The Matchup
Nebraska completes its abbreviated 2020 regular season this weekend, when the Huskers take on Rutgers in the Big Ten’s Champions Week matchup. The contest will be played at Rutgers’ SHI Stadium on Friday, Dec. 18, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. Central (4 p.m. local time). The game will be broadcast on KBBN 95.3 FM with coverage on the Huskers Sports Network beginning at 1 p.m.
Nebraska comes into the Champions Week game with a 2-5 record following a 24-17 setback against Minnesota on Saturday in Lincoln. The Huskers fell behind by 10 points in the first quarter, but rallied to take a second-quarter lead. However, Nebraska could not get its offense moving in the second half ,and Minnesota controlled the clock to secure the victory.
The Huskers will be facing the Scarlet Knights for the first time since 2017, and making their first trip to Piscataway since a 2015 victory. Nebraska holds a 4-0 edge in the all-time series between the two schools, including a 3-0 mark since Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2014.
Rutgers comes into the game with a 3-5 record, following a 27-24 overtime victory at Maryland on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights are one of the nation’s most improved teams in 2020, posting three Big Ten wins after going winless in league play in 2018 and 2019.
Coach Greg Schiano is completing the first season of his second stint as Rutgers’ head coach. Schiano guided Rutgers from 2001 to 2011, before moving on to the professional ranks. Schiano’s team features a balanced offense that completes better than 63 percent of its passes. The Scarlet Knights have featured an opportunistic defense, forcing 15 turnovers in eight games this season.
Series History: Nebraska vs. Rutgers
Friday’s game will mark the fifth all-time meeting between Nebraska and Rutgers and the fourth as members of the Big Ten Conference. This will be the first meeting since 2017, and the first under Coach Scott Frost.
• Nebraska owns a 4-0 series edge over the Scarlet Knights. The average margin of victory in those four games is 18.3 points per game.
• This will be the second all-time meeting in Piscataway. The Huskers won at Rutgers, 31-14, in 2015.
• Nebraska and Rutgers are next scheduled to meet in the regular season on Sept. 24, 2022, in Piscataway.
