Have we really competed against the middle tier? We are 4-17 since joining the conference. Indiana twice, Michigan, and Maryland. If we count the last two years we are 1-12...That is NOT competing
How long until we can compete
- Thread starter Mothership83
- Start date
Just going off our first 3 years in the conference, here is what we have as our best results:
Teams we have yet to play:
Purdue, Northwestern
Teams we have beaten:
Maryland, Indiana, Michigan
Teams we have competed with at some point (games that were within 10 points/winning in the 4th Q):
Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Penn State, Michigan State
Teams we have ONLY so far gotten blown out by:
Ohio State, Nebraska, Wisconsin
-For the most part, teams remain about the same level over a period. Now, there is some fluidity - for example, although we beat Michigan 2 years ago, last year and this year we were blown out. Also, although Michigan State blew us out 2 years ago, we almost beat them last year (tied with >5 mins remaining in 4th, and they were a playoff team) & could/almost should beat them this year.
-Purdue is a team we should beat when we finally play them in 2 years. They have historically been bad. So has NW, but the have been doing slightly better the past 4 games (but still, just this season lost to a MAC team AND a very bad FCS team, both at home).
-So, my final thoughts are: really out of the 13 other teams in this conference, the only ones we have yet to show we can compete with are Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Nebraska, two of which are in the other division from us, and all who are currently ranked in the top-10. We have not done as bad as perhaps the media/other people try to perceive us as having done. When will we catch OSU? Who knows, but the same can be said for 90% of college football, not just Rutgers. OSU has lost 4 or 5 games in the last 4 years (40-ish games) I think. Right now we have to do a little better job at taking the games we lose by a touchdown and turn them into winning by a TD or two, but so far we have been competitive with most of the conference right off the bat.
Teams we have yet to play:
Purdue, Northwestern
Teams we have beaten:
Maryland, Indiana, Michigan
Teams we have competed with at some point (games that were within 10 points/winning in the 4th Q):
Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Penn State, Michigan State
Teams we have ONLY so far gotten blown out by:
Ohio State, Nebraska, Wisconsin
-For the most part, teams remain about the same level over a period. Now, there is some fluidity - for example, although we beat Michigan 2 years ago, last year and this year we were blown out. Also, although Michigan State blew us out 2 years ago, we almost beat them last year (tied with >5 mins remaining in 4th, and they were a playoff team) & could/almost should beat them this year.
-Purdue is a team we should beat when we finally play them in 2 years. They have historically been bad. So has NW, but the have been doing slightly better the past 4 games (but still, just this season lost to a MAC team AND a very bad FCS team, both at home).
-So, my final thoughts are: really out of the 13 other teams in this conference, the only ones we have yet to show we can compete with are Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Nebraska, two of which are in the other division from us, and all who are currently ranked in the top-10. We have not done as bad as perhaps the media/other people try to perceive us as having done. When will we catch OSU? Who knows, but the same can be said for 90% of college football, not just Rutgers. OSU has lost 4 or 5 games in the last 4 years (40-ish games) I think. Right now we have to do a little better job at taking the games we lose by a touchdown and turn them into winning by a TD or two, but so far we have been competitive with most of the conference right off the bat.
Didn't say anything about winning. Competing means playing tough and in the game. If the question was when will we start winning, then the answer might be different. But we have played tough, against Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Maryland, Indiana, etc in the few years we have been in th B1G. So we have competed.
Losing is not competing!!! Unless we get to go to the Participation Bowl with all the other non-winning teams. We are delusional if we think this is competing. I know michigan and wisconsin fans that think Rutgers should get kicked out of the league. They don't feel that way about Maryland.
It is not competing. You are right we still lost s ton of games to mid level and bottom feeders in the big. To me competing means getting wins in a a lot of those games. We are always predicted to lose and if we play close people say oh nice try. That is not competing.
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