Game 12: Louisville

Need to make this quick.

You know what's on the line tonight. It's the defacto Big East championship game. Winner goes to a BCS bowl.

Rutgers on Offense
They need to trust Gary Nova and stop being so conservative. Jawan Jamison should be fully healthy today, and he and Huggins should both get double digit carries against Louisville's poor run defense. It would be nice to come out throwing early to get a lead and then run latter, but who knows what mode Brock will be in tonight.

Rutgers on Defense
The Scarlet Knights need to get pressure on Bridgewater. He has a bum ankle, so force him out of the pocket, where he shouldn't be as effective. Louisville runs the ball up the gut well, so they need to hold double teams on the line and allow the linebackers to make plays.

It's also worth mentioning that Louisville doesn't exactly play great special teams so Rutgers should take advantage of that.

Prediction Louisville 13 Rutgers 17
The stars are aligned for a Rutgers win. No excuses, just do it!

Game 11: Pitt

Rutgers comes into Heinz Field today, leading the Big East standings and only one win away from at least a share of a conference title. Kyle Flood has kept his team focused all year on "going 1-0 this week" and that focus will certainly be put to test this week, as there are numerous distractions the team has to deal with. The Big 10 news is certainly exciting, and what could be the biggest game in school history is just a few days away, but Rutgers needs to have tunnel vision and focus on a Pitt team that is just as capable of playing great as they are capable of playing like crap. The conditions are probably going to be poor, and there were 4 high school games played at Heinz Field on Friday, so Rutgers big advantage over Pitt, speed, could be neutralized a bit in this one.

Rutgers On Offense
Rutgers played pretty well last week against Cincy, (despite only scoring 10 points) after scuffling a bit in the middle portion of the season. Jawan Jamison is supposedly 100%, but with the conditions the way they are and based on how Savon Huggins played last week, Huggins could see the majority of the carries, pounding the rock inside. Jamison will certainly get his touches too, hopefully in space, but if the field is torn up, he could have problems cutting, especially with the ankle injury. The offensive line will need to play like they did last week, dominating in the run game and protecting the quarterback. Antwan Lowery has a big size advantage over Pitt's defensive line and he should bury people. Pitt's secondary gets torched often by big plays through the air, so if the Scarlet Knights can run effectively, Gary Nova should be able to connect with his receivers on some deep balls off play action. Miles Shuler should see some targets. Pitt's defense is very slow, so RU will hopefully use their superior speed to their advantage, even with the poor conditions.

Rutgers On Defense
Rutgers' defense has been dominant all year, and they need to keep it up after turning in the best effort they have in years last week against Cincinnati. First and foremost, Rutgers needs to stop the runs up the middle. Ray Graham has been pounding opposing defenses (including Notre Dame) into submission, and they need to hold him in check like they did last year. Khaseem Greene is going to need to shut down his brother. Rutgers should try to get one of their bigger defensive line groupings on the field, as Pitt has a massive offensive line, but if they are do not, they need to out quick them. Pitt can not protect the passer, so it is vital the Knights get a pass rush from their front 4. That would also allow them to drop more guys in coverage over the middle, where Tino Sunseri likes to throw to his big possession receivers. As Pitt does not have much of a vertical passing game, I would expect the safeties to play closer to the line than they normally do to stop the run and take away the intermediate passes. Sunseri has been good this year, but I think the defense can rattle him if they hit him and intercept a pass early on.

Injuries
Jamison is said to be a full go, and Andre Civil should play after missing last week. Kicker Kyle Federico is still out with a hip injury.

Prediction Rutgers 24 Pitt 17
I think Rutgers will have a very good day running the ball and will hit on a couple deep balls. My main concern is how the defense will stop the run. Graham may have some success running against them, and if that's the case, they must rattle Sunseri to make the Panthers one dimensional. The weather will not help the Knights, but their focus and senior leadership will be too strong to lose this game with so much on the line.

Game 10: Cincinnati

Rutgers is 8-1 (4-0) and alone atop the Big East standings, and they start a daunting 3 game stretch to end the season today, in their house of horrors, Nippert Stadium, against the Cincinnati Bearcats. Cincinnati is once again one of the best teams in the Big East, and they present a major road block to the Scarlet Knights, who have not played an opponent of this caliber yet this season. Rutgers hasn't played their best football of late, but they have been much better on the road than at home this year. They need to get off to a fast start today, as they may not be able to dominate in the second half against a very good team like they do against inferior teams.

Rutgers On Offense
Rutgers has been uber-conservative with their play calling this year, sitting back and hoping the other team just beats themselves, but they may not be able to get away with that this time. It looks like Jawan Jamison will play after injuring his ankle last week,  but I would expect him to carry a lighter load with Savon Huggins picking up the slack. Cincinnati has a small but quick front 4, so I would look for the Knights to run right at them, down hill, and maybe not run as much wide zone, which has been the staple of their offense. The offensive line needs to push people around, and they should probably cut block on the backside to prevent penetration. With Cincy's corners giving receivers tons of cushion, I would expect a lot of quick screens to the outside. Hopefully they will attack the middle with some slants and crossing patterns too, as the Bearcat linebackers are not great in coverage and leave the middle vacated quite often when they blitz. These runs and shot passes will hopefully draw the defense up, allowing Nova to attack them deep. Cincy blitzes a lot too, so Nova and the line need to figure that out and pick them up.

