Kyle Monangai entered this season as the defending Big Ten Conference rushing champion and, after two games this season, has not only broken Rutgers’ single-season record, but is also being talked about as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate.
Monangai carried the ball 27 times for a career-high 208 yards and three short touchdowns to lead Rutgers to a 49-17 victory over Akron on Saturday in Piscataway, New Jersey.
The senior has rushed for 373 yards and four touchdowns in two games so far this season, scoring on runs of 3, 1 and 2 yards to help the Scarlet Knights (2-0) win their ninth straight non-conference game.
It was his 10th game with 100-plus yards rushing, Rutgers’ most since Josh Hicks ran for 202 yards in 2014.
The single-season record is 2,012 yards by Ray Rice in 2007.
Minnesota transfer Ahsan Kaliakmanis, who threw three touchdown passes for the second straight week at Rutgers, said Monangai has great movement, power and speed in his stocky 5-foot-9 frame.
“Everything about the way he plays makes it difficult for opponents,” Kariakmanis said. “Not just the way he moves, but his intelligence, his eye for the field. It’s just so good.”
Monangai shared the credit for his strong offensive line and blocking with his receivers and tight ends, and he smiled when asked about the possibility of winning the Heisman Trophy, given annually to the best player in college football.
“It’s like a kid’s dream,” Monangai said after his second three-touchdown game. “It’s something you hear about as a kid and admire. It’s an honor just to be considered for it.”
Kariakmanis had the longest pass of his career, a 58-yarder to Chris Long in the third quarter, and also had passes to KJ Duff for six yards in the second quarter and tight end Kenny Fletcher for nine yards in the fourth quarter.
Akron quarterback Ben Finley, who played despite an injury in last weekend’s 52-6 loss to Ohio State, threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to a free-kicked Adrian Norton for the Zips (0-2). Jordan Simmons added another score with a 73-yard touchdown run late in the game.
Garrison Smith, who missed a 41-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter, made a shot from the same distance with 6 minutes and 6 seconds left in the second quarter to cut Akron’s lead to 7-3.
Akron coach Joe Moorhead said the Zips would need to play a perfect game and that Rutgers would have to be out of form for his team to pull off the upset, but that didn’t happen for the second straight week.
“Losing to me is pretty awful,” Moorhead said. “I hate it. Unfortunately, this is the situation we’re in after two games. We’re going to do everything we can to turn this around.”
On the series after the field goal, Monangai ran 62 yards, the longest of his career, to set up Duff’s first collegiate touchdown catch, which came after a pass was deflected by Akron lineman Bennett Adler. Monangai extended the lead to 21-3 with a 1-yard run, capping a quick 80-yard drive highlighted by a 31-yard pass from Kaliakmanis (23-of-230, 14 completions) to Daimere Miller.
Rutgers’ offense got off to a slow start for the second straight week and needed a boost from Monangai, who Coach Moorhead described as “a halfback with the qualities of a big back despite his small build.”
He ran for 46 yards and finished off a three-yard run with a body roll into the end zone to give Rutgers a 7-0 lead after opening the season 2-0 and remaining unbeaten for the fourth straight season.
Akron’s Finley was 14 of 31 for 138 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Simmons had nine carries for 109 yards and one score.
