The Rutgers football schedule makes 2024 a make-or-break year for Greg Schiano
![Jul 23, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports Jul 23, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4630,h_2604,x_0,y_35/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/194/01j3gbqqr7bgyy24qack.jpg)
The term "hot seat" is reserved for coaches who are facing "win-now" situations and seasons in which they must prove themselves capable of a turnaround. That doesn't exactly apply to Greg Schiano because he has proven he can turn Rutgers football into a winner, but that doesn't mean he can just coast in 2024.
Although Schiano's seat isn't quite "hot" yet, I would argue that he's facing a critical season when it comes to how he's perceived moving forward.
Schiano has gotten by at Rutgers by winning anywhere from three to seven games in his second stint with the program over the past four years, but there's a huge opportunity right in front of him to get back to the 8-9-win days like he had during his first stint.
In fact, Schiano might have one of the easiest schedules of any Big Ten team.
Rutgers is Big Ten's only team that doesn't face any of the league's predicted top 5 teams: Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Michigan & Iowa, yet it's over/under win total is only 6½
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 23, 2024
That's right, Rutgers doesn't face a single one of the projected top five teams in the conference (Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Michigan, Iowa), according to Brett McMurphy.
While this doesn't quite ensure a 8-9 wins or even a winning season, avoiding the top-third of the conference is what you would call good fortune and in that case, Schiano has to take advantage. The conference is tougher than it's ever been and everyone will be beating up on each other but the Scarlet Knights could sneak into the top half of the league by just winning the games that they're supposed to.
Virginia Tech will be a tough non-conference road game but Nebraska, USC, Maryland, and Michigan State are all winnable road games (a 2-2 record would be huge there) in Big Ten play. The Scarlet Knights get Washington, Wisconsin, UCLA, Minnesota, and Illinois all at home and those are all winnable games as well.
Long story short, Rutgers has the easiest Big Ten schedule and if Schiano can't win 7-8 games this season, he may never be able to again and his seat will be considered "hot" finally.
Next. 3 Big Ten teams that will disappoint in 2024. 3 Big Ten teams that will disappoint in 2024. dark