Tag: Scarlet Knights football

Rutgers vs. Iowa: Prediction, point spread, odds, best bet

Rutgers takes on Iowa in Week 4 Saturday night. Check out the lines provided by Tipico, see how you should place your bets

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights play the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday night, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet at Tipico Sportsbook.

The game starts at 7:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on Fox Sports 1 (FS1).

Rutgers has started the year 3-0 on the season, and will try to make it 4-0 for only the first time since 2012. Game 1 at Boston College and Game 3 at Temple were both sloppy performances where the Scarlet Knights barely escaped with victories. Week 2 was an expected blowout against a lowly Wagner program from the FCS. Regardless, a win is a win and Rutgers has three in as many weeks.

Iowa is 2-1 on the season, but the Hawkeyes are coming off a season in which they finished with 10 wins and the No. 23 spot in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll. Iowa won in Weeks 1 and 3, dropping their second contest in a rivalry game against Iowa State. This is the third time these programs are facing off and every time was the opening of conference play for both squads. They are the toughest test for the Scarlet Knights by a good margin so far this season.

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Rutgers projected win total is up, despite loss at Michigan

Rutgers football is now in a good spot for a bowl game per ESPN’s FPI projections.

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Rutgers may have lost at Michigan on Saturday, but the Scarlet Knights actually saw their bowl probability go up.

It was a gutsy and at the same time gut-wrenching 20-13 loss for Rutgers at then-No. 19 Michigan in Week 4 (the Wolverines climbed up five spots in the latest USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll with the win). It was the type of loss that got Rutgers national attention, especially the way that the Scarlet Knights played in the second half in very nearly pulling off the upset.

Now, ESPN FPI has Rutgers projected for 6.8 wins and favored in four Big Ten games. Last week, Rutgers was at 6.6 wins and favored in three games.

Rutgers is now favored at Northwestern (October 16), at Illinois (October 30), at Wisconsin (November 6), and in the season finale, a home game against Maryland (November 27).

The addition of Wisconsin (55.3 percent) is a new projected win for Rutgers. Wisconsin got blown out on Saturday against a very good Notre Dame team. Wisconsin is now out of the top 25 following the loss.

Why would Rutgers win projection increase? First off, the Scarlet Knights were impressive in their loss against the now No. 14 Wolverines. But also, it was a rough weekend for some upcoming opponents leading Rutgers to rise in estimation while other Big Ten teams sunk.

Illinois is struggling, Northwestern has been surprisingly bad this season, aforementioned Wisconsin got blown out on Saturday and Indiana barely beat Western Kentucky. Rutgers losing on the road to a now top 15 team doesn’t look so bad in comparison.

Rutgers faces three Big Ten teams on their schedule that are currently ranked. The best chance for an upset win comes on October 9 against No. 16 Michigan State (42.3 percent).

The win projection, given their current 3-1 record, would be enough to get Rutgers into their first bowl game since 2014. It would also mark Rutgers first winning record since that season.

Rutgers football 2021 schedule

The complete Rutgers football 2021 schedule including nine Big Ten games.

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It is a season of anticipation for Rutgers, the return of fans to SHI Stadium heralding a new era in Scarlet Knights football.

There is also the return of head coach Greg Schiano, whose presence last year was a tremendous boost for a program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2014. That year, under former head coach Kyle Flood, was the last time the Scarlet Knights had a winning record (8-5). The 3-5 record in the Big Ten was also a program-best for wins in their new conference, an accomplishment which Schiano matched in the shortened 2020 season when Rutgers went 3-6, all in the Big Ten.

The expectation for Rutgers is a similar record in the Big Ten along with a strong showing in their three out of conference games. That could have the Scarlet Knights in bowl contention. Rutgers hasn’t played in a bowl game since the 2015 season.

The 2021 Rutgers football schedule features three out of conference games and nine games in the Big Ten. Also included are four Big Ten football teams that were ranked in preseason.

Here is Rutgers football 2021 schedule:

Week Date Opponent Time
1 9/2 vs. Temple 6:30 p.m.
2 9/11 at Syracuse 2:00 p.m. 
3 9/18 Delaware 3:30 p.m.
4 9/25 @ Michigan 3:30 p.m.
5 10/2 Ohio State 1:00 p.m.
6 10/9 Michigan State 12:00 p.m.
7 10/16 @ Northwestern 12:00 p.m.
8 10/30 @Illinois 12:00 p.m.
9 11/6 Wisconsin 1:00 p.m.
10 11/13 @ Indiana 1:00 p.m.
11 11/20 At Penn State 1:00 p.m.
12 11/27 Maryland 1:00 p.m.