How Rutgers’ Attitude Has Changed in the First Week of the 2024 Offseason

Rutgers did not play Saturday, enjoying the first of two weeks off this fall. But its outlook for the 2024 season has certainly changed.

Here’s what the Scarlet Knights saw in their future opponents during their week off:

Rutgers won’t face a ranked team for a while

Rutgers won’t have its first chance to break the longest top-25 win streak among Power Four programs for at least three weeks.

The preseason buzz around Virginia Tech died when the team suffered a season-opening loss to Vanderbilt, and it did little to restore those high expectations. The Hokies (2-1) — whom Rutgers will face in Blacksburg on Saturday — struggled with the clock against Marshall and Old Dominion before burying both in the fourth quarter; the Commadores, meanwhile, pulled off a surprise upset against Georgia State at Turner Field in Atlanta on Saturday.

Washington, which the Scarlet Knights will host on Friday, Sept. 27, suffered its first loss of the season at the hands of Apple Cup rival Washington State on Saturday. The Huskies (2-1) had a good chance to advance if they beat the Cougars this weekend and Northwestern in Seattle next Saturday, but they are now far from the top 25.

Nebraska, which Rutgers will face in Lincoln on Oct. 5, is expected to remain in the top 25 this week after finishing 23rd last week. The Huskers (3-0) crushed Northern Iowa on Saturday behind another strong performance from true freshman point guard Dylan Raiola and their defense.

If Matt Rhule’s program beats Illinois in its Big Ten debut this weekend and Purdue — which suffered a devastating 66-7 loss to Notre Dame this weekend — next Saturday, Nebraska will be ranked when it hosts Rutgers. And if the Scarlet Knights arrive and leave Lincoln with an undefeated record, they will be in good position to end their Power Four-leading AP Top 25 drought.

Key guy loses quarterback to seemingly serious injury

In the first quarter of a 42-10 loss to No. 4 Alabama, Wisconsin saw quarterback Tyler Van Dyke suffer what appeared to be a serious knee injury. He was left on the grass holding his right knee after a nine-yard run. He was taken off the field on a stretcher shortly thereafter and eventually returned to the sideline on crutches, his knee heavily bandaged.

Coach Luke Fickell did not provide a diagnosis in his post-game news conference but told reporters: “I don’t think it looks good for us or him.”

“It was really, really tough because I thought he was really well prepared, he developed over the first few weeks and he was really in shape to start this game,” Fickell said.

The Badgers (2-1) travel to Piscataway on Oct. 12 and will play with a backup quarterback if Van Dyke somehow avoids a serious injury. Sophomore Braedyn Locke, who completed 13 of 26 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown against the Tide, is the favorite. The transfer from Mississippi State started three games in 2023 when quarterback Tanner Mordicai missed time with a broken hand.

Many games seem more manageable

– Without its quarterback, Wisconsin leads this list.

– Rutgers’ homecoming opponent, UCLA, is looking increasingly scary by the week. The Bruins (1-1) were crushed by Indiana 42-11 in the Rose Bowl after a week off. UCLA narrowly escaped Honolulu with a win over Hawaii in the season opener. Unless there is a huge improvement over the next month, the Bruins are the weakest opponent on the Scarlet Knights’ schedule by a wide margin.

– Illinois (3-0) remains unbeaten, but it was unimpressive for most of Saturday’s 30-9 win over Central Michigan, and its best win of the season over then-top-seeded Kansas didn’t impress as much after the Jayhawks lost to UNLV on Friday.

Other teams are impressive

– USC has always been expected to be the toughest opponent on the schedule, but the Trojans have looked like a top-10 team in their first two wins over LSU and Utah State.

– Maryland did this weekend what Rutgers hopes to do Saturday: It got a solid road win over ACC foe Virginia. The Terrapins (2-1) beat the Cavaliers convincingly, 27-13, in Charlottesville, showing they may have one of the best wide receivers in the conference.

Tai Felton had nine catches for 117 yards, including an impressive diving touchdown. He now has 27 catches for 447 yards and four touchdowns in three games.

– Michigan State improved to 3-0 under first-year coach Jonathan Smith with a 40-0 rout of Prairie View A&M in East Lansing. The Spartans are coming off an impressive win over Maryland, are halfway to a bowl berth and no longer look like a clear-cut victory for the Scarlet Knights on Thanksgiving weekend.

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Brian Fonseca can be contacted at: [email protected].