1986 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team

1986 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
ConferenceIndependent
Record5–5–1
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDick Curl (4th season)
Defensive coordinatorOtto Kneidinger (2rd season)
Home stadiumRutgers Stadium
Giants Stadium
1986 Major eastern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Penn State $ 6 0 012 0 0
No. 19 Boston College 3 2 09 3 0
Syracuse 3 3 05 6 0
Temple 2 3 06 5 0
Pittsburgh 2 3 05 5 1
Rutgers 2 4 05 5 1
West Virginia 1 4 04 7 0
Rankings from AP Poll
1986 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Penn State      12 0 0
No. 2 Miami (FL)      11 1 0
No. 20 Virginia Tech      9 2 1
No. 19 Boston College      9 3 0
Tulsa      7 4 0
Florida State      7 4 1
Army      6 5 0
Southwestern Louisiana      6 5 0
Southern Miss      6 5 0
Temple      6 5 0
Pittsburgh      5 5 1
Rutgers      5 5 1
Cincinnati      5 6 0
Notre Dame      5 6 0
Syracuse      5 6 0
South Carolina      3 6 2
Tulane      4 7 0
West Virginia      4 7 0
Louisville      3 8 0
Navy      3 8 0
Wichita State      3 8 0
East Carolina      2 9 0
Northern Illinois      2 9 0
Memphis State      1 10 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1986 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represented Rutgers University in the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their third season under head coach Dick Anderson, the Scarlet Knights compiled a 5–5–1 record while competing as an independent and outscored their opponents 221 to 189. The team's statistical leaders included Scott Erney with 1,160 passing yards, Matt Prescott with 606 rushing yards, and Brian Cobb with 368s receiving yards.