2015, Matt Simon coached at Rutgers from 2012-2013, and Rob Wenger worked at Rutgers in operations and player development from 2008-2009. Rutgers special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach Vince Okruch spent seven seasons on the Minnesota coaching staff.
-- The Scarlet Knights have just nine victories over AP-ranked opponents in their history, with the last one coming ten years ago against No. 23 USF.
-- Rutgers QB McLane Carter, a transfer from Texas Tech, decided to medically retire mid-season after suffering a concussion. Last season’s starting quarterback Artur Sitkowski, is redshirting this season. Running back Raheem Blackshear, a returning starter at running back, also opted to redshirt after Ash’s firing.
-- Minnesota is one of four teams in the nation with an eight game win streak. The last time Minnesota won eight straight games was 1948-49.
-- The Gophers have scored 112 points in their first three Big Ten games for the first time since 1934.
-- Rutgers has one player, backup safety Tre Avery, with a PFF grade of 75.0 or higher. The Scarlet Knights’ top rated starters are running back Isaih Pacheco (72.5), defensive tackle Willington Previlon (72.0), weakside linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi (71.4), and cornerback Avery Young (71.0).
-- Minnesota has 11 players with a PFF grade of 75.0 or higher who are recent starters or have played at least 150 snaps: Antoine Winfield Jr. (89.6), John Michael Schmitz (89.0), Sam Renner (87.6), Rashod Bateman (84.9), Ben St.-Juste (83.6), Rodney Smith (82.8), Tyler Johnson (82.4), Coney Durr (78.6), Carter Coughlin (77.8), Tanner Morgan (75.4), and Ko Kieft (75.4).
-- Rutgers has no players from Minnesota on their roster, and the Gophers have no players from New Jersey.