Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 309 yards and a touchdown, his teammates scored twice on blocked punts and Rutgers sailed past FCS Norfolk State 60-10 on Saturday in Piscataway, N.J.
Jett Elad blocked a punt and intercepted a pass for the Scarlet Knights (3-0), who scored their most points since a 66-7 win over Wagner in 2022. Kaliakmanis completed 18 of 26 passes in three quarters of action and Antwan Raymond ran for 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Rutgers.
Otto Kuhns went 8-for-20 passing for 90 yards and an interception for coach Michael Vick’s Spartans (1-2). They were more successful on the ground, with Kevon King going for 56 yards and a TD on seven carries.
After Norfolk State went three-and-out to open the game, punter Marco Peery fumbled the snap and tried to kick it on the run. Dylan Braithwaite batted the ball down to himself and took it 6 yards to the house, but Jai Patel’s extra-point attempt was blocked.
Rutgers’ special teams unit scored a second time before the offense could get on the board. In the final minute of the first, Elad broke through the line to block Peery’s punt and Kaj Sanders fielded the lame duck before running 23 yards for a touchdown.
Evan Helfrich booted a 34-yard field goal for Norfolk State before Rutgers’ first scoring drive. KJ Duff made a tremendous one-handed catch while falling out of bounds that was eventually ruled complete, as he tapped one heel inbounds. On the next play, Raymond scored from 3 yards out.
Patel made field goals from 31 and 44 yards before halftime for a 26-3 Rutgers edge.
Rutgers poured it on with three touchdown drives in the third quarter. Kaliakmanis hooked up with Ben Black for a 37-yard touchdown, though the PAT was blocked again.
After the Spartans scored on King’s 25-yard sprint, Raymond punched in his second touchdown from a yard out and Ja’shon Benjamin barreled in from 11 yards in the final minute of the period.
Freshman quarterback AJ Surace made his Rutgers debut in the fourth quarter and had his first two touchdown passes, the first to Athan’s brother Dino Kaliakmanis. With five minutes left, Surace threw a dart to classmate Michael Thomas III, who leapt and tumbled down inbounds for the final score of the day.
Rutgers’ leading receiver Ian Strong sat out with an injury. Duff led the Scarlet Knights with 119 yards on six catches.
–Field Level Media
