Rutgers Football is stepping onto the field this Friday, September 11, 2026, with a special mission that goes far beyond wins and losses. Marking twenty-five years since the September 11 attacks, the Scarlet Knights will wear custom uniforms designed to honor the 37 Rutgers alumni who tragically lost their lives that day. As they take on Boston College, the team carries a painful local history to a national audience.

“As we take the field on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we honor all of those whose lives were lost on that tragic day, including our 37 Rutgers University alumni,” Rutgers Football official X account posted. “We remember. We honor. We will never forget.”

Rutgers, a Big Ten program, unveiled a scarlet uniform combination for Friday’s game at Alumni Stadium, with “NEVER FORGET” written down the sides of the pants. The team helmets will also carry the number 37 on them, ensuring that the number remains ingrained in the program’s history.

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano has taken the responsibility of honoring and passing on the culture of the university in remembering the 9/11 victims every year. The university’s connection to the tragedy runs deep. New Brunswick is less than 40 miles from Manhattan, making the loss more personal and close to the Rutgers community and the people who lived through it in that locality.

Schiano has previously talked about why he makes a point of bringing it up with his team every year, even with the players who have no personal memory of that day.

“It’s still real important, right? 37 Rutgers alums lost that day,” Schiano said in his weekly presser, per On3. “Personally, a guy who I grew up with just two doors down was lost that day. A lot of us all lost people that are from this area and also what it did in changing the world.”

The shift in uniform design from the 20th anniversary to the 25th shows a clear aesthetic evolution in how the program honors its fallen. Back in 2021 against Syracuse, Rutgers featured a solid black number 37 on a silver helmet, seamlessly embedding the names of the lost alumni into the decal to ground the tragedy in personal remembrance.

Five years later, against Boston College, the design moves from this subtle silver look to a bold display of national pride. By placing a striking, American flag-themed number 37 across clean white helmets, the entire roster carries the tribute prominently.

Boston College is also holding its own tribute the same night with its annual Red Bandanna Game, honoring alumnus Welles Crowther, who passed away helping others escape the South Tower.

Oklahoma Edge Rusher Danny Okoye Finds Unique Way to Honor 9/11 Victims

Rutgers isn’t alone in using the milestone anniversary to honor the lives lost due to the 9/11 tragedy. At Oklahoma, edge rusher Danny Okoye is putting his NIL earnings toward the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, where he will donate $100 for every tackle, $200 for every sack, and $500 for every interception he makes this season.

“You can say that you care about this, care about that, but what are you actually doing to support it?” Okoye said. “Hopefully, I can put my gifts to use in a way that doesn’t just make my name popular or provide accolades — but actually gives back to something I feel is important.”

Whether it’s a number on a helmet in Piscataway or a tackle turned into a donation in Norman, college football is finding its own way to remember the 9/11 tragedy, even for players who never lived through the day.