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Rutgers Football: 5 bold predictions for the Scarlet Knights in 2018

By Luke Feliciano

LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMBER 23: Offensive lineman Tariq Cole #65 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and offensive lineman Dorian Miller #60 lead the team on the field before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - SEPTEMBER 23: Offensive lineman Tariq Cole #65 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and offensive lineman Dorian Miller #60 lead the team on the field before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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Summer training camp is just weeks away, so why not provide a few hot takes for the upcoming season? Take a look at these five bold predictions for Rutgers football in 2018.

Season predictions wouldn’t be complete without a few bold takes. Some of these forecasts may be audacious at first but that is precisely the point.

For Rutgers, bold predictions have the potential to be squandered, considering the program hasn’t achieved enormous success the past couple of seasons.

Despite the downward trends of late, there is still the promising prospect of a resurgence led by a young corps of underclassmen.

Let’s leave nothing out of the picture for this year’s bold takes as the Scarlet Knights try to right the ship in 2018.

5. Rutgers will have a winning season/win a bowl game

Given the way Rutgers has fared in the Big Ten, the Scarlet Knights will likely be playing in mostly undercard matches without having a lot of bearing on the conference standings. However, this doesn’t mean Rutgers can’t play spoiler to a few teams vying for a top spot.

Two straight losing seasons is one too many for head coach Chris Ash who is determined and hopeful to put Rutgers back on the map. The next item of business on the docket for Ash will be to achieve a winning season.

While this may not seem like a bold prediction to many, for Rutgers, it is. The Scarlet Knights have less than 10 in-conference wins since joining the Big Ten and playing in possibly the nation’s toughest division doesn’t help the cause to find a formula for a winning season.

Rutgers’ schedule isn’t necessarily favorable, but on paper, it is feasible to say a winning record could be within arm’s reach.

Chances are, the Scarlet Knights will be toppled by the powerhouses of the Big Ten but the recipe for a winning season may be to take down some of the wildcard matchups in addition to the easy wins. One up-for-grabs game might include the mid-season contest with Northwestern. By many estimations, the Wildcats figure to be an underrated team in 2018.

With the rapid introduction of new bowl games, Rutgers will be in a position to qualify for the postseason as long as it captures six victories.

The Scarlet Knights haven’t played in a bowl game since 2014, which was also their last bowl win. Making a bowl game for the first time in four seasons should be a confidence booster and perhaps give Rutgers the fire it needs to chase down a bowl win.

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