PHOENIX - Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano has had plenty of time to study up on Kansas State.
It's been nearly a month since the Scarlet Knights' blowout victory over Michigan State in the regular-season finale, and nearly two weeks since Schiano's team learned it would be playing the Wildcats in the Rate Bowl on Thursday at Chase Field.
"They are a really good team," Schiano said. "Some of the games that they lost easily could have or should have been wins. So when you look at them, this is quite a formidable opponent."
That makes Kansas State the latest such opponent that Rutgers has faced in an arduous season.
This is a big opportunity for the Scarlet Knights to close out the season on a high note as they make their second-straight postseason appearance, but beating a Kansas State team that boasts ample speed on both sides of the ball won't be easy.
The Wildcats had the third-best rushing offense in the Big 12 (204.5 yards per game) and best rushing defense (114.9 yards allowed per game). They're also giving up just 21.9 points per game, which ranks fifth in their conference.
If Rutgers can manage to get the victory, it'll reach the eight-win mark for the first time since 2014.
"In many ways, it's like looking in the mirror a little bit," Schiano said. "They play hard. I like to think our kids play hard."
Wes Durham will be on play-by-play alongside analyst Tom Luginbill with Dana Boyle reporting from the sidelines.
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Chris Carlin will be on play-by-play alongside analyst Julian Pinnix-Odrick with Anthony Fucilli reporting from the sidelines.
Series history: Rutgers and Kansas State have played just once before, and that meeting also came in a bowl game - the Texas Bowl in 2006, which the Scarlet Knights won 37-10 to close out an 11-2 campaign.
The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Johnson is a true dual-threat signal-caller. This season he's 202-of-342 passing for 2,517 yards with 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He's also rushed for 548 yards on 102 carries (5.4 yards per attempt) with six scores.
Johnson's speed is something Rutgers' defense is going to need to contain.
Schiano likened Johnson to former West Virginia quarterback Pat White.
"Pat White was the fastest guy on the field," Schiano said.
As if Johnson's speed won't be enough for Rutgers to handle, Edwards brings even more of it. The 5-foot-9, 167-pound running back this season has rushed for 350 yards on 56 carries (6.3 yards per attempt) with three touchdowns. Edwards spent the 2023 season at Colorado before transferring to Kansas State.
The second-year linebacker is one of the better defensive players in the Big 12. The 6-foot-2, 242-pound Romaine has 89 tackles (6.5 for loss) with two sacks and three force fumbles.
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Really, this could be any of Rutgers' wide receivers, including leading receiver Dymere Miller, who said he does plan to play in the game. While Kansas State stops the run well, its defense hasn't been as effective against the pass, allowing 223.7 passing yards per game, which ranks 10 in the Big 12. That could offer Rutgers some opportunities to connect on big plays through the air.
Djabome is going to need be a strong anchor in the middle of Rutgers' defense, especially if Tyreem Powell chooses not to play. Stopping the run and making plays in space is going to be critical against Kansas State's offense. Djabome this season has 102 tackles (seven for loss) with three sacks. He's the first Rutgers player to have at least 100 tackles in a season since Olakunle Fatukasi in 2020.
Kaliakmanis steadily improved over the course of the season - and not surprisingly, so did Rutgers' offense. Kaliakmanis this season is 199-of-363 passing for 2,459 yards with 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. Some of his best performances came in the Scarlet Knights' resurgence in the final third of the season. He'll try to cap things off with another big showing against Kansas State.
1. Will anybody opt out of the game?
This is a question facing all bowl teams and Rutgers is no different. The Scarlet Knights have a number of players who will pursue the NFL after this season, a group that includes running back Kyle Monangai, linebacker Tyreem Powell, left tackle Hollin Pierce and cornerback Robert Longerbeam, among others. There's a chance some could choose to sit the game out to avoid injury. Right now it's unclear if any will take that option.
2. How will the defense look following Joe Harasymiak's departure?
Harasymiak left his role as Rutgers' defensive coordinator to become the head coach at the University of Massachusetts, which meant a lot of work for the rest of the Scarlet Knights' defensive staff as it absorbed the loss and his responsibilities leading the unit, which played at a high level late in the season after underperforming early on. Schiano hasn't said who will be calling the defensive plays - he did it himself in the Gator Bowl in 2021 after DC Robb Smith left the program - and said the entire staff has taken on the responsibilities leading the defense.
3. Can Rutgers do something it hasn't done in 15 years?
If the Scarlet Knights beat Kansas State, they'll have won bowl games in consecutive seasons for the first time since they won four in a row from 2006-09 (Rutgers beat Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium last year).
Kansas State is a really good team, solid on both sides of the ball, especially on offense with a dynamic quarterback like Avery Johnson. But Greg Schiano's bowl game success - he's 6-2 as head coach - is no coincidence. Schiano learned how to prep his team for the postseason after his years working as an assistant coach for Joe Paterno at Penn State early in his career and he's kept those methods in place. The Scarlet Knights will be well-prepared for this game. If their defense can contain the Wildcats' speed - not an easy task, their offense should be able to hit on enough plays late in the game to close out a close victory. Prediction: Rutgers 27, Kansas State 24
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