The biggest question each year is — can Rutgers get to six wins and qualify for a bowl game?
Head coach Greg Schiano accomplished this goal twice in recent years but fell short at 5-7 in 2025. The ultimate goal for the fall will to improve by at least one game and play in bowl season.
When looking at the schedule, there are some clear games that stick out as most important on the schedule.
2026 Rutgers Schedule Breakdown
Most Important Games
9/11 at Boston College
The goal was to pick one game that was the most important but when looking at the schedule, it was hard to decide to let’s make it two. It begins with Boston College. This is a place where Rutgers went in 2022 and won its season opener. This year, it is game two against a BC team that finished 2-10 last year. Do we really know what the Eagles are going to be this season? Rutgers will be coming off a UMass game to open and this is a chance to start 2-0 heading into Big Ten play. This is a massive game on the way to a potential six wins.
10/17 at Maryland
Has this turned into the most important game each year? For fans, it might have especially since it usually takes place in the final week of the year. Now, it has moved to the middle of October but it remains as important as ever. Rutgers will not have many chances to win conference road games. This is one against a Maryland team that lost its final eight games last season, including 35-20 to the Scarlet Knights. This is not an easy schedule for Rutgers and these two games are essential to make a jump.
Must-wins: vs. 9/3 UMass, 9/26 vs. Howard
This goes without saying. Rutgers always schedules the light non-conference games early. The schedule might look a little different this year but these are two wins on the way to six.
Very well could be, but will it?: 9/19 vs. USC, 10/24 at Northwestern, 11/14 vs. Nebraska, 11/28 vs. Michigan State
These games carry different weight. USC could have been in the section above but the time of year provides an interesting opportunity for Rutgers. It will have a win, potentially two, under its belt heading into the Big Ten opener, which will be played earlier than usual. A 42-20 loss in 2024 is the only meeting with the Trojans but this one will be at SHI Stadium early in the year. Anything could happen.
The other game that provides an interesting opportunity for different reasons in Nebraska. Rutgers has struggled to get those late-season wins in November as the schedule usually toughens up at this point. That will be the case once again with the likes of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Penn State. Mixed in will be the Huskers in Piscataway, which could be winnable.
The two games left are Northwestern and Michigan State in the finale. It feels difficult for Rutgers to get to six wins without winning these games — or at the very least one of them. The Northwestern game will be on the road but the Scarlet Knights should feel like they can compete. Also, if all breaks right, Rutgers could enter the season finale against the Spartans as a win-and-in game.
Not quite yet: 10/3 vs. Indiana, 10/31 vs. Michigan, 11/7 at Wisconsin, 11/21 at Penn State
Rutgers avoids Ohio State this year but the end of the year still provides a gauntlet that is not favorable. Indiana is coming off a National Championship, Wisconsin is on the road, and despite offseason drama, Michigan is still ahead. Also, Rutgers has never beaten Penn State and if it didn’t last year, it’s hard to imagine when the first win will come.
