Despite the lackluster 35-13 loss to Illinois, Rutgers football is favored in its return to SHI Stadium when it hosts Maryland next Saturday at 2:30 PM. According to FanDuel, Rutgers is a 1.5-point favorite
against the Terrapins, who are currently on a four-game losing streak and looking to rebound from a 55-10 defeat to #2 Indiana. The two sides are seen by many as rivals, as Maryland won three straight from 2021 to 2023 before the Scarlet Knights clinched bowl eligibility last November in College Park with a 31-17 victory over the Terrapins.
Even though Maryland was overmatched against Indiana, the Terrapins cut the deficit to 20-10 early in the third quarter. They showed flashes of potential in the first half while keeping the Hoosiers largely in check. Making matters more concerning for Rutgers fans is that Maryland lost its previous three games by one-score margins, falling to Washington 24-20 despite holding a 20-0 lead late into the third quarter, Nebraska 34-31, and upstart UCLA 20-17. For reference, the Scarlet Knights lost to that same Washington team 38-19 the following week.
For Rutgers to win this game, they will need to bounce back again on offense. After a solid showing at Purdue, which included KJ Duff’s 241-yard receiving performance, Athan Kaliakmanis struggled against Illinois, needing garbage time to find the end zone and needing garbage time to get to his numbers of 25-45 and 253 passing yards. The run game was also completely shut down against the Illini, with Ja’Shon Benjamin and Antwan Raymond combining for a measly 66 yards on the ground, and neither back averaging more than 4.6 YPC.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Scarlet Knights allowed Luke Altmyer to post a career-high five touchdowns. While Altmyer did not have the gaudiest numbers, the Illinois quarterback had an efficient day, going 19-31 for 235 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, and an interception, which came off a deflected ball behind the line of scrimmage. As a runner, Altmyer posted a game-high 88 yards on just seven carries, continuously picking up first downs and then some with his legs.
Even with the splash plays from Eric O’Neill and Farrell Gnago, the Rutgers defense continued to get gashed on the ground and through the air, with the same problems continuing to repeat themselves. They allowed multiple wide-open touchdowns in the red zone after doing the same thing against Purdue, while the defensive line often failed to get pressure and complete plays when they did. There were also several false starts by the defense, with Altmyer completing the passes anyway, which is exactly the kind of day the defense was having yesterday.
Against Maryland, the Scarlet Knights will need to have a better defensive showing against a Terrapins team that certainly has the playmakers to move the ball, even if their lopsided loss to Indiana did not show it. But with the defense only expected to improve so much at this point in the season, it will be up to Athan Kaliakmanis, the run game, and Rutgers’ future NFL wideouts to make the game-changing plays they will need to secure the victory.
This game will be pivotal for both teams in their quest to reach a bowl game. After Rutgers fell to 4-5, they will need to win two of their last three games. With the #1 Buckeyes being all but out of the question, the Scarlet Knights will need to capitalize on their two home games against the Terrapins and Nittany Lions, who are also reeling after their fifth straight loss this season and face Indiana next Saturday.
However, the same is true for Maryland, which started the season 4-0 before losing four consecutive games in Big Ten play. Despite that, the Terrapins’ most likely path to bowl eligibility will be taking down the Scarlet Knights on the road and finishing the season with a win over Michigan State, which is now 3-6 (0-6 in Big Ten play) after their overtime loss to Minnesota yesterday. Maryland also travels to Illinois and hosts Michigan, but both of those opponents are already bowl teams and will pose a much bigger challenge.
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