Indiana football: No hiccups against Scarlet Knights in Week 8

Indiana football looks to refocus after snapping its five-game winning streak against Rutgers in 2021 with a 38-3 blowout loss in Bloomington on November 13. The Hoosiers’ 35-point loss to the Scarlet Knights last season is it’s largest loss in school history against Rutgers and largest home loss against an unranked opponent since losing by 48 points (62-14) against unranked Wisconsin in Bloomington on November 10, 2012.

We spotlight Indiana football facing the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in Week 8:

Opponent: Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Date/Time: Saturday, October 22nd at 12pm EST
TV: TBD
Location: SHI Stadium – Piscataway, New Jersey
All-time Head-to-Head Record: 5-3-0 (.625)

Offensive Key Player

Kyle Monangai – #23 – RB

Monangai has shown flashes of his ability to be a lead back in a power conference team backfield, and finished last season with the third most rushing yards (235) on the team, though he had 40 less attempts rushing behind starting quarterback, Noah Vedral, and star running back, Isaih Pacheco. The sophomore back finished with four rushing touchdowns and finished the 2021 season decently as a receiver with 10 receptions for 68 yards out of the backfield.

In many instances, Monangai is heading for a potential breakout season for 2022, as he really has no competition as the lead running back for the Scarlet Knights, especially with the quarterback situation in limbo. With a spotty and struggling offensive line, Monangai will have to take control of the offense and lead Rutgers back to relevance.

Defensive Key Player

Robert Longerbeam – #7 – DB

Longerbeam forced a fumble against the Hoosiers in 2021 and was all over the field for Rutgers in that game. He finished his strong freshman campaign with the second-most passes defended (nine) on the team and 31 total tackles. As a sophomore, Longerbeam is in line to improve on his freshman season and lead the struggling Rutgers’ defense that lost many of their best players from 2021.

Overall Outlook

Rutgers seems to be preparing for a downfall this season as they lost their leading rusher (Isiah Pacheco), leading receiver (Bo Melton), and leading tackler (Olakunle Fatukasi) from an underwhelming 2021 season. Yes, the Hoosiers are in a similar position, but the firepower and experience on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, along with the leadership from Tom Allen should lead to a road win for Indiana football against the Scarlet Knights in Week 8.