PISCATAWAY, N.J. – ESPN now has Rutgers football going to a bowl game, following this past weekend’s win over Michigan State.
The Rutgers win now has the Scarlet Knights sitting at 5-2 (2-2) and needing one win for bowl eligibility. It would be the first time since 2014 that Rutgers is bowl eligible (a season that was the program’s first in the Big Ten where they finished 8-5 with a win in the Quick Lane Bowl).
Rutgers could clinch bowl eligibility this weekend with a win at a tough Indiana team.
In their projections this week, two ESPN writers (Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach) each took a stab at the different bowl scenarios in college football. Both writers have Rutgers going to a bowl, which they would likely do if they win on Saturday at Indiana.
Bonagura has Rutgers going to the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl (at Allegiant Stadium) on Dec. 21. They would face future Big Ten member USC in what would arguably be the most glamorous bowl match-up for Rutgers over the past two decades.
In fact, USC might be the most glamorous and high-profile opponent Rutgers has ever faced in a bowl game (though the 2013 Pinstripe Bowl opponent Notre Dame could make a pretty good case too).