-
Rutgers quarterback Dylan Lonergan has not practiced since the opener and is week-to-week with an undisclosed injury; he did not dress against Boston College. The reporter expects AJ Surace to start unless Lonergan returns fully late in the week. Surace threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns but four interceptions against BC, three inside the opponent's 35. That expectation is not a confirmed starter announcement.
-
Rutgers receiver KJ Duff has 17 catches for 333 yards and five touchdowns through two games, including 78- and 60-yard scores. The beat reporter sees improved yards after the catch and vertical explosiveness alongside his contested-catch ability, with Duff now a primary third- and fourth-down option in an offense heavily dependent on him.
-
Rutgers replaced all three starting cornerbacks and added transfers Kevyn Humes, Bradlee Jones, Zahmir Dawud and Mikey Munn. The group lacks shared experience at this level. The preview identifies that rebuilt secondary as the central matchup concern against USC, with Rutgers allowing 6.4 yards per play through two games.
-
Rutgers is rebuilding under new defensive coordinator Travis Johansen with a new defensive staff and 10 new starters. The beat reporter describes little front pressure, soft coverage and difficulty handling mobile quarterbacks through the opening losses. Those are early performance concerns, not an announcement of a scheme or personnel change.
-
USC is completing more than 80% of its passes, giving its passing attack a favorable-looking test against Rutgers' inexperienced cornerback group. The preview also flags USC's defensive third-down problems under new coordinator Gary Patterson as a possible way for Rutgers to sustain possessions. These are matchup assessments, not a confirmed score or betting play.