Rutgers On Defense
Rutgers made a lot of position changes before last season to get more speed on the field in order to stop offenses just like Cincinnati's. It will be strength vs strength when the Bearcats run the ball to the outside, which they do so often. Khaseem Greene should have plenty of opportunities to make plays in space, and the corners need to provide run support, like they usually do. If they run right at Logan Ryan, I like Rutgers' chances. The defensive line mush get pressure on Brandon Key, and make him uncomfortable when he drops back and throws deep. Cincy throws a lot of deep balls, and the defensive backs must use their ball skills to knock passes down and hopefully get some interceptions. Cincinnati is at their best when the run the ball to the left, so Rutgers should some how try to get them to run right. The right side of Cincy's line can get pushed around. Tight end Travis Kelce is a very good receiver, and the linebackers need to keep him in check.

Injuries
It looks like Kyle Federico will miss another game. It's possible Jamison doesn't play, but Kyle Flood says there's a 75% chance he will be a go. Right guard Andre Civil is out, and Taj Alexander, who started against USF and has been getting a solid amount of playing time, will get the starting nod in his place.

Prediction- Rutgers 27 Cincinnati 24
I think Rutgers defense will be able to hold the Bearcats' ground attack in check and force Kay beat them with his arm, and I don't think he can do that. I'm hoping the offense gets out of their slide and unleash Nova, but I think they will be able to run the ball like they did early in the year. The Knights will of course probably make a big play on special teams too,

Game 9: Army

Army's football program has not been very good for about 15 years now, but make no mistake: they are a handful to deal with. Their triple option offense is difficult to defend, they are as physically and mentally tough of a team you will face, and they are always a well disciplined team that will not make mistakes and beat themselves. Rutgers should be more prepared than most teams facing a military academy, as they are coming off a bye week and have played Army and Navy a lot recently, so they should not have too much of a problem against them. But as we have seen over the years (including 2 weeks ago), Rutgers is more than capable of blowing games they should win.

Get to Know Army
The Cadets are 2-7 so far this season, coming off their upset victory over Air Force. They have only been blown out twice this year, against San Diego State and Stony Brook, and have other wise been competitive in their other losses (including against Kent State and a very good Northern Illinois team). They also have a win against Boston College.

Head coach Rich Ellerson is in his 4th year at West Point, and he has a 17-29 record thus far. He led the Black Knights to their only winning season since 1997 in 2010, going 7-6 and winning the Military Bowl over SMU. Ellerson's background is in defense, and he has installed a triple option offense, in the Black Knights' attempt to emulate the two military academies who have had more success on the football field.

The triple option offense is led by senior four year starter, Trent Steelman, who leads the team in rushing yards with 911. He is a classic option quarterback, a quick, slippery runner who makes lightning fast decisions, but is not much of a passer. Army uses a plethora of slot backs, most notably Raymond Maples, who leads the team in carries and Malcolm Brown, who is their most explosive back. Larry Dixon is the fullback running up the middle. Army came into the season with an inexperienced line, but they have nine games under their belts at this point, so that should no longer be a big issue. This unit is undersized, and will cut block a lot. Those types of lines can be a pain in the ass, but you can over power them.

Defensively, Army runs a some what odd style of defense, what's known as the "Desert Swarm" which was run most notably by Ellerson at Arizona in the early 90's. In this type of defense, they move guys around A LOT. It looks like they run a three man front, but it's actually a 4 man front with the three technique tackle a few yards off the ball. The weak side defensive end is also lined up unusually, a few yards outside of the end man on the line of scrimmage. The strong side linebacker lines up on the line, and the other two linebackers are free to roam, and move around often. They will also bring the safety down into the box most of the time, and play cover 3 in the secondary. They bring a lot of pressure as well. Army's defense is undersized and has given up a ton of yards on the ground this year, but this is an unusual defensive scheme that can be tough to prepare for.

Rutgers on Offense
Gary Nova needs to have a bounce back game after the Kent State disaster. He needs to have a strong game to keep his confidence, and show that last week was a fluke. He should expect Army to zone blitz him a lot, as it confused him and his offensive line a great deal in their last game. The Desert Swarm defense can be beat when you spread them out and pass. The offensive line should have a good game against Army's front 7, and Jawan Jamison should be able to use his speed and elusiveness to run for a lot of yards. Rutgers has a massive size advantage on the line and at receiver, and they should exploit that.

