Running the table not out of question

Push the last two games to the back of your mind. That’s what the Rutgers football team did. Remember it, and everything that went right, but don’t dwell on it. There is a lot more football to be played.
Believe it or not, suddenly the Scarlet Knights have new life, no longer crawling through the doggie door of elimination.
With a record of 3-5, Rutgers won’t come close to an upper-echelon Bowl game this year, and they remain one loss away from being just about knocked out of Bowl contention. With a 6-6 record, RU would become eligible, but the odds of making it to a Bowl are slim to none — especially with Notre Dame’s affiliation to the Big East Bowl picture. The Gator Bowl would surely select Notre Dame if they qualify, and it looks like they will have no problem doing so.
Most likely, the Knights will have to run the table to reach a Bowl game, which includes the daunting tasks of beating South Florida on the road and Louisville at Rutgers Stadium on a Thursday night to close the season.
And they can do it.
A month ago, very few people gave Rutgers a shot to even be in the position they are now. Against a grueling road schedule against four of the toughest teams in the conference, three on the road, the Knights went 2-2. Moreover, their losses were by a combined 10 points.
“At the start of the season, I thought Rutgers was going to be a very good team but would still sludge through a 2-2 month at best. Looking at it now, Rutgers has a chance to win every single game.”
I wrote that back on Oct. 2, when I thought the same of this football team that I do right now. I predicted Rutgers would have a chance to win each game, and they did. Glancing at the final four games, I believe the same thing.
Rutgers has a chance — a good chance — to win every game. Will they? I’m not sure yet. The season hinges on Nov. 15, a showdown on the road against South Florida. RU escaped the Bulls two years running, and if they win, should be 6-5 when they close their season against Louisville. Beat the Cardinals, and a fourth straight Bowl game is all theirs.
Based on the parity in the Big East, Rutgers has a great chance to pull this off. After their 1-5 start, no one expected the Knights to even be in this position. But here they are.
“Like everyone said all along, and I’m no different, I think anybody can beat anybody in our league,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said. “I think it will go all the way to the end.”
At this rate, the entire Big East might finish 4-3 or 3-4 in the conference. An 8-4 or 7-5 overall record looks to be the norm. Rutgers, though logic puts them with a .500 finish, has just as good a chance as any to end up with a 7-5 mark.
Rutgers has played four of the toughest teams in the conference already. West Virginia, who sits on top of the conference with a 2-0 mark, has beaten just Rutgers and Big East bottom-feeder Syracuse. There is still a long way to go.
Things certainly have to go right for Rutgers to qualify for a Bowl, but opportunities are available if they run the table. The looming showdown with South Florida in a little over two weeks will be the measuring stick for the Scarlet Knights.
Lose, and they may as well start focusing on next year. Win, and they have all the momentum to carry into a deciding game with Louisville. Win, and I’ll bet they win out and qualify for a Bowl game.

Matthew Stein encourages all comments and criticisms at steinma@eden.rutgers.edu.

Comments

1 comments

beaced

Thu Oct 30 2008 16:49

First Syracuse.It's one game, one win at a time,from here on out.

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