2008 Rutgers Scarlet Knights College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart, An Expert College Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are interested in football betting, be sure to buy Alex’s football picks and guarantee a winning season.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-5, 3-4 in 2007, 6th place in Big East)
Let’s take a moment to recognize the great accomplishments of Scarlet Knights HC Greg Schiano. Four years ago, Rutgers was a mess, posting a 4-7 record. They suffered the embarrassment of losing to I-AA New Hampshire during that season. Now they’ve been to three straight bowl games, and flirted with the idea of winning a national championship in 2006. This won’t be a team contending for a BCS bid any time in the near future, but putting this Rutgers program on the map is commendable.

2007 Highlight: Piscataway, New Jersey was in a frenzy during Rutgers’ nationally televised game against the #2 South Florida Bulls. Schiano pulled out all of the stops, including a fake punt, a fake field goal, a flea flicker, and several double reverses to surprise the Bulls. It felt like every button he pushed worked. Mr. Reliable, Ray Rice toted the rock 39 times for 181 yards to preserve the 30-27 upset of the #2 team in the nation.

2007 Lowlight: After three blowout victories to start the season against lesser foes, the #10 Scarlet Knights look poised at another serious run towards a BCS bid. For the first time since 2005, Rutgers came out completely flat in their game against the Maryland Terrapins, and never really woke up. Rutgers never led by more than three points, and trailed by ten halfway through the 4th quarter. QB Mike Teel brought the Knights back within a field goal, but the Terps sealed the upset with a TD of their own on the ensuing drive. The 34-24 defeat grounded Rutgers, and started a stretch of very erratic and inconsistent play.

Offensive Outlook: It’s all going to be about Teel and the passing game in ’08 if the Scarlet Knights are to be a success story. He’ll have all of his favorite targets back from 2007, most notably Tiquan Underwood and Kenny Britt, both of which recorded over 1,000 receiving yards a year ago. Replacing Rice won’t be easy, but that’s the daunting task that sophomore RB Mason Robinson faces. The little playing time that Robinson saw in his freshman year was encouraging, as he averaged 5.6 YPC.

Defensive Outlook: Eight starters return to the defense that held teams to 22.5 PPG a year ago. Consistency will be the key for this unit, as they had very successful games where the defense was spotless, and others where they couldn’t stop eleven turtles from running all over them. The defensive line rotation is chalk full of seniors, and they’ll be expected to help out a group of very talented youngsters around the rest of the defense. LB Manny Abreu should jump right into the starting lineup as a freshman, while sophomore SS Joe Lefeged could get his first bit of significant playing time in ’08. FS Courtney Greene is an NFL prospect, and should find his way onto the All-Big East team this season.

2008 Preview: On paper, this team looks promising, but the schedule is brutal. Short of home dates with Morgan State and Army, this slate is loaded with potential hazards. Fresno State, North Carolina, and Navy are no pushovers, and they arguably have the hardest schedule in the Big East, having to travel to West Virginia, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and South Florida.

2008 will be a success if… Britt and Underwood both have tremendous seasons. Without Rice to lean on for 30 touches a game, Teel must use his best two weapons early and often if the Scarlet Knights are going to consistently put points on the board.

No one wants to see Schiano’s Scarlet Knights on their docket, but the brutal schedule is just going to be too much for Rutgers to be a dominant team in the Big East.

Prediction: 7-5, 6th place in Big East