Rutgers Football

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 175

HAND: 8½"

ARM: 31⅞"

WINGSPAN: 76½"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.39

3-CONE: 6.76

SHUTTLE: 4.25

VERTICAL: 36.5"

BROAD: 11'2"

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POSITIVES

— Competitive cornerback who doesn't give up on the play and plays through the whistle. Does a good job of swiping through the catch point and shows to be calm with the ball in the air.

— Triggers quick to the run and screens, flying up to the ball-carrier and showing the willingness and aggressive mindset to tackle.

— Very good in zone coverage. Showing vision, awareness, and good positioning with leverage.

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NEGATIVES

— Questionable top-end speed. Lacks the ideal recovery speed when trying to get back in phase with crossers and down the field.

— Good footwork but shows average burst when transitioning on the receiver and ball.

— Takes on blockers well but can be slow to disengage and runs around blocks at times, allowing running lanes.

— Though he flashes when tackling, he can be lackluster and inconsistent too often.

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2024 STATISTICS

— 12 Games, 45 Tackles, 1.5 TFL, 2 INT, 11 PBU

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NOTES

— Born Jan. 18, 2001

— Games Started: 31

— 3-Star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— 2024: Honorable Mention All-Big Ten; Team Captain

— 2023: Honorable Mention All-Big Ten

— Senior Bowl Invite

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OVERALL

Robert Longerbeam is a competitive and scrappy cornerback prospect out of Rutgers who plays bigger than his listed size. Standing at 5'11" and weighing 171 pounds, Longerbeam combines tenacity, vision, and awareness to excel in zone coverage and make plays on the ball. Despite his physical limitations, his willingness to tackle and his mental acuity make him a valuable depth piece and potential rotational player in the secondary.

In coverage, Longerbeam is best suited for zone schemes, where his vision and awareness allow him to position himself well and anticipate throws. He shows calmness with the ball in the air and does a good job of swiping through the catch point to disrupt receptions. In press coverage, Longerbeam is effective when he can get his hands on receivers early, using his competitiveness to fight for positioning. However, he struggles when giving free releases, as his lack of top-end speed and recovery ability can leave him exposed against faster receivers. His burst out of transitions is average, occasionally allowing separation on shorter routes, and he can be stacked behind receivers downfield.

Longerbeam triggers quickly to the run, flying downhill with an aggressive mindset. He isn't afraid to take on blockers and shows good angles and leverage when approaching ball-carriers. However, his thinner frame can make disengaging from blocks a challenge, and he occasionally runs around blocks rather than engaging directly, leaving open running lanes. While he flashes the ability to deliver strong tackles, his overall tackling consistency leaves room for improvement, as he can miss tackles or fail to bring down bigger, stronger runners.

Robert Longerbeam projects as a late-round pick or priority free agent who can contribute as a backup cornerback and special teams player. His competitiveness, awareness in zone coverage, and willingness to support the run make him a valuable addition to a secondary in need of depth. While his lack of top-end speed and inconsistent tackling may limit his ceiling, Longerbeam's instincts and effort provide a solid foundation for development in a reserve or sub-package role.

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GRADE: 6.0 (Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 221

POSITION RANK: CB25

PRO COMPARISON: Tre Brown

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

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Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 187

HAND: 9⅛"

ARM: 32⅛"

WINGSPAN: 76⅝"

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.39

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL: 40.5"

BROAD: 11'4"

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POSITIVES

— Versatile defensive back with good size and length. Has plenty of snaps aligned as a slot and outside cornerback.

— Shows good awareness in zone coverage with proper spacing. Displays great anticipation of routes and quickly reacts to threats. Does a great job of playing the ball when he is able to see it thrown.

— Aggressive and physical defender in the run game. Takes on blocks with his hands and looks to quickly discard. Very good in close quarters and performs best when close to the line of scrimmage. Triggers and fills gaps in the backfield.

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NEGATIVES

— Lacks recovery speed when out of position, which leads to him struggling to close separation out of breaks. Plays with high pad level, which causes him to round his breaks at times.

— Can get caught staring at the quarterback too much. Doesn't trust his instincts to break and drive, which causes him to be late out of breaks.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 32 TOT, 4 TFL, 1 SK, 3 INT, 6 PD, 1 FR, 1 FF

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NOTES

— Born April 15, 2002

— 40 career starts

— 3-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Both parents played sports at Rutgers. His father, Gary, played wide receiver and running back from 1987-91, while his mother was a part of the women's basketball from 1989-1993

— His brother, Bo Melton, was a seventh-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2022 NFL draft and currently plays receiver for the Green Bay Packers

— 2023 fourth-team All-Big Ten (Phil Steele)

— 2023 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media)

— 2022 fourth-team All-Big Ten (Phil Steele)

— 2022 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media)

— 2021 fourth-team All-Big Ten (Phil Steele)

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OVERALL

Max Melton is a versatile defensive back with a good blend of length and athleticism. He has shown the scheme flexibility to play both man and zone coverages.

