Rutgers Football: 2018 season game-by-game predictions

Once Rutgers’ companion when both teams entered the Big Ten in the same year, Maryland provides for another interesting matchup that is up for grabs.

Both Rutgers and Maryland had identical overall records while Rutgers notched one more in-conference win than Maryland. For the upcoming season, the Terrapins are one spot ahead of the Scarlet Knights in the power rankings.

The Terrapins pulled off a shocking upset on the road in a shootout against Texas to kickoff the 2017 season, but things plummeted afterward. The promising season went to the wayside in a flash mostly because the team was marred by injuries at the quarterback position.

The Terrapins had three different signal callers lead the offense and all of them return to the team in 2018 including last year’s opening day starter Tyrrell Pigrome. He had three combined touchdowns in the first half against Texas but left the game with an injury that ended his season.

Oddly enough, Rutgers has a history of playing Maryland even before both teams landed in the Big Ten and the Scarlet Knights have earned a 2-1 on the Terrapins home turf since the 2009 season.

Last year, Rutgers won the contest, winning a close one-score game at home. However, ever since both teams began to play in the Big Ten, they have split the wins at two apiece.

Maryland poses as the first true road test for the Scarlet Knights in 2018 but Rutgers can feasibly return to the Garden State with another win.

Final: Maryland 17, Rutgers 24 (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten)