One of Rutgers Football's iconic scheduling traditions has returned.
The program announced on Tuesday that the annual Blackout Game will return, and for the second straight year, it will be played during a nationally televised Friday night game.
The Scarlet Knights will host Iowa on Friday, September 19th, for the Blackout, a game that is set to kick off at 8 p.m. live nationally on FOX.
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With the team sporting their all-black uniforms and helmets, fans are encouraged to be in their seats earlier for "the pregame light and fireworks spectacular", the program said in a release.
This marks the third time in four years the Blackout Game will be played on a Friday night, as the Scarlet Knights defeated Washington in thrilling fashion in 2024. In 2022, Rutgers fell 14-13 to Nebraska on a Friday night. 2022's Blackout Game was played on a Saturday night, where the Scarlet Knights defeated Temple 36-7. The team has won three consecutive Blackout Games.
The 2025 edition bears multiple parallels to last year's defeat over the Huskies. Rutgers has never beaten Iowa in four tries, including a 27-10 home loss in 2022 that was also nationally televised, while in 2024, the Scarlet Knights defeated Washington for the first time.
This year's matchup could also serve as a turning point in the early weeks of the season. Last year's win over the Huskies clinched Rutgers' first 4-0 start to a season since 2012, and set season expectations through the roof. Although the season did not play out as many expected, the big-time win on national television put the Scarlet Knights on the national map.
Another opportunity to get a victory over a well-regarded Big Ten opponent could bring the same hype to the 2025 campaign, especially given the chances at bigger upset victories down the road.
It also marks the closing stretch of a four-game homestand to start the campaign. Rutgers does not return home for three weeks following, with a road trip to Minnesota, a bye week, and another Friday night game at Washington before a return to Piscataway for Homecoming against Oregon.
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