Melton's versatility presents itself within the pass game. Although he looks to be more of an outside cornerback in the NFL, he has the ability to align and cover from the slot.

As an outside cornerback, he often plays from press coverage, where he does a very good job of moving his feet and showing off his lateral movement skills. He has smooth enough hips to flip and run with receivers, although there are times where his high pad level can cause him to be slower to transition and allow separation out of breaks.

Melton looks to be at his best when he's in off coverage and zone, where he is able to see the routes develop in front of him and can see the ball thrown. When he can see the flight of the ball, he does a very good job of attacking it either through the catch point or capitalizing on the turnover. As he works down the field, he tends to be too handsy and face-guard the receiver too much, causing him to lose track of the ball.

As a run defender, Melton isn't afraid to get into the mix. He triggers downhill quickly and uses his agility to beat blocks and make plays in the backfield. Although he does a good job of using his hands to take on blocks, there are times in which bigger blockers can cause him trouble at times.

Melton is physical when tackling and cuts ball-carriers down at the legs. Not always a secure wrap tackler, he does a very good job of running through receivers and delivering good blows when in tight spaces.

Melton has the right pedigree and temperament to play cornerback in the NFL. He has the potential to carve out a significant role for a team a few years into his career.

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GRADE: 6.7 (Potential Role Player/ Contributor — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 104

POSITION RANK: CB15

PRO COMPARISON: Troy Pride Jr.

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

Rutgers defeated Miami 31-24 in the Pinstripe Bowl on Thursday, as head coach Greg Schiano's program won a bowl game for the first time since the 2014 season.

𝙏𝒉𝙚 𝙁𝒊𝙣𝒂𝙡 𝘾𝒉𝙤𝒑 ✔️ 🪓 pic.twitter.com/z67OkHMgL9

— Rutgers Football 🪓 (@RFootball) December 28, 2023

The Scarlet Knights leaned heavily on the ground game, as running back Kyle Monangai continued his stellar 2023 campaign by repeatedly dominating the Hurricanes' front seven. The Big Ten's leading rusher totaled 163 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, adding 17 more yards as a receiver.

Rutgers' defense also played a large role in the victory despite some early issues with penalties, stifling a Miami offense that entered the contest averaging 32.1 points per game. This was punctuated by an interception in the second quarter, setting the Scarlet Knights up to score a touchdown and take an early 14-0 lead.

When Miami recovered a late onside kick with a chance to tie the game at 31, Rutgers was able to force an immediate turnover on downs to seal the win. College football fans praised the Scarlet Nights for the victory in addition to Schiano for turning around a team that went 2-10 before his first season back to the school in 2020.

Rutgers wins their first bowl game since 2014📈 pic.twitter.com/XAraBpRLhT

— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 28, 2023

Going 7-6 at Rutgers is the equivalent to going undefeated at Ohio State. Schiano has been chopping the wood all season and it’s nice to see his hard work finally pay off. pic.twitter.com/5Tks8sdqEi

— Big Game Boomer (@BigGameBoomer) December 28, 2023

Rutgers football’s 31-24 win over Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl is its 7th ever in program history and 6th under Greg Schiano.

— Josh Meyers (@JoshCMeyers) December 28, 2023

Incredible way to end a huge year for the program:
- Exceeded expectations with 6 wins
- Bowl win vs. Miami
- Retained all but 1 starter from the NFL/Portal
- Best recruiting class in Schiano 2.0 Era#TrustTheProcess pic.twitter.com/ixJJLQgW7Z

— RutgersSportsTalk (@RutgersFBTalk) December 28, 2023

Rutgers went 7-6 with three-score wins over Virginia Tech, Northwestern and Indiana plus beating The U in Pinstripe Bowl. Not to mention Knights' schedule -- at Michigan, at PSU, at Iowa and home w Ohio State. RU plays hard and Schiano consistently gets most out of his roster.

— Neil Rudel (@NeilRudel) December 28, 2023

This guy came back and took over a program that was in SHAMBLES

People outside of Rutgers don’t understand how down bad we were

A bowl win and 7-6 record is incredible coaching job

Greg Schiano does not get enough credit for where he has gotten this team.

🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓 pic.twitter.com/oCBQaCz9KA

— CFBTalkDaily (@CFBTalkDaily) December 28, 2023

Look what Schiano does with a much less talented (on paper) team.

— VBCaneFan (@VBCaneFan) December 28, 2023

I genuinely respect the hell out of the way @GregSchiano coaches, and his players leave it on the line for him.

— Matt Vallee (@mvall13) December 28, 2023

Greg Schiano is such a good College Football coach.#Rutgers was very lucky to get him back. The Big Ten is very difficult and only getting harder but he will still get the absolute most out of his teams.

#PinstripeBowl

— CoachesTalk (@CoachesTalk) December 28, 2023

Greg Schiano is a sneaky great coach

— Coach Ray Ostrowski (@CoachRayO3313) December 28, 2023

For Miami, backup quarterback Jacurri Brown took the field after Tyler Van Dyke entered the transfer portal in Nov. and Emory Williams suffered a season-ending arm injury against Florida State in Week 11.

Brown struggled to find consistency through the air, passing for 181 yards and a touchdown to go along with the aforementioned interception. He was only able to muster 57 yards on his 15 rush attempts, although he scored two more touchdowns on the ground.

Rutgers has now made two bowl games in the past three seasons after going six straight years without appearing in one.

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 207

HAND: 9"

ARM: 31 ⅞"

WINGSPAN: 76 ⅜"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.78

3-CONE: 6.90

SHUTTLE: 4.25

VERTICAL: 37

BROAD: 9'8"

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POSITIVES

— Has good length with very good size for the cornerback position.

— Fluid backpedal, hips, transitions in coverage.

— Good ball skills, attacks the ball in air, high-points the ball well.

— Willing tackler in open space. Hard hitter who isn't afraid to throw his body around and lay the wood.

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NEGATIVES

— Lacks desired explosion and twitch. Top speed is average. Has trouble staying with more of the elite athletes.

— Plays high and upright at times. Shows tightness when sinking his hips to get out of breaks.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 games, 1 INT, 46 SOLO, 84 TOTAL TKL, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 4 PD, 1 FF

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NOTES

54 career starts

Hula Bowl participant

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OVERALL

Avery Young has been a versatile defensive back for Rutgers. He started 12 games at safety in each of the 2021 and 2022 seasons and started nine games at corner in 2020. His versatility in the secondary was largely due to his size and length that will translate to the next level.

In pass coverage, Young plays to his length and size, attacking passes in air. He shows good ball skills, consistently challenging the rock in the air. Young displays fluid footwork and movements in coverage, with a smooth backpedal and the ability to open his hips. He navigates from the safety position with ease of movement but lacks explosive change of direction or range.

In the run, Young showcases aggressiveness and a willingness to tackle. He has the ability to close and lay down hard hits. He is a reliable tackler in the open field and has the size to fight through run blocks. His lack of range hinders his ability to make tackles sideline-to-sideline, but he is more than capable of attacking the screen game or running game in a straight line from the deep safety position.

Young shows the ability to be fluid, aggressive and impactful at the cornerback position, using his size in press and disrupting short-area passes or runs from the position. His weaknesses as a player include the elite deep speed and short-area quickness. Young projects best at the SS position, adding depth to a team by stopping the run and covering tight ends.

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GRADE: 5.4 (Backup or UDFA with Roster Potential/UDFA)

OVERALL RANK: 273

POSITION RANK: CB32

PRO COMPARISON: Vernon Scott

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano played down any significance to the heated exchange he had with Ohio State's Ryan Day on the field Saturday.

Schiano told reporters it was merely "two coaches who protect their players":

It’s not Ryan Day and I. My player was in a sea of Ohio State players and it was closing fast. I wanted to make sure of two things: I wanted to stop our team from coming across the field (because) that’s how things get very ugly, and I wanted to make sure our player got out of there safely. We’re both very competitive guys. I have the upmost respect for Ryan. We’re good friends. We’re good. There’s no problem between us.

Up 39 points in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes ran a fake punt. Jesse Mirco went for 22 yards and was hit after going out of bounds. That triggered a brief shoving match between members of the two teams.

Rutgers/Ohio State players and coaches had to be separated on the field after this late hit. pic.twitter.com/NPZ0lN3lcy

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 1, 2022

Schiano walked toward the OSU sideline as well and had some choice words for Day.

Things are getting heated in Columbus 👀 pic.twitter.com/1ogLILcOKX

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 1, 2022

Like his counterpart, Day was quick to move on from the matter.

