Athlon Sports predicts Rutgers will win 1 Big Ten game this season – NJ.com

Just in case Kyle Flood is worried about any of his players getting big heads after last season’s 8-5 record, the Rutgers coach will only need to look to his nearest newsstand to find humbling material.

Athlon Sports recently released its Big Ten preseason predictions and the publication isn’t showing the Scarlet Knights much respect. Athlon projects Rutgers to finish in last place in the Big Ten’s East Division with a 1-7 conference record.

Athlon ranks Rutgers as the No. 65 overall team in the nation. The publication predicts Rutgers will sweep its nonconference schedule to finish with a 5-7 record, which would result in the Scarlet Knights missing a bowl game for just the second time in 11 years.

Athlon’s preview of Rutgers focuses on the team’s uncertainty at quarterback and the defensive struggles against top Big Ten opponents last season. Here’s Athlon’s final analysis of Rutgers:

“No one expected life in the Big Ten to be easy for Rutgers, and losses to Ohio State, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Michigan State by a combined 180–44 score showed that the Scarlet Knights have a long way to go before they can compete with the cream of the conference crop. Rutgers’ quest to reach a bowl game for the 10th time in 11 years will depend on whether Flood can find enough offense to compensate for a young defensive corps that figures to struggle against elite Big Ten competition once again.”

The low ranking from Athlon is nothing new. The publication ranked Rutgers last in the Big Ten East and No. 75 overall before last season. Projected by Athlon to go 4-8 (1-7 in the Big Ten), Rutgers posted an 8-5 record (3-5 in conference).

The low outside expectations fueled players last year, and it appears they’ll have a familiar rallying cry this season.

Here are Athlon’s full predictions for the Big Ten:

EAST

1. Ohio State: 13-0 (8-0)

2. Michigan State: 10-2 (6-2)

3. Penn State: 8-4 (4-4)

4. Michigan: 7-5 (4-4)

5. Maryland: 6-6 (3-5)

6. Indiana: 6-6 (2-6)

7. Rutgers: 5-7 (1-7)

WEST

1. Wisconsin: 9-4 (6-2)

2. Nebraska: 8-4 (5-3)

3. Minnesota: 8-4 (5-3)

4. Iowa: 7-5 (4-4)

5. Northwestern: 6-6 (4-4)

6. Illinois: 6-6 (3-5)

7. Purdue: 3-9 (1-7)

Dan Duggan may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.

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