Rutgers on Defense
The triple option is extremely tough to defend, but Rutgers has an experienced defense who has seen this offense multiple times. The biggest thing you have to do to stop a flexbone offense is shut down the fullback on the belly play. Scott Vallone has done this through out his career, and today should be no different. He should be able to beat Army's offensive line all day, and force the quarterback to keep the ball. When the play goes to the the outside, Rutgers has the personnel to make plays in space and shut that down as well. Khassem Greene will need to shadow the quarterback and force him to pitch the ball. Fumbles can happen on those pitches, and if the slot back runs it, corners Logan Ryan, Marcus Cooper and Brandon Jones should be able to handle them, a they are all strong tacklers. In the past, Rutgers has gone to a nickel defense to stop this type of offense with a rover (it was Pat Kivlehan last year) roaming into the box. My guess is Lorenzo waters will be the rover, and Mason Robinson and Wayne Warren will play back at strong safety. Even though Army is #1 in rushing and last in passing, you need to be wary of the deep ball. Once they suck you up, they will take shots over the top. Warren and Duron Harmon are senior who should be ready for this and not fooled. You can read a little bit more about the flexbone offense an defending it in this post I wrote last year before the Navy game. Bottom line is the defense needs to play with discipline.

Injuries
Federico probably won't kick once again, and all the guys who have been out all year will still be out. Nothing really new on this front.

Prediction Army 7 Rutgers 31
Rutgers should be able to run the ball all day on offense, and I think the veteran defense can handle the option offense well. The big thing in this one is to see how Nova bounces back. I think he needs to have a solid game to keep his confidence, and hopefully he is more prepared to face zone blitzes.

I have all the respect in the world for the Cadets. I hope I didn't come across as too hard on them in this post. They are just not a very good team.

Game 8: Kent State

Rutgers is off to a fantastic 7-0 record this year, and they will take a break from Big East play this week, as they welcome Kent State to New Jersey today, on homecoming. The defense will face another tough rushing attack, and the offense will look to build off the strong effort they put forth in the second half against Temple a week ago after sleep walking through 10 quarters. Rutgers should be able to handle Kent State easily, but the Golden Flashes are a very solid team and if the Knights come out flat and unprepared again, they could get knocked off.

Rutgers on Offense
Rutgers should be able to over power Kent State on the ground, and they will probably look to exploit this early on. They need to keep letting Nova throw the ball over the middle on intermediate routes too, in order to keep some balance. If this plan works, they should be able to connect on some deep balls off play action.

Rutgers on Defense
Rutgers has one of the top run defenses in the country, and they face another quality run offense in Kent State. The Flashes have the dynamic Dri Archer on the backfield, who is very fast and capable of breaking off long runs. Rutgers has a lot of speed on defense, so hopefully that allows them to keep him in check. Kent also has Traylon Durham in the backfield, and he is huge and the thunder to Archer's lightning. Rutgers must be able to get penetration on them and shut their rushing attack down. They might look to load the box too, as Kent State doesn't have much of a passing game.

On punts and kick offs, they should probably kick away from Archer at all coasts, but if they don't, they need to make sure they get down there and tackle him.

Injuries
Kicker Kyle Federico is once again questionable.

Prediction Rutgers 31 Kent State 13
I think Rutgers will be able to run the ball with a lot of success, and they will do a good job shutting Kent State's running game down. Nova will throw for a few more touchdowns, and Dri Archer will break free on a kick return for the only Golden Flash TD of the day.

Game 7: Temple

Rutgers is 6-0, 3-0 in the Big East, and ranked 15th in the initial BCS standings. It's one of the best starts to the season in program history, and the Scarlet Knights look to keep things going in the right direction today, as they head down to Philadelphia to take on the Temple Owls in Lincoln Financial Field. Temple is new again to the Big East, and they do not have the talent Rutgers does, but they are a well coached, dangerous team who are capable of pulling an upset. Rutgers must be emotionally ready and mentally prepared for this one, in order to avoid a stinker.

Get to Know Temple

Rutgers on Offense
Temple is solid on defense against the run, but Rutgers will still rely on the ground game. The coaching staff has indicated that Savon Huggins will get more carries, as Jawan Jamison has seemed to be overworked and wearing out the last few weeks, so more down hill plays should be expected. The Knights have over relied on screens this year, and they may run a bunch again, in hopes of off setting the Owls' aggressive blitzes. Gary Nova should be allowed to throw more against this questionable Temple secondary, and the receivers should attack deep. The offensive line has to protect Nova, and get a push in the run game against Temple's defensive line that has some nice size.


Rutgers on Defense
Rutgers is second nationally against the run, and they will face a difficult test this week. Chris Coyer and Montel Harris can both run the ball out of the Owls' spread attack, and Rutgers should load the box to stop the run. Temple doesn't have many playmakers at receiver, and the corners should shut them down. I expect to see a lot of run blitzes, and Steve Beauharnais to play a big role. Scott Vallone must continue to annihilate double teams, and Jamil Merrell will have to step it up and stop the run. He may be subbed out more ofter than the past two games, just to get more size in there. Force them to play from behind and pass.

Injuries
Kicker Kyle Fedirico's status is still up in the air. If he can't go, Anthony DiPaula will take his place again.
Al Page is out for the year at DT, as is Ike Holmes, and Daryl Stepehnson.
Sam Bergen was limited last week, but he should be a go today, as he is filling in for Mike Burton at FB.

