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Rutgers Football: 2018 season game-by-game predictions

By Luke Feliciano

PISCATAWAY, NJ - SEPTEMBER 30: Head coach Chris Ash of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights stands on the sidelines during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes on September 30, 2017 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Ohio State won 56-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ - SEPTEMBER 30: Head coach Chris Ash of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights stands on the sidelines during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes on September 30, 2017 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Ohio State won 56-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Week 8 is the point when things might have a sharp turn for the worst to truly throw a wrench into Rutgers hope of a winning season.

I originally accounted for Rutgers to come away with a tight victory in my preview, but a win may not be so easily in sight against a very underrated Wildcats team.

2018 marks the first season that Rutgers will face Northwestern as they are in opposite division and will only play each other every once in a while on a rotating basis. Northwestern checks in as the No. 6 team in the predicted Big Ten power rankings.

The Scarlet Knights have home field advantage but they will have to contend with Clayton Thorson, who is entering his fourth consecutive season as the starting quarterback for the Wildcats. In 2017 he threw for more than 2,800 yards with 15 touchdown passes.

The Rutgers offense had to rely heavily on the run game last year because of the inconsistent play by the quarterbacks and if last season was any indication of what Northwestern can bring to the table defensively, the Scarlet Knights might be in trouble.

The Wildcat defense held rushers to 3.3 yards per carry and teams to just a tad over 100 rushing yards per game. If Rutgers has a hard time running the ball, it will certainly struggle to put points on the board because the offense will have to rest solely on the passing game, which at times, was suspect last season.

The late October contest is scheduled to be the Rutgers homecoming game, so perhaps the crowd can provide a jolt to spark the team into snatching a win, but Northwestern will definitely be a tough team to face.

Final: Northwestern 35, Rutgers 21 (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten)

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