Am I crazy to think that 18 regular season wins gives them a good shot to get in? Hypothetical, and still unlikely, scenario they only lose to Illinois, @Maryland, @Oregon, @Michigan, and @Purdue. This gets them to 18-13 and 12-13 in Quad's 1, 2, and 3. On their own the metrics are not good enough but the NCAA will try to use any justification possible to get Rutgers in.
Just like using the Mag injury, and subsequent collapse, to justify keeping Rutgers out, they can point to the new rotation starting with the UCLA game as the catalyst. Since that time they'd have gone 5-5 in Quad 1 games and 10-5 in Quads 1, 2, and 3. This would also have to coincide with not losing the first game in the B1G tournament assuming they get one bye.
For starters I think 19-12 is where they have to be to really be in serious consideration given there is nothing on the ooc and they have one glaring bad loss. I do not think 19-12 is a lock. More like 50/50. Rutgers does not exist in a vacuum so its hard to say what other resumes will look like especially from the Big 10 and many will be borderline like Ohio State, Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State.
The type of wins matter...It would be better of course to beat Illinios AND Michigan at home than it would be to win at Northwestern. It would be better to win at Oregon than to win at home vs Iowa.
your 18-13 scenario would put RU at 5-11 in Quad 1 games and 6-0 in Quad 2 and 1-2 in Quad 3.....the 12-13 preferably needs to be 500 or above but its close here.
The issue is that while RU would have 2 really big wins..perhaps high level Quad 1 wins if Mich/Michigan State stay in top 15, the other ones while 3 on the road might not even be vs tourney teams,,Nebby the best shot of those other 3. The Quad 2 win number is impressive for sure and will get noticed at 6-0 which brings the Q1/2 to 11-11...that is very good. However how many of those teams make the tourney....UCLA maybe and perhaps Iowa. With nothing OOC, I do not like the prospect of RU with that many losses...18-14 or 19-14 if they win a tourney game to get a bid with just maybe 4 wins vs field.
Even getting to 18-13/19-12 is like a total thread the needle scenario at this point. RU had to win these past 2 games to even be in this spot. To me while I would prefer ALL 3, they are going to have to win 2 of 3....beating Michigan State is absolutely necessary..unless they can beat both Illinois and Michigan at home. I think of those 3 "home games" you have to get 2. You have to at least win one of Northwestern/Penn State.
To expect this team not to slip us somewhere down the road is a tough ask....iowa, usc, at washington.....all games which will be very tough
it would be a miracle if they complete this task, miracles do happen, even in my thread when I wrote the season was over I mentioned that. 2 wins and everyone is feeling great but there was alot of damage done early on.
As for the Harper flu. Not seeing it a big consideration mainly becausee RU wasnt all that great with a full lineup. He did end up playing 1.5 games basically. I dont give the committee credit for looking at sickness issues rather than bodily injury