"You know, it's one coach defending their side against another coach," he told reporters. "No hard feelings at all. Talked to him after the game, and I have an unbelievable amount of respect for him."

Along with coaching in the same conference, Day and Schiano spent two seasons together on the Ohio State staff. Prior to succeeding Urban Meyer, Day was the Buckeyes' co-offensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018, when Schiano was an associate head coach and defensive coordinator.

Ohio State rolled over the Scarlet Knights 49-10 at Ohio Stadium. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Buckeyes have scored 49-plus points in nine straight contests against Rutgers, the longest such streak by one team over the same opponent since 1936.

Wake Forest ended 2021 on a high, beating Rutgers 38-10 in the Gator Bowl on Friday at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Demon Deacons' 11 wins tie a program record set in 2006.

They steadily wore down the Scarlet Knights, rolling up 453 total yards and scoring 24 unanswered points to close out the contest.

Head coach Dave Clawson and his staff only had around a week to draw up a new game plan after Rutgers replaced Texas A&M, which was forced to withdraw because of COVID-19-related issues.

In retrospect, the Big Ten may have wished Rutgers sat this one out. The result is the conference's first bowl loss of the 2021 season.

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Notable Performers

Sam Hartman, QB, Wake Forest: 23-of-39, 304 yards, three touchdowns; six carries, 21 yards

A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forest: 10 receptions, 127 yards, one touchdown

Johnny Langan, QB, Rutgers: 2-of-2, 21 yards; six carries, 20 yards; six receptions, 57 yards

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Hartman Exorcises Bowl Demons

Last year, Sam Hartman had a bowl season to forget. He threw four interceptions in the second half as Wake Forest suffered a 42-28 loss to Wisconsin in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. 

The redshirt sophomore explained to ESPN's David M. Hale how he began to prioritize his mental health following that defeat, reflecting how he wishes he had earlier in life.

Hartman clearly wasn't weighed down from any memories of last December as he threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first quarter against Rutgers.

Captain 👉 captain

The second career touchdown for @Bchap1997 🎩 https://t.co/H5kjLAviCn pic.twitter.com/6XY71wt1w0

— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) December 31, 2021

ACC receivers with 15 touchdowns in a season:

◾️ @atorian_perry - 2021
◾️ Kelvin Benjamin - 2013
◾️ Calvin Johnson - 2006
◾️ Andre Cooper - 1995

Tied for fifth in ACC history 📈 pic.twitter.com/RUcM6WF37T

— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) December 31, 2021

With the Demon Deacons offense sputtering a bit in the second half, Hartman broke off a 35-yard run on third down in the fourth quarter to get inside the red zone. Four plays later, he found Brandon Chapman for their second touchdown connection of the day.

His 50 total touchdowns in 2021 are the second-most in a single season by an ACC quarterback.

Hartman headlines a long list of starters set to return to Wake Forest in 2022. A second successive 10-win season is an attainable goal for next season.

Wake Forest in 2022 will be a classic test of brand bias in rankings. They return nearly everyone on offense from from a Top 10 offense and an 11-win team. Sam Hartman should be first-team All-ACC. Will voters believe?

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 31, 2021

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Rutgers Offense Runs Into Same Problems

The Scarlet Knights entered Friday at 118th in total offense, averaging 313.8 yards per game. They were also 109th in offensive SP+, per ESPN's Bill Connelly.

The Rutgers offense engineered a 12-play, 75-yard drive on its first possession of the game. Aaron Young capped it off with a 12-yard touchdown run.

Aaron Young runs it in for the touchdown ‼️

The 12 play, 75-yard drive ties the game at 7 with 5:11 remaining in the first quarter. @aaronyoung04 | #CHOP pic.twitter.com/JHxIsIqmTB

— Rutgers Football 🪓 (@RFootball) December 31, 2021

That wasn't a sign of things to come.

The Scarlet Knights were set up with a 1st-and-goal at the Wake Forest 10-yard line but had to settle for a 28-yard field goal from Valentino Ambrosio to make a 14-10 game. Their next trip into the red zone ended in an interception by Wake Forest defensive back Gavin Holmes.

After Hartman's touchdown passes, the Rutgers defense did a good job of stymying Wake Forest for stretches. The offense failed to capitalize, though, and that put far too much pressure on the defense over time.

All things considered, this wasn't a bad performance from Greg Schiano's team.

https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/1476973189293084673

Rutgers got a bunch of practices and a trip to Florida.

Hung around with Wake for a little while.

Good deal, all things considered.

