Rutgers Football: Can Scarlet Knights get to a bowl game?

How will Rutgers football fare in 2021?

Rutgers returns 19 of 22 starters from last year’s team and if the Scarlet Knights can get to three wins in the Big Ten again, then a bowl game is possible.

The non-conference schedule also features some winnable games, but also two that won’t be easy. But it’s hard to imagine this team not improving from last season, with the biggest caveat being at quarterback.

With Wimsatt, the future is locked down at QB. But Rutgers has to get through another year with Vedral and his play will likely determine the fate of the Scarlet Knights.

Here is a game-by-game prediction for the Scarlet Knights.

• Game 1: vs Temple (W) — Rutgers will need to show up to win this game but on its home field, against an inferior team ranked outside the top 100 in ESPN FPI, it will.
• Game 2: at Syracuse (W) — The Scarlet Knights renew an old Big East rivalry and find a way to win in the dome.
• Game 3: vs Delaware (W) — A final tune-up before Big Ten play puts Rutgers at 3-0.
• Game 4: at Michigan (L) — Rutgers lost in overtime to the Wolverines a year ago and while it will be competitive, it won’t be that close.
• Game 5: vs Ohio State (L) — The Buckeyes are simply on another level right now. Rutgers can keep it respectable, but it will be a blowout.
• Game 6: vs Michigan State (L) — It’s hard to predict Rutgers beating Michigan State two years in a row, although it’s tempting, and winning in Piscataway won’t be easy.
• Game 7: at Northwestern (L) — This will be a battle but this is the kind of game where Vedral hurts you if he played as he did last season.
• Game 8: at Illinois (W) — Bret Bielema will get Illinois turned around eventually but the Fighting Illini are where Rutgers was a year ago and the Scarlet Knights will get a solid win on the road.
• Game 9: vs Wisconsin (L) — Wisconsin is too talented, too tough, and too strong.
• Game 10: at Indiana (L) — Following a win, Rutgers gets a dose of reality against Indiana, who many see as a contender in the Big Ten East again.
• Game 11: at Penn State (L) — Penn State surged at the end of last season and the Nittany Lions will be a top-15 team once again in 2021.
• Game 12: vs Maryland (W) — Rutgers won’t be playing for a postseason berth but it can end the season on a high note against a pretty good Maryland team.

Prediction: 5-7 overall, 2-7 Big Ten

Rutgers is going to be a better team and the win total will reflect that, just not when it comes to the Big Ten conference.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Rutgers football found a way to win three games in conference and if that happens, a bowl is a real possibility. Games against Temple and Syracuse are winnable — the biggest issue with the schedule is the four conference home games are all tough.

Michigan State will be out for revenge, plus Wisconsin and Ohio State could be the two best teams in the league. Maryland is also projected to be much improved.

But if Rutgers can find a way to win two of those four games, my bet is that the Scarlet Knights get a bowl game, much sooner than expected.

However, my prediction is that they fall one game short in 2021.