Way too early 2017 predictions

[RUfinal4]

Here is the 2017 schedule (http://www.fbschedules.com/ncaa-17/2017-rutgers-scarlet-knights-football-schedule.php). How do you think we do?

My guess is 3-6 wins. Best chances for wins are: E Michigan, Morgan St, Illinois, Purdue, Maryland, and Indiana. Ohio St, Michigan, Penn St, and Nebraska will be long shots for a win.

Sep 1 - Washington
Sep 9 - E Michigan
Sep 16 - Morgan St
Sep 23 - @ Nebraska
Sep 30 - Ohio St
Oct 7 - bye week
Oct 14 - @ Illinois
Oct 21 - Purdue
Oct 28 - @ Michigan
Nov 4 - Maryland (Yankee Stadium)
Nov 11 - @ Penn St
Nov 18 - @Indiana
Nov 25 - Michigan St

 

[MGSA99]

Amazing. After Sept 30th, only two more true home games for the rest of the year, homecoming and a likely nooner against Sparty that no one will attend. Tailgating season is over in a hurry. Way to go Julie.

 

[urbanecane]

That's a pretty easy schedule there. Still don't see more than 4 wins.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

W's - EMU, Morgan State
L's - OSU, Mich, MSU, PSU, Nebraska, Wash
Toss-ups - IU/Mary/PU/Illinois

...we split the toss-ups to get to 4 wins next season.

 

[Blitz Pakage]

Actually Eastern Michigan has a real nice team this year. They finished up at 7-5 and are Bowl Bound. They beat a very good Wyoming team and played Western Michigan and Toledo tough. I don't know how many players they lose this season, but they are no pushover. So, Morgan State seems to be the only sure win I see (sad to say). I still say next year won't be much better than this year. I hope I'm wrong here! If we do split 2 of the 4 tossup games IU/Maryland/PU/Illinois and beat Eastern Michigan then I see 4 wins. If not, less.

 

[RUSJ73]

1 win for sure, possible 3, but most losses will be closer score.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Actually Eastern Michigan has a real nice team this year. They finished up at 7-5 and are Bowl Bound. They beat a very good Wyoming team and played Western Michigan and Toledo tough. I don't know how many players they lose this season, but they are no pushover. So, Morgan State seems to be the only sure win I see (sad to say). I still say next year won't be much better than this year. I hope I'm wrong here! If we do split 2 of the 4 tossup games IU/Maryland/PU/Illinois and beat Eastern Michigan then I see 4 wins. If not, less.

There's a reason that EMU is 7-5 and only 115th in Sagarin: their schedule sucks. 95th this year. So they beat Wyoming, okay, but Wyoming gave up 53 points and 660 yards to the New Mexico team we beat. Yes, I'm not a fan of "transitive" score, et al, but needed something to back up putting EMU in the "W" column.

 

[RedSpartan]

If we can win 4 games (i.e., double the win total from this year) and keep the other games close(r), I'll consider that a step in the right direction.

 

[Blitz Pakage]

There's a reason that EMU is 7-5 and only 115th in Sagarin: their schedule sucks. 95th this year. So they beat Wyoming, okay, but Wyoming gave up 53 points and 660 yards to the New Mexico team we beat. Yes, I'm not a fan of "transitive" score, et al, but needed something to back up putting EMU in the "W" column.

I know you go by Sagarin Nuts, but I also look at CBS Sportsline and they have E. Michigan at 66th and RU at 123. This year is over and everybody ends up where they belong. I'm agreeing with you that we end up with about 4 wins. Still to early to tell until we see what has been done in the off season (LOI Day). Can Freshman come in and make an immediate impact? If they can, we could get a welcome surprise.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

4-8 smells right

We really should be 2-3 heading into the bye week with wins over Morgan state and eastern Michigan and losses against Washington and Ohio state at home (2016 playoff teams....no shame there) and Nebraska on the road

So....if we are 2-3 there....figure we have losses to Michigan and penn state on the road....2-5

Then we have home games with Purdue, Maryland, 'Michigan state, at Indiana, and at Illinois....I think 2 out of 5...but could go 1 out of 5 or 3 out 5

Thinking target is 4-8....with 3-9/5-7 the likely range

 

[Jabanero]

4 wins, first 2 games and 2 in the league.
OT:
Why do we draw Nebraska again, didn't we do the home and home series already?
Considering we have not played Northwestern yet, and Purdue will be for the first time.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

4-8 smells right

We really should be 2-3 heading into the bye week with wins over Morgan state and eastern Michigan and losses against Washington and Ohio state at home (2016 playoff teams....no shame there) and Nebraska on the road

So....if we are 2-3 there....figure we have losses to Michigan and penn state on the road....2-5

Then we have home games with Purdue, Maryland, 'Michigan state, at Indiana, and at Illinois....I think 2 out of 5...but could go 1 out of 5 or 3 out 5

Thinking target is 4-8....with 3-9/5-7 the likely range

Love having the "bye" before we play @Illinois then Purdue (likely Homecoming).

