Week 2 of the college football season and Rutgers takes to the gridiron in New Jersey Saturday afternoon against the Akron Zips.
The Scarlet Knights started slower than Head Coach Greg Schiano would have liked but they gashed the Bison on the ground and handled Howard 44-7 in Week 1.
Rutgers Head Coach Greg Schiano is looking to build on that Week 1 win and grab a little momentum Saturday heading into the Big Ten season.
The Zips opened the season with a 52-6 loss at Ohio State. The Zips hung tough for a little over one quarter. They actually led 3-0 and trailed by only 4 at 7-3 after the first 15 minutes.
The teams have only met once previously and it came back on Oct. 27, 1990, in Piscataway. Rutgers won 20-17.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch kickoff, betting lines, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch the Zips vs. the Scarlet Knights Saturday
● Date: Saturday, September 7, 2024
● Time: 12PM EST
● Site: SHI Stadium
● City: Piscataway, NJ
● TV/Streaming: BTN
Game odds for Akron vs. Rutgers
● Moneyline: Akron +1300, Rutgers -3000
● Spread: Scarlet Knights -22.5
● Total: 39
*odds courtesy of BetMGM
NBC Sports Bet Best Bets
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes Rutgers’ defense to keep Akron’s offense in check.
“The Akron Team Total UNDER is going to be my best bet. The Zips’ kicker, Garrison Smith, he’s got a leg, connecting from 48 and 49 yards at Ohio State. But the Zips lost their starting quarterback Ben Finley to injury, so they must suddenly abandon their two-quarterback package. So when you lose one of those two guys, what are you going to run on offense now? We’ll find out when they line up against Rutgers, but I expect little zip to their offense. I’ll take the Akron Team Total UNDER as my best bet for this game.”
College Football talk is taking over Bet the Edge every Thursday throughout the season. Bet the EDGE is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Vaughn Dalzell, Eric Froton, and Brad Thomas’ insights Thursdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
From the Trading Desk at BetMGM courtesy of John Ewing:
Big Ten Championship
· Ohio State +550 to +140
· Oregon +225 to +225
· Michigan +170 to +750
· Penn State +600 to +450
· Rutgers +10000 to +10000
Names to Know for Akron vs. Rutgers
○ Zips: QB Tahj Bullock – Dual-threat signal-caller is a native of East Orange, NJ. Originally recruited by Rutgers but began his college career at Virginia Tech before transferring to Akron. Was splitting time with Ben Finley until the Cal transfer was sidelined last week and subsequently ruled out of Saturday’s game against Rutgers.
○ Scarlet Knights: RB Kyle Monangai – RB1 for Rutgers gained 165 yards last week vs. Howard. With QB Athan Kaliakmanis not attempting a pass beyond 20 yards downfield, expect Akron to stack the line of scrimmage against the Scarlet Knights top back.
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of the Zips vs. the Scarlet Knights
● Rutgers rushed for 329 yards last week vs. Howard
● The Zips gave up just over 5 yards/carry to Ohio State running backs last weekend
● Akron TE Jake Newell caught 2 passes for 41 yards against 2nd-ranked Ohio State last week
● Akron kicker Garrison Smith hit field goals of 48 and 49 yards against Ohio State
● The Zips are coached by Joe Morehead. Moorhead, who came to Akron after guiding Oregon’s offense. Morehead also previously coached at Mississippi State and Fordham. In his twenty-five-year coaching career, Moorhead has called the plays at Oregon, Penn State, Fordham, Connecticut, and Akron.
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
- Eric Froton (@CFFroton)
