The Scarlet Knights are underdogs for the first time this season, according to FanDuel. Rutgers will head into the Iowa game with the Hawkeyes favored by 1.5 points. The opening line had Iowa favored by 3.5 points before the spread fell to 1.5 points within hours of opening. Meanwhile, the over/under has risen from 42.5 points to where it sits currently at 45.5 points.
Rutgers is 3-0 on the season, with its most recent victory a 60-10 romp over the Norfolk State Spartans. The Scarlet Knights also
took down Ohio and Miami (OH) in back-to-back weeks to open the season, which were the two representatives in the MAC Championship last season.
Meanwhile, Iowa comes to Piscataway with a 2-1 record, with dominant wins over UAlbany and UMass sandwiching a Week 2 16-13 loss to Iowa State, who ranks 12th in the latest AP poll. The Hawks are a run-first team, but Mark Gronowski made a statement against the Minutemen by going 16 for 24 through the air with 179 yards and two passing touchdowns. He also had six carries for 12 yards and a rushing touchdown.
The Scarlet Knights’ offense has been prolific in both the pass and the run, which is a different identity from Rutgers than we have seen in the past. Athan Kaliakmanis has been connecting with his top receivers in Ian Strong, KJ Duff, and DT Sheffield for much of the first three games, while the run game has flourished behind a solid offensive line. Rutgers may opt to play to their strengths and attempt to outscore the Iowa Hawkeyes as opposed to a grind-it-out, defense-oriented approach that we have seen in the past.
On the defensive side of the football, Rutgers has to tighten up on big plays. After allowing Ohio to march down the field on several occasions and allowing Miami (OH) to connect on deep shots to ignite their offense, the Scarlet Knights gave up several long runs against the otherwise overmatched Spartans. It continued a troubling trend for the defense, which has struggled to contain mobile quarterbacks and rushers through three games.
With Iowa expected to run the ball early and often, the Rutgers defense has to be ready to withstand Iowa’s offensive front and physical running backs. The secondary cannot afford any lapses in coverage, as Gronowski has shown a willingness to pass and has connected with receivers downfield this past Saturday. However, if the Scarlet Knights can establish themselves offensively and score in the high 20s to low 30s, their defense should be able to hold on and ensure what would be a season and program-defining victory in the blackout game.
