Rutgers and Maryland are headed into Saturday’s game in College Park with the same problem: both desperately need a win, and both know this may be their best shot at one in Big Ten play this season.
The matchup at SECU Stadium brings together two struggling teams, two head coaches under pressure and a spread that says plenty about where Rutgers sits right now. Maryland is a 4.5-point favorite, even after losing at home to UCLA 54-3 just three weeks ago. That line has already moved early, with bettors apparently thinking it still wasn’t enough.
Greg Schiano, though, isn’t buying the idea that Rutgers should treat this any differently than any other week.
“They’re true professionals just like our guys are,” Schiano said. “There’s not a heightened - You only get 12 games a year. If you’re not fighting for all of them, then you’re not doing your job.”
Rutgers enters at 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten. Maryland is 2-4 overall and 0-3 in conference play.
For both programs, the pressure is obvious. For both, a Big Ten win would be a badly needed reset.
The Scarlet Knights have actually had recent success in this series, winning two straight against Maryland. That includes last season’s meeting, when Terps quarterback Malik Washington ran for 164 yards on eight carries. Rutgers has taken the last two matchups by a combined score of 66-37, and last season’s trip to College Park ended in a 31-17 Scarlet Knights win.
Still, there’s a sense that this game could tell a bigger story about Rutgers than the matchup itself. The defense is no better than it was a year ago, and with quarterback problems hanging over the visitor side, it’s hard to see Rutgers suddenly finding enough offense to control things if the game turns into a shootout. Even with the recent edge in the series, this is the kind of week that could swing the mood around the program fast.
Here’s how the Rutgers Rant crew sees it heading into Saturday:
Brian Fonseca is 2-3 straight up and 1-4 against the spread.
Steve Politi is 2-3 straight up and 1-4 against the spread.
Politi is backing Rutgers to make the most of what looks like its best chance at a conference win this season, predicting the Scarlet Knights will start fast and beat an equally struggling Maryland team in convincing fashion.
In Other News...
Rutgers Has A Big Ten Weekend That Could Shift Its Momentum
Rutgers field hockey heads into a meaningful Big Ten weekend at the Bauer Track and Field Hockey Complex, where the Scarlet Knights will host No. 18 Michigan and Michigan State. The timing gives the program a chance to build on its first Big Ten win of the season, and the home slate also arrives with some added backdrop as Rutgers continues to lean on notable individual performances while trying to steady its conference momentum.
The weekend will carry more than just standings implications, too, with the program marking a pair of important milestones tied to its recent history and the people who have helped shape it. For a team trying to turn one breakthrough result into a run of confidence, this kind of stretch can matter just as much as the opponent across the field. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Locksley Faces A Defining Test As Maryland Season Slips
Rutgers heads into its meeting with Maryland with both programs trying to steady themselves after rough stretches, and the matchup comes at a time when neither side can afford many more setbacks. Maryland has dropped 11 straight conference games and has been leaking points on defense, while Greg Schianos team is headed toward a second consecutive losing season, a frustrating backdrop for a game that usually carries some urgency in the Big Ten standings.
Mike Locksley and Schiano both sounded worn by the way things have gone, each acknowledging the disappointment surrounding their teams before they meet. For Maryland, the pressure is especially sharp because the season has slipped so far that the next response matters almost as much as the result, and Rutgers will be watching closely to see whether the Terps can finally show some fight after so many conference losses. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Faces Another Mobile Quarterback Test After Costly Defensive Trend
Rutgers comes out of the bye week with a familiar problem waiting on the other side of Saturday: another quarterback who can hurt a defense with his legs as much as his arm. Marylands Malik Washington already showed what that can look like against the Scarlet Knights, and Greg Schiano has not hidden the fact that his team has had trouble with passers who can extend plays and keep drives alive when protection breaks down.
For Rutgers, the concern is bigger than one matchup. Schiano said the staff used the bye to work through the details of the issue, trying to sharpen how the defense handles broken plays and mobile quarterbacks before facing Maryland again. The timing gives the Scarlet Knights a chance to reset, but it also puts the burden back on a defense that knows exactly how costly this kind of test can be. [Read more 🡒]