Rutgers will be one of USC's few Big Ten 'breather' games in 2026

The RutgersScarlet Knights could not afford to lose talent this offseason, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Losing starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is significant; he was the engine for the offense. The Scarlet Knights have two solid pieces on offense in Antwan Raymond and KJ Duff; however, those two can not make up for other holes on this roster.

In a recent article, Bjorn Bergstrom projects the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to take a step in the wrong direction this upcoming season. Here is what he had to say:

“Given the loss of experienced quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, the Scarlet Knights don’t project to be very good offensively. Running back Antwan Raymond will have to carry a heavy load in his second season as the starter. Those issues, combined with a porous defense, mean a winless season in conference play could be on the table.”

Rutgers finished the season 5-7 last year, and they were one of the better bottom teams in the conference. This season, they will be competing with the Purdue Boilermakers for the worst team according to Bergstrom’s projection. Rutgers has special players that can go off for individual great performances, but this team will be a team that top-tier teams like the USC Trojans will need to take advantage of for their own seeding in the standings. USC will face Rutgers in Week 4, and that will be the perfect tune-up game prior to a game with a lot at stake vs the Oregon Ducks.

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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Rutgers will be one of USC’s few Big Ten ‘breather’ games in 2026