It’s officially football season on the banks of the Raritan, and Rutgers is off to a pretty eventful start. Even if you’re not considered the “sports girlie” of the friend group, football is not the only thing that happens during the games (if you know, you know). The first three home games have already been filled with so much drama, touchdowns, and fun, making it totally worth attending. Whether you were physically at SHI stadium flaunting scarlet gameday outfits, waving your white pompoms and screaming, or just stalking the Knights’ score on your phone late at night while studying, here’s the current scoop for the Rutgers 2025 football season.
The season opener gave all of us Scarlet Knights minor heart attacks, with the ending score being 34-31, as we pulled off a win against Ohio University. There were so many moments catching students at the edge of their seats, thinking,
“OMG, please don’t blow this!”
With the crowd eagerly waiting for the game to start, the fans were insane (in the best way possible). So much passion, and so much pride! From the entrance of the players of our team to the Scarlet Knight on an actual horse to giving out free TVs, the first game was a true representation of community, since, of course, we are the birthplace of college football! With such a close game in our favor, fans are bound to be excited for the next one.
Next up was Rutgers against Miami of Ohio. The universe literally tried to rain on our parade with the disgusting rainfall that Saturday. The game got delayed due to the weather. My friend’s phone actually drowned while walking to SHI, and she had to get a new one due to the water damage. Even with all that, though, the game did eventually start, and we absolutely dominated with a 45-17 win. I want to give a big shoutout to our quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis, who scored FOUR touchdowns, and to our wide receiver, Ian Strong, who caught everything like he owed it money. This game proved that Scarlet Knights rise regardless of the circumstances: Wet hair, don’t care.
Our third game was a blowout against Norfolk State, with us dominating them with an ending score of 60-10. Yup, you read that right. Rutgers essentially treated this game as a practice scrimmage with how effortless the win was. Of course, there was another blocked punt, and even our backups got some time to shine! We were doing so well, it was the perfect excuse to take super cute gameday pics without worrying about the score. Rutgers is definitely giving major main character energy this year!
The Blackout game was the moment of the season so far, and to be honest, this game felt like a campus-wide party disguised as a football game. EVERYONE was there. Seriously, this year it attracted a record crowd of 55,942 people. Envision this. Tens of thousands of fans dressed in black (with some specks of yellow, Iowa’s colors), stadium lights perfectly coordinated for the “Light Up the Knight” show on a beautiful, clear sky, fireworks bursting, and the marching band glowing on the field. Even before kickoff, the energy was electric. Fans were so excited, myself included. We also had a little bit of a situation, because Mike “the Situation” from Jersey Shore came! I fangirled so hard when I saw his face on the screen. How could you not? Yes, the mood did go down a little when the game started and Iowa scored a pretty epic touchdown 14 seconds in, but Rutgers fought back shortly after with a touchdown and even bigger plays throughout. Eventually, we did lose, with the game ending 38-28, and the loss did sting a bit, but between the outfits, vibes, and the whole campus coming alive under the lights, it was a night you’ll talk about long after the score fades. The Blackout game showed that Rutgers Football isn’t just about wins and losses; it’s about the experiences and moments we all share.
What to look forward to next? Even more Big 10 mashups, which bring even more hype to the campus. We’ve got Oregon and Maryland for the next home games, along with…Penn State. Dun dun dunn. A rivalry so deep that we’ve already got students itching to watch it, especially me. We’re ready to have our team tested, and we’re ready to emerge victorious. Even if we have a few upsets, the experience is what counts. The massive sea of red and black, the music, the shared energy of thousands of students screaming RU RAH RAH, is what makes Rutgers football so special. If you haven’t attended a game yet, it is very simple. Grab your friends, create cute game day fits, and be prepared to scream to the point of losing your voice. Because this isn’t just football season. It’s about the memories, pride, and proving that Rutgers truly knows how to put on a show.