So I have hinted at this for a while, but I am very, very high on this season. I keep on hearing that 4-6 win is the max given our talent but when you go down the list for each position group with returning All-B1G players at WR and at every level of our defense plus a good RB, solid TEs and what might be one of the best special teams groups in the nation. I won't go into too much detail with the talent level I can continue this in follow-up posts otherwise this OP will be too long. But on top of that I think there is a little magical element to this season-we know next year the cavalry comes in and we will have (albeit young) 4 stars all over the place and it will be the start of a new era here. But this year, this year we have this island of misfit toys including transfers who for the most part couldn't find enough playing time somewhere else, holdovers from the last coaching staff and the diamond in the rough low three stars that Schiano saw something as soon as he became coach here again and picked them up when few others would. And as a result noone sees the talent that is there. So saying this I think this will be one of the greatest seasons ever for Rutgers football. No, we are not going to go to the Rose Bowl but this is the season noone saw coming. I mean noone. But me :)
A few notes before I post this season prediction:
-I know the first reply will be about the OL. Many people, including the mods here, think they will have a big step up from last year.
-Losing Braswell and Juwreten for the season right off the bat hurt alot more than people think. I mean it doesn't hurt my prediction, but man the injury bug at those position groups can ruin this very fast now.
-Most people including me are predicting a 3-0 OOC record, so no surprises there.
-I have said this before, Michigan State is in a bad place right now and we will see them in the rear view mirror for the next few years.
-Northwestern is going to have a very down season. I think they lost too much plus their DC. But still this will be a very hard game.
-No way we lose to Illinois. We are as or more talented than them and we will be coming off of a bye week.
-I think we will pull off one big upset. I was on the fence on if it would be Michigan or Indiana, but there a a few people thinking we could beat Michigan plus it really adds to the magic of the season as you will see below
So here it is:
Rutgers 33 Temple 21, 1-0
Rutgers 42 Syracuse 17 2-0
Rutgers 48 Delaware 10 3-0
Rutgers 38 Michigan 35 4-0
#24 Rutgers 28 Ohio State 38 4-1
#25 Rutgers 36 Michigan State 23 5-1
#19 Rutgers 21, Northwestern 17 6-1
#14 Rutgers 38, Illinois 28 7-1
#10 Rutgers 33, Wisconsin 38 7-2
#15 Rutgers 24, Penn State 36 7-3
#25 Rutgers 44, Indiana 48 7-4
Rutgers 38, Maryland 32 8-4
Music City Bowl Rutgers 48, LSU 28
And we end up 9-4, and sneak into the top 25 at #25.
A few notes before I post this season prediction:
-I know the first reply will be about the OL. Many people, including the mods here, think they will have a big step up from last year.
-Losing Braswell and Juwreten for the season right off the bat hurt alot more than people think. I mean it doesn't hurt my prediction, but man the injury bug at those position groups can ruin this very fast now.
-Most people including me are predicting a 3-0 OOC record, so no surprises there.
-I have said this before, Michigan State is in a bad place right now and we will see them in the rear view mirror for the next few years.
-Northwestern is going to have a very down season. I think they lost too much plus their DC. But still this will be a very hard game.
-No way we lose to Illinois. We are as or more talented than them and we will be coming off of a bye week.
-I think we will pull off one big upset. I was on the fence on if it would be Michigan or Indiana, but there a a few people thinking we could beat Michigan plus it really adds to the magic of the season as you will see below
So here it is:
Rutgers 33 Temple 21, 1-0
Rutgers 42 Syracuse 17 2-0
Rutgers 48 Delaware 10 3-0
Rutgers 38 Michigan 35 4-0
#24 Rutgers 28 Ohio State 38 4-1
#25 Rutgers 36 Michigan State 23 5-1
#19 Rutgers 21, Northwestern 17 6-1
#14 Rutgers 38, Illinois 28 7-1
#10 Rutgers 33, Wisconsin 38 7-2
#15 Rutgers 24, Penn State 36 7-3
#25 Rutgers 44, Indiana 48 7-4
Rutgers 38, Maryland 32 8-4
Music City Bowl Rutgers 48, LSU 28
And we end up 9-4, and sneak into the top 25 at #25.
