Rutgers Football Slips to 78th in National Rankings Due to Brutal Schedule

The Scarlet Knights dropped 32 spots in Lindy's national preseason rankings for 2025. Despite stronger players, they sit at 78th. Their upcoming games pit them against nine bowl-caliber teams, one of the six most demanding schedules nationwide.

In Big Ten standings, they rank 16th, with just Northwestern and Purdue below them. Other publications paint a brighter picture: Athlon puts them at 12th, while Phil Steele ranks them 13th.

"There is more talent in the program than at any point during Schiano's return and the Scarlet Knights are coming off winning four Big Ten games for the first time since joining the league," published Lindy's magazine, according to NJ.com.

The front line shows promise. Bryan Felter earned third-team All-Big Ten recognition at left guard. Behind him, QB Athan Kaliakmanis returns after a milestone 2,000-yard passing season, a feat unseen at Rutgers in a decade.

Changes hit the defense as Mohamed Toure exits through transfer. Yet, All-Big Ten second-teamer Dariel Djabome stays put, ready to command the defense with Moses Walker.

Eric O'Neill brings fresh energy to the defensive end spot. At James Madison last year, he struck hard: 52 tackles, including 18.5 losses and 13 sacks across 13 matches.

The newest class ranks 36th in the nation. Twenty-two players started early, including 11 from New Jersey. Four-star talent Talibi Kaba stands out among the newcomers.

The real test comes late. After seven weeks without ranked foes, they face Oregon at home. Then it's straight into battles with Ohio State and Penn State.

With Kyle Monangai now in the NFL, the run game shifts to CJ Campbell and Antwan Raymond. They'll split carries this fall.

Coach Greg Schiano stays optimistic about his QB, saying he "can't wait to watch and see" Kaliakmanis develop in year two.