Prediction- Rutgers 27 Temple 16
Rutgers will have a nice day in the air and a solid rushing attack, and Temple's offense will be able to run the ball a little bit, but the Owls will have to resort to the pass when they fall behind.

Game 6: Syracuse

What makes a rivalry? Is it geography? When you're school is close to another school, you are often competing for the same recruits, and things can get ugly on the recruiting trail. Is it series history? A bunch of close, hard fought games could bring upon hatred for that particular opponent. Or is a rivalry formed just because you plain hate the other side's guts? With Syracuse and Rutgers, it seems to be a little bit of the first but mostly the third. What ever the cause of the contempt between Syracuse and Rutgers is, this rivalry will come to an end for the foreseeable future today, with Syracuse moving on to the ACC next year.


Get to Know Syracuse
Syracuse is the self proclaimed best 2-3 team in the country after narrowly beating Stony Brook and Pitt at home, losing a neutral site affair to USC, and dropping a pair of games to Big 10 foes Northwestern and Minnesota. 

The Orange are led by Doug Marrone, who is in his fourth season coaching his alma mater, and he has a 19-23 record so far. The former NFL offensive line coach wants his team to be physical on offense and blitz the crap out of you on defense. He has won 2 of 3 games against Rutgers at Cuse, but he has some sort of inferiority complex with Rutgers, as he tells recruits and boosters about how Rutgers is some how conspiring against him. He's also a control freak who has had constant roster turnover and an extremely poor relationship with the media, so he's a pretty reprehensible character.

Ryan Nassib has for some reason been mentioned as a really good quarterback and an NFL prospect, but he really hasn't been that impressive lately, after putting up gaudy numbers against Northwestern and USC. He doesn't have a great arm, but he's very accurate as a dink and dunker. Nassib is a middle of the road QB, but Syracuse can be a dangerous passing team thanks to their receivers. Marcus Sales has been the best receiver in the Big East this year, hauling in 33 passes for 445 yards and 5 TDs. Jerrod West and pre season All Big East receiver Alec Lemon both have 21 catches a piece, and while West has been solid, Lemon has been some what of a disappointment (0 TD).

Syracuse is 84th in rushing and 87th in yards per carry, and they've had to over rely on the pass this year to compensate for not being able to run the ball. They have not been able to find a lead back, and their offensive line has been banged up. All Big East right tackle Justin Pugh returned to the line up last week after missing the first 4 games of the year following shoulder surgery, so they might be better running the ball than the numbers indicate.

Syracuse's run defense ranks in the middle of the pack nationally, but they are coming off a game in which they totally shut down Ray Graham (Pitt's o-line is horrible). They have not done very well against the pass either, allowing opponents to throw for 10 touch downs while only intercepting 3 passes. They lost Chandler Jones to the NFL Draft, but Brandon Share has been a solid pass rusher for them.

Rutgers on Offense
Rutgers needs to keep doing what they're doing, running the ball well, not turning it over, and set up Gary Nova for some play action passes to his big receivers. Syracuse is going to blitz like crazy out of a bunch of exotic looks, so the offensive line needs to be prepared to know what's coming, and always remember their pass protection rules.

Rutgers on Defense
Again, just jeep doing what they're doing. They should be able to stop Syracuse's run game altogether, but they need to pick it up a little (like they did last week) against the pass. The front 4 needs to do a better job getting pressure, so they can drop more guys in to underneath coverage to prevent the dinking and dunking. If they must keep blitzing, they need to make sure they get there and at least cause a poor throw or throw away from Nassib.

STOP THE PENALTIES TOO!

Injuries
Kyle Federico is questionable with a hip injury. I would bet against him playing, and Nick DeLouise would likely take over place kicking duties. Hopefully they just go for it on 4th down situations in FG range.

Prediction-Syracuse 17 Rutgers 27
Rutgers just needs to keep on keeping on and not have a hiccup that this program has grown accustom to. The offense should have a good day, hopefully they open it up more than last week, but the Nassib and his receivers' dink and dunking concerns me against a blitz happy Rutgers' D. The secondary needs to play well. Syracuse isn't great, but they are pretty solid and won't be a push over.

I DON'T NOT WANT TO LOSE THIS GAME AND HAVE TO HEAR FROM THEIR STUPID FANS WHO THINK IT'S STILL THE '90'S AND RECRUITS WANT TO GO TO PLAY IN UPSTATE NEW YORK FOR ALL OF ETERNITY!

Game 5: Connecticut

Rutgers enters Saturday's game ranked for the first time since 2009, and they will look to exact some revenge on a Husky team that beat them in their last regular season game when they had a chance to win a share of the Big East title a year ago. Rutgers is a much more talented and better coached team than Connecticut, but as we've seen in the past (including last year in this match up), crazy things can happen in the Big East.

Get to Know UConn
Connecticut is 3-2, having alternated wins and losses against MAC and ACC teams. They beat UMass and Buffalo at home and Maryland on the road, and have lost at home to NC State and on the road to Western Michigan. On offense, they love to run the ball despite only mild success on the ground this year and lack a competnet QB and play makers in the passing game, in addition to a solid defense.

