Greg Schiano’s Rutgers era just got a lifeline. Here's why

Greg Schiano needed a response from Rutgers after opening the season 0-2. There were questions surrounding the direction of the program that were beginning to grow louder. Then came No.12 USC, undefeated and nationally ranked, walking into SHI Stadium with Rutgers facing the kind of challenge that could either deepen the concerns or change the conversation.

Rutgers nearly changed the narrative and trajectory of the entire season. Ultimately, the Scarlet Knights fell 42-35, dropping to 0-2 on the season. However, this performance gave Schiano something far more valuable than another close loss: evidence that his team can compete. This may have earned him a few more games.

This Wasn’t Supposed to be Easy

USC was a significant test for Rutgers, especially given how the season had started. Instead of folding, the Scarlet Knights played with the physicality and confidence Schiano has long wanted his program to embody.

Rutgers finished with 460 yards, while quarterback Dylan Lonergan threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Antwan Raymond added 122 rushing yards and a touchdown, giving the Scarlet Knights an offensive identity that had been difficult to find during the opening weeks.

“The way they work and how they execute, but again, when the lights come on we have to execute and make those plays,” Schiano stated. “That small margin of error, we have to find a way, and that’s my job.”

Despite not getting the result Rutgers wanted, the performance was different. That distinction matters when a coach is trying to prove that his program is moving in the right direction.

“There’s nobody to blame but me; I have to figure out how to do it as a head coach after 39 years of doing this,” Schiano continued.

“... The way they work and how they execute, but again when the lights come on we have to execute and make those plays,” @GregSchiano stated. “That small margin of error, we have to find a way, and that’s my job.” pic.twitter.com/vXlOqFdDuy

Greg Schiano Doesn’t Want Moral Victories

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The Turnover Problem Remains

There’s also a major reason for concern. Rutgers has committed 10 turnovers through its first three games, including two against USC that turned directly into Trojan touchdowns. That cannot continue if the Scarlet Knights want to turn close games into victories. Schiano acknowledged the issue after the game. Despite the tough loss, Rutgers showed against USC that it can move the football and compete physically. Eliminating mistakes could determine whether that competitiveness eventually translates into wins.

Now Comes the Real Evaluation

The USC game didn’t erase a 0-3 record. Instead, it changed the conversation surrounding Schiano. The Scarlet Knights showed enough to suggest that the season isn’t lost and that the program still has a fight. For a coach under pressure, that matters.

Ultimately, Schiano may have bought himself some time. But time only matters if something comes from it. The USC loss could either become the moment Rutgers finally discovered its identity or another example of a team that came close without finding a way to finish.

Can Rutgers turn this positive into momentum moving forward?

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