Rutgers football routs Howard for Greg Schiano's 100th win | Analysis

PISCATAWAY – Rutgers football has a victory.

A badly needed victory at that, and a significant one for Greg Schiano.

The Scarlet Knights blew out Howard 58-7 Friday night at SHI Stadium, steamrolling the FCS-level Bison on both sides of the ball to get their first win in what’s been an arduous season so far.

The win also gave Schiano his 100^th career victory as Rutgers’ head coach.

There wasn’t much doubt he’d be getting it on this night.

On the Scarlet Knights’ second offensive play of the game, running back Antwan Raymond, who finished with 140 yards, broke through the middle of the defense and ripped off a 51-yard run to get to the Bison’s 19-yard line.

Three plays later quarterback Dylan Lonergan, who was 12-of-17 passing for 214 yards, hit Ben Black for a 16-yard touchdown pass and Rutgers was off and running.

On Rutgers’ next drive, Lonergan threw deep on first-and-10 from his own 23 and hit KJ Duff in stride. Duff, who had five catches for 131 yards, cruised into the end zone for a 77-yard touchdown catch.

Raymond rushed for 125 yards on 14 carries (8.9 yards per attempt) with three touchdowns just in the first half, which ended with Rutgers holding a 41-7 lead – the Scarlet Knights had 376 total yards of offense by halftime.

It was that type of game, though a lopsided outcome was expected.

What wasn’t expected coming into the season was that this would be Rutgers’ first win.

Instead of carrying a 1-3 record through four games, it was more than reasonable to think Rutgers would’ve been 3-1 by this point.

But myriad issues kept that from happening – notably turnovers, of which the Scarlet Knights didn’t commit any against Howard, but earned three takeaways of their own.

Rutgers showed signs of progress in a 42-35 loss to USC, signs it hopes will extend through the duration of the Big Ten schedule – a schedule that has defending champion Indiana coming to Piscataway next.

It’s hard to take too much away from a win over Howard. The Bison don’t have the type of talent Rutgers does. They were overmatched, and the Scarlet Knights did just about whatever they wanted.

Still, this was a victory Schiano’s team needed – earlier in the week he said his team was “desperate” for a win.

He was absolutely right.

The big question now is when Rutgers will get win No. 2.

Beating the Hoosiers will be a monumental task, and then the Scarlet Knights have a bye week before playing at Maryland, which is a beatable opponent.

The road ahead remains unclear.

But at least for Rutgers, it doesn’t have to stare at a “0” in its record anymore.

The Scarlet Knights have a win.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Rutgers football routs Howard for Greg Schiano's 100th win | Analysis