Big Ten Football: 5 bold predictions for the 2017 season

5 of 6

PISCATAWAY, NJ – NOVEMBER 19: Isaiah Wharton #11 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights looks on against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at High Point Solutions Stadium on November 19, 2016 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

2. Rutgers gets most wins since joining Big Ten

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have been bottom feeders ever since they joined the Big Ten in 2014. In order for them to set a personal goal of most conference wins in a season since joining, they will have to secure four victories in 2017.

Since their inaugural season, in which they went 3-5 in league play- the team has seen just one total win in two seasons in conference. That victory came in 2015, a 55-52 shootout win over Indiana.

We all like to think Rutgers is on the rise and their long rebuild is starting to run its course, but in this tough conference, it can be very difficult for teams to get out of the cellar, especially when you are running up against squads led by folks like Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh.

The Scarlet Knights had an abysmal year last season, enduring four games where they did not score a point, including back-to-back losses to Ohio State and Michigan, 58-0 and 78-0.

A lot will be said about the team as they open up the season against one of last year’s CFP teams, Washington. As for the Big Ten, there are some winnable games on the schedule and of course, there’s always a chance for the upset.

2017 Big Ten schedule:

at Nebraska
vs. Ohio State
at Illinois
vs. Purdue
at Michigan
vs. Maryland
at Penn State
at Indiana
vs. Michigan State

Four wins out of there is all they need to set a new all-time high.

Home/Big Ten