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoATH) December 31, 2021

Broadly speaking, Schiano has the program headed in a positive direction. On Friday, Rutgers was simply overmatched by a better team.

Wake Forest has reportedly found its new opponent for the Gator Bowl after Texas A&M withdrew from the game because of COVID-19 issues within its program.

Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic reports that Rutgers will receive and accept a bid to face the No. 17 Demon Deacons on Dec. 31 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Auerbach noted that the Scarlet Knights have the highest APR among 5-7 teams. The NCAA oversight committee is expected to make the news official on Thursday.

Rutgers was 3-0 in non-conference games but ended the season with three losses in its last four contests. The team's last win was a 38-3 victory over Indiana on Nov. 13. In their last two losses of the season, the Scarlet Knights surrendered a combined 68 points while scoring only 16. 

Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson said on Wednesday that his team hoped to find a new opponent by Friday. After a stellar 10-3 season, the Demon Deacon players let Clawson know they still want to play in the game. It would be the program's first Gator Bowl appearance since 1946.

"Overwhelmingly, the captains, they want to play in the Gator Bowl," Clawson said. "That's what they said. We've worked really hard to get to a bowl of this caliber, of this prestige."

Clawson added that over 90 percent of the team has received a COVID-19 booster shot and the team is taking extra precautions such as wearing facemasks indoors, social distancing and limiting contact to ensure they'll be able to play.

Rutgers cornerbacks Chris Long and Malachi Melton have been suspended by the program after being arrested by university police on Tuesday morning. 

Per James Kratch of NJ.com, Long and Melton were charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose. 

Head coach Greg Schiano explained in a statement the incident involved a paintball gun. 

"I was informed that Chris Long and Malachi Melton were taken into police custody early this morning as a result of an incident involving a paintball gun," Schiano said. "Both players have been suspended immediately."

Citing municipal court records, Kratch noted the incident took place on Monday night and the two players were taken into custody on Tuesday morning. 

According to Kratch, Rutgers Police have not yet responded to NJ Advanced Media's request for the incident report.

Schiano gave no indication how long the suspensions for Melton and Long will last. Both players are freshmen for the Scarlet Knights. 

Melton appeared in all nine games and made six starts last season. The New Jersey native has four pass breakups and two interceptions in three games so far in 2021. 

Long has yet to record a statistic this season. He appeared in two games last year, against Ohio State and Maryland. 

Rutgers (3-0) is scheduled to take on No. 19 Michigan at The Big House on Saturday.    

Thursday night's scheduled college football game between Rutgers and Temple in Piscataway, New Jersey, has been moved to Saturday because of flooding caused by Hurricane Ida, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com).

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported the game will kick off at 12 p.m. ET.

NJ.com's Keith Sargeant first reported the game was in jeopardy because of "growing concern" about whether roads will be passable enough for fans to attend the game should it happen.

In a statement, Piscataway Township officials recommended the game be played without fans if it occurs:

"While Piscataway is a strong supporter of Rutgers University and fervent fans of Rutgers Football, if the Rutgers-Temple football game is still going to take place this evening, the Township is calling on the University to do so without fans. Township infrastructure is overwhelmed by the damage of Hurricane Ida and evacuations are still taking place this morning. Most importantly, search and rescue operations are ongoing. Piscataway Public Works and our first responders worked through the night to help residents and significant work continues today. Roadways in the Township cannot handle an influx of tens of thousands of people coming to the football game especially with the closure of Landing Lane Bridge."

Per Sargeant, Rutgers was expecting a sell-out crowd of over 50,000 fans for Thursday's game, and it's unclear if fans will be able to attend the rescheduled game Saturday. 

According to Sargeant, figures from the National Weather Service and Rutgers NJ Weather Network show that 6.53 inches of rain fell Wednesday in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

It was also noted by Sargeant that flooding of the Raritan River has led to the closure of some major roadways.

Additionally, CNN's Jennifer Gray, Brandon Miller and Taylor Ward reported that Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency in New Jersey.

Led by head coach Greg Schiano, Rutgers is looking to finish with a winning record in football for the first time since 2014.

With Schiano back last season for the first time since leaving after the 2011 campaign, the Scarlet Knights went 3-6, which was a step in the right direction after winning a total of three games in the previous two seasons combined.

Meanwhile, Temple is coming off a 1-6 season after finishing .500 or better in each of the previous six seasons, including 10-win campaigns in 2015 and 2016.

Per Action Network, the Scarlet Knights are 14.5-point favorites over the Owls should the game go ahead as scheduled.