Rutgers @ Maryland

This is a battle of the young coaches and young programs. Both teams have been ice cold of late. Rutgers has been outscored 88-0 the past two games and Maryland has been outscored 149-13 the past three games. Both offenses are anemic and the defenses cannot seem to keep up.

Rutgers is looking for their first Big Ten win of the season and this may be the best opportunity all year. Sure it is on the road, but Maryland is struggling mightily right now. The Scarlet Knights need to take advantage of the lackluster play from the Terrapins and get themselves a win. Maryland has already won two Big Ten games, share the wealth...please.

Location: Maryland Stadium Stadium | College Park, MD

Time: 12pm ET

TV: ESPN News

Radio: WOR 710-AM, WCTC 1450-AM, WENJ 97.3-FM, WNJE 920-AM, WRSU 88.7-FM

Line: -14 Maryland

Other On the Banks Previews

Rutgers Opens as Two Touchdown Underdogs

A Tale of Two Coaching Staffs

Complete Opponent Preview

Coaches Need to Evaluate Themselves this Off-Season

Justin Goodwin Starts Ahead of Robert Martin

Know Thy Enemy

The Tale of the Tape

For those that do not know, Rutgers Football is terrible this year. Go on Rutgers’ Twitter accounts and basketball has taken over. When Rutgers Men’s Basketball is dominating headlines over the football team you know football is garbage. Also, the basketball team is really good. Rutgers has been shut out in back-to-back games and four times on the season. Maryland started off hot going 4-0, but has greatly faltered since then. Both of these teams are really bad right now, especially their offenses. Since both offenses are so terrible, the defenses have been gassed and unable to stop anybody.

How Rutgers Wins

Again, not really sure how Rutgers wins this one. Every time I get any sort of confidence or optimism, they let me down big time. I was working this past weekend and saw it was only 9-0 at the half against Penn State. Got hopeful, then got crushed when I saw it was 39-0. Rutgers only wins this game if the offense finally finds a way to move the ball. If Rutgers can keep their defense rested, they will win. Rutgers defense leads the Big Ten in red zone stops, so they have the ability to stop offenses.

Rutgers must possess the ball and they must keep Maryland’s offense off of the field. Possessing and moving the ball downfield is really the only way Rutgers can win this game. Unfortunately, nothing of the sort has happened seemingly all season long.

How the Terrapins Win

Maryland wins this game simply by stopping Giovanni Rescigno. Force Gio into bad decisions, and you will win. Robert Martin is not the lead back so there will be more passing to the running back initially some would say. Justin Goodwin is really good at receiving out of the backfield, so Maryland must be ready for that.

Outside of that, force Gio into bad decisions and be ready for the screen. Rutgers offensive line is not good enough for a strong and consistent run game between the tackles so that threat is hardly there for Maryland’s defense. The Terps just need to keep Rutgers’ offense off of the field, which Rutgers tends to do to themselves more often than the opposing defenses do.

Official Prediction

This is honestly a tough one to predict. If Maryland was not on such a cold streak right now, I would easily say Maryland. I have been having trouble predicting Rutgers victories, too, though. I just have a feeling this game will be a stinker and the offenses will be embarrassing to the point the defenses look good. I predict, only because it is in College Park, Maryland 13 Rutgers 10. Yes you read that right, Rutgers will actually score, a touchdown nonetheless, this time out.

Regardless of the outcome, remember this is year one of a long rebuilding process. We got the Greg Schiano and Kyle Flood philosophies and recruits and stigmas out of the way. We have a new era here in Piscataway, give it time to be fruitful. Bring out the pitchforks already and Rutgers will be in this state forever with new head coaches and philosophies.

#BeatMaryland