Paul Pasqualoni is in his second year coaching the Huskies, and he hasn't brought a lot of excitement to Storrs. After going 5-7 in his first season, he looks to bring UConn back to a bowl game this season. The defensive minded Coach P has put together some solid units on that side of the ball, but he hasn't posted a winning season as a head coach since 2001 (he served as an NFL assistant from 2005-20010), but his offenses haven't been great. His long time assistant George DeLeone remains behind the times in offensive philosophy, and he doesn't exactly have a lot of talent to work with.

Lyle McCombs ran for over 1000 yards a year ago and earned some Big East honors, but he's gotten off to a pedestrian start this year, averaging only 3.7 yards a carry. Some of it may because of an offensive line that lost 2 starters, including all conference center Moe Petrus, and some of it may have to do with wearing down after carrying such a large load last year (he's a smaller back), but what ever the reasoning behind his struggles, there have been calls for backup Martin Hyppolite to get more carries. The offensive line, normally a strength for them, has not given him a lot of room to work with, and they are also 103rd in the nation in sacks allowed.

Illinois transfer Chandler Whitmer won the starting QB spot in camp, and all though he has completed 61% of his passes while averaging a solid 7.8 yards per attempt, he has only thrown 4 touch down passes against 6 interceptions. UConn does not have a stand out receiver, and they struggle mightily on third down as a result.

Connecticut's defense has been one of the best in the country statistically so far, but they haven't exactly faced any offensive juggernauts. The unit is led by sophomore linebacker Yarwin Smallwood, who leads the Big Eat in tackles. They have a very good linebacking unit overall that can stop the run, despite a defensive line that lost some very important players, including Kendall Reyes, from a year ago.

Their secondary struggled last year, but they have a formidable pass rush, and have improved a bit through out the year. They have not been tested by a quarterback who can beat them deep, so we'll see today how improved they really are.

Rutgers on offense
With Gary Nova's recent emergence and Savon Huggins coming back from injury, Jawan Jamison won't have to carry the same work load he did against USF and Arkansas, though he should still get 20+ carries. Nova will look to test UConn's secondary deep, and his receivers Wright, Coleman, and Harrison will need to continue the good work they've done recently. With Huggins back, RU should improve in the red zone after they settled for too many field goals in his absence. The offensive line will need to keep Nova clean for the 5th game in a row, and clear the path for the running backs. Taj Alexander will get his second start of the year at right guard, after overtaking Andre Civil during the bye week.

Rutgers on defense
UConn's run game has struggled so far this season, relative to previous years, but they will still rely on the run game. With Ike Holmes out, one of Marquise Wright, Darius Hamilton, or Jamil Merrell will have to step up and stuff the run along with Scott Vallone. Steve Beauharnais hasn't made a ton of plays yet this year, but he will get his chance to make a ton plays up the middle against the Huskies. The Knights have had problems stopping the pass against 4 and 5 receiver sets, but UConn won't utilize those kinds of formations too much. Their defensive backs are way more talented than UConn's receivers, and they should shut them down and capitalize on the mistakes Whitmer makes in the form of interceptions.

Injuries
Ike Holmes is out for the season and his back up Al Page is still out with a mystery injury that has kept him out of the lineup in all 5 games.

Fullback Mike Burton is out for the year with a lower body injury.

Defensive lineman Michael Larrow and Kenneth Kirksey will play for the first time this year, returning from a suspension and injury respectively. Savon Huggins wil return from an injury as well.

Miles Shuler was hurt this week in practice and his status for the game is uncertain.

Prediction: Connecticut 10 Rutgers 27
Rutgers can not afford to have a let down like they did against Connecticut last year. They need to take care of the ball and not beat them selves with penalties. They may struggle running the ball a little bit, but they could over come that with yards through the air. The defense should totally shut down the Huskies' offense, but stranger things have happened.

Game 4: Arkansas

Rutgers travels down to SEC country for the first time since 2004 to take on the 1-2 Arkansas Razorbacks. The Hogs are a very talented team, but their season has been savaged by turmoil, as Bobby Petrino was fired and interim coach John L. Smith seems to have no control of the team. Rutgers is coming  off a big conference win over South Florida 10 days ago, and they will be trying to get some national respect for themselves and the Big East in this game.

Rutgers on Offense
Jawan Jamison carried the ball a school record 41 times last Thursday, and he should expect to carry a similar load today, as he's had a few extra days of rest and there is a bye week next week. The offensive line has been playing great so far this year, and they need to push around Arkansas' defensive line that has been steamrolled so far this year.

The offensive line has not allowed a sack so far this year, and if they give Garry Nova time to throw the ball, he could do some damage. Nova seemed to really mature last game against USF, and he needs to have another big game today to show it was not a fluke. Tim Wright seems to have stepped it up as the go to receiver in this offense, and DC Jefferson and Mark Harrison have proved to be reliable targets as well. They could have a field day against a very poor, inexperienced Razorback secondary.

