Unlike most of the rest of the Big Ten, the Nebraska football team hasn’t had any problems beating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Could Greg Schiano’s pick for his starting quarterback, paired with some other impressive offensive stars, change that in 2026?
Husker fans can be forgiven for dismissing Rutgers offhand. While the New Jersey school and NU haven’t faced off all that much, Nebraska is 7-0 against Schiano’s program. That’s why it might surprise those same fans to learn the program has serious offensive talent, including its new quarterback, Dylan Lonergan.
Lonergan came to Rutgers from Boston College through the Transfer Portal this winter and was engaged in a pitched battle for the starting quarterback job against AJ Surace. Assuming that Lonergan keeps the job throughout the season, he’ll lead an offense with plenty of weapons against Nebraska on November 14.
Dylan Lonergan gives Rutgers a proven quarterback for Nebraska football matchup
The Scarlet Knights’ new starting quarterback had a solid season for a Boston College team that made a strong argument for the worst Power 4 program in the country. Despite BC going just 2-10 last year, Lonergan completed nearly 67% of his passes for 2,025 yards, 12 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions. He threw for more than 300 yards three times in 2025, and Boston College lost all three games. Boston College’s only win against an FBS team came in the season’s final week in a 34-12 victory over Syracuse, despite an injury limiting Lonergan to just two pass attempts and forcing an early exit.
Now, Lonergan inherits an offense built around impressive skill players. Running back Antwan Raymond rushed for 1,241 yards and 15 total touchdowns in 2025. Wide receiver KJ Duff posted 60 catches and 1,084 receiving yards and earned multiple preseason honors. The offensive line has been coming into focus, with Schiano indicating that the starting five is largely identified just ahead of the 2026 season.
All of that could be a genuine concern for a Nebraska defense that offers mostly question marks, even if their game is late enough in the season that things should be solidified by November. If Lonergan can press the right buttons and the Husker defense doesn’t mesh the way that Rob Aurich hopes, Rutgers could be a difficult late-season matchup rather than a sure Nebraska win.
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