Kyle Monangai entered the 2024 season as the Big Ten’s reigning rushing champion, and through just two games, he’s already making a strong case for national recognition, including whispers of Heisman contention. Monangai’s latest showcase came in Rutgers’ commanding 49-17 win over Akron, where he posted a career-high 208 yards on 27 carries and found the end zone three times, leading his team to a 2-0 start.
The senior running back now has 373 rushing yards and four touchdowns through two games. His consistent performance has people speculating about not only breaking Rutgers’ single-season rushing record, held by Ray Rice with 2,012 yards in 2007, but also positioning him as a dark horse in the Heisman Trophy race.
Monangai’s three touchdowns against Akron were all short-yardage scores, but his ability to break off big runs was on full display, including a career-long 62-yard dash that helped set up Rutgers’ second touchdown. This marked his 10th career game with over 100 yards rushing, and it was the program’s most dominant rushing performance since Josh Hicks ran for 202 yards in 2014.
Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, who transferred from Minnesota and threw for three touchdowns in the win, praised Monangai for his combination of speed, power, and vision. “He’s got great moves, great power, and just a different way of seeing the field,” Kaliakmanis said. “It’s hard to defend a guy like that.”
Despite the Heisman buzz beginning to swirl, Monangai remained humble, sharing credit with his offensive line, wide receivers, and tight ends for their blocking. When asked about the possibility of contending for college football’s top individual award, Monangai couldn’t help but smile. “It’s a childhood dream,” he said. “To even be mentioned in that conversation is an honor.”
Kaliakmanis also had a strong outing, completing 14 of 23 passes for 230 yards, including a career-long 58-yard touchdown to Chris Long. He also threw scoring passes to KJ Duff and tight end Kenny Fletcher.
For Akron, the loss dropped them to 0-2. Quarterback Ben Finley, still recovering from last week’s blowout loss to Ohio State, managed to throw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Adrian Norton, while Jordon Simmons added a late 73-yard rushing score. Despite the efforts, Akron coach Joe Moorhead acknowledged his team needed a perfect game to pull off an upset. “We needed everything to go right, and unfortunately, it didn’t,” Moorhead said.
Monangai’s explosive performance was the key to Rutgers pulling away after a slow offensive start. His back-to-back big runs, including a 46-yard dash that led to his third touchdown, ensured that Rutgers remained in control throughout the game. As the Scarlet Knights look ahead, Monangai’s Heisman campaign and potential record-breaking season will be something to watch.