Rutgers on Defense
All SEC quarterback Tyler Wilson will get the start for the Hogs today after missing the last game and a half with a concussion. He is one of the best QBs in the nation, and facing him will be a big test for Rutgers' heralded secondary. Wilson loves throwing the deep ball, and the corners will have to lock the receivers up and stay with them down the field, as they will be left on an island in man coverage. A lot of the defense's success today will ride on their play. Duron Harmon will have to be a ball hawk today and help the corner out over the top, in the event they get beat. The underneath pass defenders will be tasked with keeping Arkansas' leading receiver, tight end Chris Gragg, in check, as he runs a lot of shallow routes across the middle in spots vacated by blitzers. Arkansas has done a terrible job in pass protection, have been totally overwhelmed by blitzes, and Wilson is not that mobile, so the pass rush should be all over Wilson and record multiple sacks, or at least force him to make bad throws.

Arkansas's offense loves to run the ball to the outside with sweeps and stretch plays, so the defensive ends must be able to keep contain, and the linebackers are going to need to make a lot of plays in space too. Their startng running back, Knile Davis, is only averaging 3.5 yards a carry after missing all of last year with a broken leg. In 2010 when he was healthy, he was an explosive back rushing for over 1300 yards, while averaging 6 a carry. Dennis Johnson and Ronnie Wingo will get some carries as well, and they have both been much more productive this year. They have a big offensive line, but they're not the quickest in the world, and Rutgers will need to fire out quick and penetrate up the middle.

Penalties
CUT THE CRAP AND BE DISCIPLINED! STOP KILLING YOUR OWN DRIVES ON OFFENSE AND EXTENDING DRIVES ON DEFENSE! 

Injury Report
Savon Huggins will miss his second straight game with a lower body injury but  third string RB Paul James should play, as he just returned to practice this week after suffering a high ankle sprain.

Holder/safety JT Tarcoff will be out with a broken finger.

Michal Larrow will serve the final game of his 4 game suspension. Marcus Thompson is still out at DE as well, and the staus of DT Al Page is uncertain.

Andre Civil will return to the lineup after missing last week with an injury.

Prediction- Rutgers 26 Arkansas 24
I did not think Rutgers would win this game all offeseason, but John L. Smith has made me a believer. Arkansas is in turmoil, if you come out and punch them in the mouth right away, they will fold. This could make or break their season. Rutgers could earn a lot of national respect with a win, even though the Hogs are down.

Game 3: South Florida

Rutgers heads down to Tampa to take on the Bulls tonight in a crucial Big East opener for both teams. The Knights have looked impressive in some areas and painfully bad in others during their two tune ups for this game, but they will need to put everything together if they want to walk out of Raymond James Stadium with a win.

What's the Deal With South Florida?
USF is 2-0 after beating a very good Nevada team on the road in dramatic, come back fashion last Saturday. The Bulls run a spread attack offensively, and they are very balanced between the run and the pass. Their best offensive player so far has been Sophomore wide out Andre Davis, who caught 12 passes for 191 yards, including the game winner with 38 seconds left, in Reno last week. They lost their number 2 receiver , Sterling Griffin (who is a good possession receiver), to a season ending injury, so Davis could be double teamed if necessary. They don't have a whole lot of proven pass catchers outside of Davis going tonight.

B.J. Daniels is still the starting QB at USF, and he has continued his yearly tradition of piling up huge numbers against non BCS opponents. It remains to be seen if he has turned the corner against superior competition, and I honestly don't know what to expect from him tonight. Rutgers has given him fits in the past, but I could see him breaking out with a huge game, being a non factor or throwing key interceptions. Whether he is a threat as a passer tonight or not, Daniels is a dangerous runner who can hurt you with his legs. Rutgers has put a "spy" on him the past few years to try negate his running ability, and I would expect them to do the same tonight.

The Bulls return three starters from an offensive line that finished 15th nationally in Football Outsider's metric to measure run blocking and 14th in their metric to measure pass protection. They have been solid so far this year, averaging 4.45 yards per carry as a team, while also only allowing 3 sacks total in their two games. Demetrius Murray is their lead tailback, and he has ran for 115 yards (3.97 ypc) through 2 games. He is their power guy and he pairs up with the explosive Lindsay Lamar, who has had 8 carries for 85 yards this season.

USF boasts a very strong defense that returns eight starters. They have a very strong line-backing corp, featuring DeDe Lattimore, Mike Lanaris, and Sam Barrington, making them some what some what difficult to run against, though Nevada ran the ball effectively against them last week. Their defensive line is very formidable, as they have a number of speedsters who can get after the passer. Their secondary was a cause for concern last year and especially during spring practice this year, so they can be exploited by a competent passing attack (which Rutgers does not appear to have at the moment).

Rutgers on Offense
The run game has been strong so far, but they will face their first big test tonight. Jawan Jamison will need to shoulder the load with Savon Huggins out, and carry the ball 25-30 times. Taj Alexander makes his first collegiate start for the injured Andre Civil, and hopefully he is able to gel in well with a line that has succed in large part because of strong continuity.

