Rutgers football gameday!

While no game played on any field of sport is a given or a sure thing, Rutgers should handle Army next week, right? Rutgers big playmakers should be able to handle the Black Knights of the Hudson common sense would say. But the Scarlet Knights don't play Army today they play South Florida so why the Army talk Johnny?

Here's why...

Rutgers season sits on a knifes-edge today in Piscataway against the Bulls. Rutgers is 5-3. Forget the conference record, the Big East crown isn't coming their way this year. 5-3 is the true number to concentrate on. Now, think Army next week and for dreamery imagination we think "Hmmmmm, 6-3 which could be 7-3 with a win against USF. A loss today at home would leave us with only a chance to get to 6-4 next week and some higher tier bowl scouts will stop following us."

There it is, if ever a game under coach Greg Schiano cried out for MAX effort, a wild crazed bunch of Rutgers players playing their absolute hardest this season for 60 minutes it's today. It doesn't jump out on the schedule early in the year where you say THERE, November 5th, THAT'S the big game this year but funny how sports works out.

The Scarlet Knights are on a two game skid. A painful both of those losses were winnable skid. A painful Rutgers did it to themselves skid. Here's how they win today.

South Florida can run the ball and hoo-wee man they can score points. Here's the thing, they couldn't seem to stop the run themselves in October. The Bulls have lost three straight and in two of those gave up huge chunks of yards on the ground. If Rutgers can compile 110-140 yards on the ground in any combination they can keep the USF offense off the field. On defense Schiano's defensive charges must keep USF's fine QB B.J. Daniels uncomfortable. We're not encouraging say Michigan State vs. Michigan knock you down and take your lunch money and collect 9 personal fouls style of play but yes, get in his face, knock him down, make him think about going back to pass in a BAD way. Like Reg Dunlop once told the Charlestown Chiefs, "Stick him in the ribs, let him know you're there."

This is a hard game on paper for Rutgers, it is. Extra effort and intensity are going to be paramount for 60 minutes.

Fearless forecast
Rutgers 32
USF 31