 

[AreYouNUTS]

4 wins, first 2 games and 2 in the league.
OT:
Why do we draw Nebraska again, didn't we do the home and home series already?
Considering we have not played Northwestern yet, and Purdue will be for the first time.

Just the way it worked out. Why don't we play @ Iowa for another 3 years?

 

[Scarlet Shack]

Love having the "bye" before we play @Illinois then Purdue (likely Homecoming).

That helps....a lot. Can we get healthy for the second half of the week then ?

 

[e5fdny]

Amazing. After Sept 30th, only two more true home games for the rest of the year, homecoming and a likely nooner against Sparty that no one will attend. Tailgating season is over in a hurry. Way to go Julie.

Other than one thing can't really blame her.

And there is more than enough time for the one who followed her to rectify it.

 

[BoroKnight]

Other than one thing can't really blame her.

And there is more than enough time for the one who followed her to rectify it.

True, but that one thing is the reason there are two and not three home games, correct?

 

[e5fdny]

True, but that one thing is the reason there are two and not three home games, correct?

Still can be fixed...

 

[RUaMoose]

1-11 with EMU being CA's first WTF loss Ala Schiano NH or Villanova. No Big Ten wins until 2018 as I said before

 

[RUSK97]

1-11 with EMU being CA's first WTF loss Ala Schiano NH or Villanova. No Big Ten wins until 2018 as I said before

No way EMU is a WTF. A loss? Very likely. But not a WTF. EMU returns their QB and leading receiver who will be seniors next year. Same with their DBs, particularly their safeties. EMU will be the next Michigan school to put a whipping on RU.

A bunch of freshmen can energize this 2-10 team, but a lot of mistakes are going to be made. I agree with the 1-11 record next year. I see 2018 as the breakout year.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

No way EMU is a WTF. A loss? Very likely. But not a WTF. EMU returns their QB and leading receiver who will be seniors next year. Same with their DBs, particularly their safeties. EMU will be the next Michigan school to put a whipping on RU.

A bunch of freshmen can energize this 2-10 team, but a lot of mistakes are going to be made. I agree with the 1-11 record next year. I see 2018 as the breakout year.

I had us losing to New Mexico this year, for similar reasons, but we got that "w." EMU is the type of game that play makers - see: Grant - can hopefully make a difference.

 

[RUChoppin]

Right now, I'm thinking 3-9... with a range of a 2 win floor to a 5 win ceiling. Can't predict anything more than 4-8 with what our OLine is going to look like next year.

Just to sort that schedule based on current Sagarin #s:
2 Ohio St
3 @ Michigan
5 Washington
14 @ Penn St
34 @ Nebraska
57 Michigan St
64 @Indiana
76 Maryland
96 @ Illinois
109 Purdue
115 E Michigan
FCS Morgan St

Interestingly, of the six teams ranked between 10-100, we get just one in Piscataway (#57 MSU).

 

[RUSK97]

I had us losing to New Mexico this year, for similar reasons, but we got that "w." EMU is the type of game that play makers - see: Grant - can hopefully make a difference.

Yessir - just like New Mexico. If we catch them at the right moment (our best player in, their best players out), we can win. If not, we shouldn't be all that surprised.

 

[drewbagel423]

No way EMU is a WTF. A loss? Very likely. But not a WTF. EMU returns their QB and leading receiver who will be seniors next year. Same with their DBs, particularly their safeties. EMU will be the next Michigan school to put a whipping on RU.

A bunch of freshmen can energize this 2-10 team, but a lot of mistakes are going to be made. I agree with the 1-11 record next year. I see 2018 as the breakout year.

If we only win 1 game next year how do you expect to break out in 2018? No impact recruits are going to want to come to a school that will have hypothetically won 3 games in 2 years. Especially because if we're only good enough to win 1 game next year, we're going to get blown out by several teams again.

 

[RUSK97]

If we only win 1 game next year how do you expect to break out in 2018? No impact recruits are going to want to come to a school that will have hypothetically won 3 games in 2 years. Especially because if we're only good enough to win 1 game next year, we're going to get blown out by several teams again.

Because next year's freshmen start to gel in 2018 and take this team on their backs. Minimum 4 wins in 2018.

 

[colbert17]

Why do people on this board rate the PSU game a toss up??
What gives anyone any indication that this will be nothing less than the blow outs the past two years? We have been non-competitive against them.
Don't get me wrong, nothing would make me happier than beating them but I don't see it.

 

[drewbagel423]

Because next year's freshmen start to gel in 2018 and take this team on their backs. Minimum 4 wins in 2018.

Didn't realize you meant 4 wins when you said breakout. I know you said "minimum" but given the schedule we'd probably be lucky with 5. And relying on one class of true sophomores as the backbone of your team is not a recepie for success. We need to show progress, or CA needs to recruit his Ash off next year to add a few players that will have an immediate impact.