Rutgers Scores on Eight Straight Possessions
Rutgers put together its most complete offensive performance of the season on Friday night, routing Howard 58-7 behind three rushing touchdowns from Antwan Raymond and a career night from receiver KJ Duff Jr. The Scarlet Knights scored on their first eight possessions and built a 41-7 halftime lead before the reserves took over in the second half.
Raymond carried the load early, piling up 140 yards and finding the end zone three times in the first half alone. Quarterback Dylan Lonergan matched him blow for blow, completing 12 of 17 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns, including a 77-yard strike to Duff on Rutgers’ second drive of the game.
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Duff Ties an FBS Mark
Duff finished with five catches for 131 yards and a touchdown, extending his streak of games with a receiving score to five straight and setting a new Rutgers record in the process. His seven receiving touchdowns on the season now tie him for the national lead among FBS receivers, a number that puts him squarely in the conversation among the Big Ten’s top targets heading into October.
Howard had no answer on either side of the ball. Running back Eden James broke off a 75-yard touchdown run and finished with 116 yards on just seven carries, but the Bison offense stalled everywhere else. Quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins completed just 5 of 14 passes for 38 yards, threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, and Howard finished the night with 184 total yards against Rutgers’ 534.
A Statement Before October
Friday’s rout gives Rutgers its first win of 2026, and it came with a performance that showed exactly what the offense looks like when Lonergan, Raymond and Duff are all clicking at once. The 534 yards of total offense marked a season high for the Scarlet Knights, who badly needed a lopsided result to settle nerves before Big Ten play resumes. The balance between the ground game and Duff’s big-play production is the formula the coaching staff will look to carry into tougher conference matchups ahead.
Howard, outmatched from the opening possession, will look to regroup on the FCS schedule before its next test. For Rutgers, the scoreboard mattered less than the process: eight straight scoring drives against any opponent is a rare feat, and it arrived at a point in the season when the Scarlet Knights needed proof the pieces could fit together.
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