Gary Nova and the receivers need to step up and take advantage of USF's questionable secondary, but that's easier said than done. They haven't been very successful so far, running a ton of screens and other short passes, but this play calling may have been a strategic effort to fool USF in to changing what they do on defense to give Rutgers a slight upper hand. As Bill C. at SB Nation said in his USF preview "(Their DBs) allowed severe cushions to opposing receivers and it hurt them at times." My theory is that Dave Brock wanted to put all these screens on tape to bait them into playing tighter coverage, to allow RU's deep threats Brandon Coleman and Mark Harrison to beat these DBs off the line and burn them deep. Nova has struggled mightily with his accuracy, but he has thrown a pretty good deep ball in the limited opportunities he has had to make those throws.

Rutgers on Defense
Scott Vallone, Steve Beauharnais, and co. are going to need to continue stuffing the run up the middle to make the Bulls one dimensional. Their defensive ends need to get a strong pass rush and contain Daniels in the pocket. They can not allow him to beat them with his feet. Look for Khaseem Green or Jamal Merrell to spy him as well. Logan Ryan is going to have to show that he is THE top shut down corner in the Big East against Davis, and if he can not handle it, Duron Harmon will have to help him over the top. Basiclly, they just need to keep doing what they've been doing.

Injury Report/ Suspension
Michael Larrow will serve the 3rd game of his four game susspension.

Andre Civil will miss the game with a lower body injury, and as I said before, Taj Alexander will take his place. Civil was doing a good job, especially pulling, but Alexander played well too in his limited time against Howard.

Reserve tailbacks Savon Huggins and Paul James are out with lower body injuries. It will be interesting to see what they do in short yardage/goal line situations with out Huggins. My guess is Michel Burton gets some carries.

Defensive end will be thin once again with Marcus Thompson out in addition to Larrow. Defensive Tackle Al Page is out as well.

Betim Bujari will start despite leaving last Saturday's game with a leg injury, and Paul Carrezola will make his first start of the year after missing the first two games. Jeremy Deering will return from a spraind ankle as well.

Prediction
Rutgers 12 South Florida 10
I think this will be a defensive struggles and the Knights will make a huge play on special teams to pull out a close win.

Game 2: Howard

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights take on the Howard Bison in their home opener today, in their lone home game in the month of September. Rutgers showed a lot of positive signs in their win over Tulane last week, but there is plenty for them to improve on, as they face their final tune up before a huge game in Tampa against South Florida on Thursday. Teams make their biggest improvement between game one and game two, so the Scarlet Knights will look to fix a few key areas that were troublesome against the Green Wave. This should be a cake walk, but The Knights should still be taking this game seriously and not over looking Howard.

What's the deal with Howard?
Howard is 1-0 after defeating Morehouse College 30-27 last Saturday, thanks to a late rally. Jamie Cunningham came off the bench  to lead the Bison to victory, and the true freshman will start his first game on Saturday. Howard also has 14 players who were suspended 1 to 3 games, so it's possible they will be with out a significant portion of their roster. They are coached by Gary Harrell, who briefly played in the NFL, and he lead them to a 5-6 record last year, playing in the MEAC.

Rutgers on Offense
The Scarlet Knights should keep it vanilla once again, as they should be able to put up a lot of points against this team anyway, to save the fancy plays for South Florida. They should rely heavily on the run game once again, and hopefully the line can keep up the good work and Jamison and Huggins can be productive again. Gary Nova will look to build off his up and down performance from a week ago, and the receivers will have the opportunity to catch deep balls and get open on third down. Maybe we can see more Miles Shuler this week?

Rutgers on Defense
I have no idea what Howard runs on offense, but if it is spread, RU is faster than them, and if it's pro style, RU is stronger than them. Howard isn't going to have a great day, but Rutgers really needs to focus on getting stops on third down. Freshman Darius Hamilton, Steve Longa, and Quanzell Lambert will likely get a lot of playing time in order to get some college experience and keep the starters healthy. Like last week, I would not expect a lot of nickel and dime package to, again, keep things vanilla.

Both offense and defense: cut the crap out with all the penalties.

Injury Report/Suspensions
Michael Larrow is out for the second game of his four game suspension, steaming from his arrest for simple assault.

Starting tightend Paul Carrezola will probably miss his second game in a row after suffering an ankle injury last week in practice. Back up nose tackle Al Page is also doubtful. Kyle Flood says they are only available in "emergency type roles".

DE Marvin Booker is out with a leg injury.

Kick returner/wide receiver/safety Jeremy Deering rolled his ankle this week in practice and is a game time decision. I think I'd hold him out and get him healthy. He plays such an important role on this team returning kicks, and I want him to be as healthy as possible against USF.

Prediction- Howard 0 Rutgers 45.

The game looks like it is going to be sold out, and if you can't make it to the stadium, the game is on SNY and ESPN3.

