Rutgers football vs Wagner: Five predictions to a Rutgers’ Week 5 victory

On Saturday, Rutgers football will play game No. 1,400 in program history. The Scarlet Knights will face off against the Wagner Seahawks in their Week 5 matchup.

Last week, the Scarlet Knights lost to No. 2 Michigan 31-7 in their Week 4 matchup. Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt connected early to wide receiver Christian Dremel for a 69-yard touchdown pass, but the Scarlet Knight would go scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Rutgers will look to bounce back on offense in Week 5 as the Scarlet Knights scored touchdowns on its first four drives in the first and second halves the last time they played Wagner, beating the Seahawks 66-7.

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano is 9-3 in September games since 2021 as the Scarlet Knights try to improve 4-1 on the season when they host the Seahawks on Saturday. Below are the five predictions for Rutgers’ Week 5 matchup against Wagner.

Get the rushing attack back on track

In their Week 4 loss to No. 2 Michigan, the Scarlet Knights ran for only 77 yards on 23 carries. Rutgers only averaged 3.3 yards per carry, and their top leading rusher, Kyle Monangai, only totaled 27 yards on 11 carries. Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt was the Scarlet Knights leading rusher with 28 yards on six carries. Look for the Scarlet Knights to establish their true identity in running the football and playing tough defense. Expect a bounce-back game from Monangai as he pursues his reigns as the leading rusher in the Big Ten.

Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt to have his best game of the season

Junior quarterback Gavin Wimsatt has been consistent through the 2023 season but has yet to have a phenomenal performance. Look for Wimsatt to have a stellar performance in Week 5 as he continues to lead the Scarlet Knights’ offense. Wimsatt threw his first touchdown as a Scarlet Knight against Wagner in 2022, leading to 66 total points, the highest under Schiano. Wimsatt has recorded 45 completions to 10 different receivers, leading to 587 yards and four consecutive games with a touchdown pass.

Wide receiver Christian Dremel will have a touchdown in his third consecutive game

Rutgers senior wide receiver Christian Dremel has recorded touchdown receptions in back-to-back games as he looks to continue his high level of play. Dremel has recorded ten catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns through Week 4, with his longest reception being 69 yards against No. 2 Michigan. The Caldwell, New Jersey, native leads the Scarlet Knights in receptions (10) and receiving yards (157) as he looks to continue making big plays for the Rutgers’ offense in Week 5.

Rutgers defense to force two or more turnovers

The Scarlet Knights’ defense has recorded five players with an interception through Week 4, with defensive backs Robert Longerbeam and Max Melton recording 19 career pass breakups. Rutgers has forced turnovers in three of their four games this season and will look to continue to put pressure on the opposing offense. Also, the Scarlet Knights have nine players combined for ten sacks through Week 4.

Kicker Jai Patel will continue his high-level of play

Rutgers kicker Jai Patel has had a solid season through Week 4, going 4-for-6 on field goals attempted. His best performance came in Week 2 when he went 3-for-3 on field goals, recording a 51-yarder. The sophomore kicker received Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week following his performance against Temple. Patel will continue to be an x-factor for the Scarlet Knights heading into Week 5.

Story originally appeared on Rutgers Wire