Last Saturday, The Sporting News released an article ranking the hardest schedules in the Big Ten. Rutgers came in at No.2, only behind Wisconsin.
The Scarlet Knights' 2025 schedule features several powerhouses, including Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State, all of whom made the college football playoffs last year. They also have to play Illinois, which found itself ranked in the top 25 several times last season.
Rutgers is no stranger to navigating a difficult schedule. They played their first 10 years
in the Big Ten in the East division, which featured all of the conference's major powerhouses. The Knights were at the bottom of the division during most of that time and were considered one of, if not the worst, team in the conference.
That is not the case anymore. After two winning seasons and two bowl game appearances, the Knights are a much different team now that has found their footing and continues to be on an overall uptick.
With that being said, they will have to find a way to win most of their games early on before they get into the teeth of their schedule if they hope to make a bowl game this season. If Rutgers can pull off a win versus one of the Big Ten’s powerhouses, it will likely be their first top 25 win since 2009, while boosting their stock mightily come bowl season.
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