Game 1: Tulane

Rutgers begins their 2012 season tonight in New Orleans against Tulane in the Super Dome. The Scarlet Knights come into this season with a rookie head coach, a very talented roster, and high expectations. Tulane is not a very good team, and Rutgers should easily beat them, but season openers can be tough, especially when you are playing on the road and have a new coach at the helm. Rutgers needs to come out and play well to set the tone for the rest of the season.

What's the Deal With Tulane?
First year head coach Curtis Johnson takes over a program that has not had a winning season since 2002, after coaching wide receivers for the Saints from 2006-2011. The New Orleans native has a big rebuilding job ahead of him, and he inherits a young, inexperienced roster that will be with out their best defensive player, starting center, and starting running back tonight. It could be another tough year for the Green Wave.

On offense, they run a pro style offense, but that is a vague way of putting it. They could be a pound it down your throat I formation team, or they could run something similar to the Saints, where they line up in 3 receivers set and attack the defense through the air vertically. Regardless, Rutgers shouldn't be fooled by this offense.

On defense they run a basic 4-3

Rutgers on Offense
Rutgers will probably come out offensively with the intent of running all over Tulane. Savon Huggins and Jawan Jamison should each get plenty of carries, and have the opportuinity to wear the defense out. The offensive line is going to have to be very physical and move defenders off the ball in order to let those two do their thing. They will of course run a lot of zone stuff, but I'm also expecting them to run some more man blocking plays than they have in the past, as RJ Dill and Savin Huggins can both better utilize their talents with this style of play.

If they are able to establish the run early, defenders should start to creep up, and Gary Nova and Rutgers' home run hitting receivers will look to challenge them deep in hopes of breaking off big plays. The line will need to give Nova time to throw, and if they utilize play action, they should have the backs helping them out.

Rutgers on Defense
The defensive line will need to live in the back field, whether it's to stop the run or rush the passer. If Tulane features the run, they will also need to hold blockers and let the linebackers roam free. If Tulane tries to air it out, the defensive backs should shut them down. They are one of the best secondaries in the nation, and they should not struggle at all against a team like Tulane. It should be interesting to see how they substitute, especially on the defensive line. Look for Scott Vallone to have a big game.

Injury Report/Suspension
Starting tightend Paul Carrazola is a game time decision with a lower body injury. If he can't go, DC Jefferson will start, and Tyler Kroft will get his first taste of college action.

Back up middle linebacker Quanzell Lambert will miss the game with a high ankle sprain. Nick DePaola will back up Steve Beauharnais instead.

Running back Paul James is also out, so Huggins and Jamison will be in the entire game.

Defensive ends Michael Larrow (suspension) and Max Issaka (just returned to team after a death in the family) will miss this game, leaving the Scarlet Knights a bit thin at the position.

Prediction
Rutgers 34 Tulane 3

2010 Game 1: Rutgers vs Norfolk State

Hello and welcome to my new Rutgers football blog Knight on the Raritan. I am currently a freshman journalism major at Rutgers and I have played football my whole life, so I figured now that my playing days are over, I'll blog about the Scarlett Knights football team. I planned on doing a bunch of season preview stuff, but that never materialized over the summer, so my first post is a preview of the Knights season opener against Norfolk State. (I'll probably still do a season preview and make a prediction for every game.)

Rutgers comes into tonight's opener looking for their first 1-0 start since 2007 after dropping the season opener to Cincinnati last year and Fresno State the season prior. They will be opposed by the Spartans of Norfolk State. Norfolk State was a solid team last year, finishing 7-4 in the MEAC, and finishing in the top 3 in both offense and defense in the conference. They are however, only a FCS school. So they really should not be a problem for the Scarlett Knights.

Offensively,I expect a big numbers from Tom Savage and Mohamed Sanu in the air, and Joe Martinek on the ground. The biggest thing to look for from the Knights offensively tonight, is how well the offensive line gels in their first taste of game action as a unit. The starting 5 has played together all through out camp, but have only a combined 4 starts at their current positions.

Defensively, there are no big concerns, other then a number of players making their first career start.

Also watch San San Te, he's had an up and down camp as the Knight's kicker.

Rutgers should win this one easily, 45-10. I don't see any reason why the Knights would have a let down in the season opener. They are just too good to lose to a team of Norfolk State's caliber.

Here's the starting line up via The Daily Targum:

QB- Tom Savage So.
RB- Joe Martinek Jr.
FB- Edmond Laryea Sr.
WR- Mohamad Sanu So.
WR- Mark Harrison So.
TE- D.C. Jefferson So.
LT- Desmond Stapleton Jr.
LG- Desmond Wynn Jr.
C- Howard Barbieri Sr.
RG- Caleb Ruch Jr.
RT- Art Forst Jr.

DE- Jonathan Freeny Sr.
DT- Charlie Noonan Sr.
DT- Scott Vallone So.
DE- Alex Silvestro Sr.
OLB- Manny Abreu Jr.
MLB- Steve Beauharnais So.
OLB- Antonio Lowery Sr.
CB- David Rowe Jr.
CB- Brandon Bing Sr.
FS-Khaseem Greene So.
SS- Joe Lefeged Sr.