{
  "id": 14921139,
  "title": "Rutgers football vs. Maryland preview: 3 keys for the Scarlet Knights",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/rutgers-football-vs-maryland-preview-3-keys-for-the-scarlet-knights",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-16T09:22:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/rutgers-football-vs-maryland-preview-092211657.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "PISCATAWAY – Rutgers football stands to gain a crucial win in its upcoming matchup against Maryland, despite both teams being plagued by struggles. The Scarlet Knights, however, will need to significantly improve across various aspects to secure victory. Rutgers has triumphed in the past two meetings with Maryland, but lost five of the previous six contests to the Terrapins. Both programs are under scrutiny and speculation about their respective futures, which could potentially intensify following a loss on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at SECU Stadium in College Park, Maryland. Here are three crucial factors for Greg Schiano’s Scarlet Knights:\n\n1. Controlling Maryland Quarterback Malik Washington – The Scarlet Knights must effectively contain Washington, a talented signal-caller who can be a threat through both passing and rushing. Washington has thrown for 1,352 yards with seven touchdowns, and rushed for 56 yards and a score on 31 carries. He once broke off for a 73-yard touchdown run during a Terrapins' game against Rutgers in the past season. Rutgers' defense will need to keep Washington in check, as he can significantly impact the outcome of the game.\n\n2. Limiting Maryland Wide Receiver Chris Durr Jr. – Durr Jr., who stands at 5-foot-11 and weighs 173-pounds, is Washington's primary target. This season, he has amassed 46 catches for 476 yards and four touchdowns. His skills can challenge Rutgers' secondary, which has occasionally left receivers exposed in the middle of the field. In a critical game like this, a few unforced errors could prove disastrous for the Scarlet Knights.\n\n3. Avoiding turnovers – This will be a consistent theme for Rutgers as mistakes could prove costly. The Scarlet Knights are not a strong enough team to recover from errors or bounce back from scoring opportunities missed. This has been evident throughout the season, with frequent turnover issues leading to unfavorable game outcomes. Quarterback Dylan Lonergan, who missed last week's game due to an injury, returns to practice and is expected to start against Maryland. Lonergan's improved performance and decision-making skills can play a pivotal role in minimizing turnovers.\n\nScore prediction: Rutgers 24, Maryland 20.",
  "summary": "Can Rutgers football pull off a road win at Maryland? Here are three keys for the Scarlet Knights.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}