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Ian Strong injury update: Rutgers star WR's status revealed vs. Iowa

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs09/19/25grant_grubbs_
Rutgers Football wide receiver Ian Strong
Rutgers Football wide receiver Ian Strong during the Miami (OH) game (CREDIT: Lucas Tang - The Knight Report)

Rutgers wide receiver Ian Strong is warming up ahead of the Scarlet Knights’ game against Iowa and is expected to play, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Strong entered Friday evening listed as questionable and didn’t play in Rutgers’ win over Norfolk State last week.

In just two appearances this season, Strong has amassed 16 catches for 216 yards and two touchdowns. His receptions and receiving yards each rank within the top 10 in the Big Ten.

It’s an impressive start to the season for Strong, who finished last season with 43 catches for 676 yards and five touchdowns. Strong reeled in a receiving touchdown in four consecutive games, the first Rutgers players to do so since 2010.

For his efforts, he was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention. Strong is hungry to haul in more hardware this season. Rutgers is 3-0. Its most difficult game of the season thus far was its 34-31 win over Ohio in Week 1.

The Scarlet Knights can expect an even tougher challenge on Friday night against Iowa. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 47-7 blowout win over UMass, and hungry to pick up their first Big Ten win of the season. Earlier this week, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano complimented longtime Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz.

“‘He’s one of the guys that I respect the most in coaching, and I think that’s kind of universal in our business. He’s done it really well for a really long time,” Schiano said. “… When you get ready to play somebody, you get a lot of information, obviously.

“[Iowa is] one of five teams in the country that have won at least eight games in the last nine years… There’s only five of them in America. So again, just when you play his teams, they’re tough, they’re disciplined, they’re smart, they’re well coached.”

History certainly is on Iowa’s side against Rutgers. The Hawkeyes boast a 4-0 all-time record against the Scarlet Knights. Most recently, they defeated Rutgers 22-0 in the 2023 campaign.

Rutgers will look to break this trend on Friday, with Ian Strong leading the way. The Scarlet Knights and Hawkeyes will square off at 8 p.m. ET. The game will air live on FOX.