Rutgers had an ideal postseason opportunity, but it slipped away in a heartbreaking defeat.
Illinois dealt Rutgers one of its most devastating losses of this century on Saturday, casting serious doubt on their chances of playing in one of the Big Ten’s premier bowl games, despite already being bowl-eligible. With a significant victory within reach, including a potential chance at the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, everything was at stake.
Scouts for the Citrus Bowl were present at SHI Stadium and were impressed with Rutgers until the very end, when No. 24 Illinois shocked them with a dramatic game-winning touchdown catch and run by senior Pat Bryant, resulting in a 38-31 victory.
What does this loss mean for Rutgers’ postseason hopes? Rutgers has fallen back into the middle of the Big Ten standings. Following Saturday’s results, Illinois and Iowa have distanced themselves, leaving Rutgers competing with five other teams for postseason positions with just one game left to play.
Given the current uncertainty, where might the Scarlet Knights end up? Here’s a breakdown of the current situation and the options available to them.
Big Ten Bowls
Seven bowl games are ranked based on selection order, with the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl set to take the highest-ranked Big Ten team that doesn’t qualify for the College Football Playoff. The selection process continues downward for the following six games. It’s worth noting that there are “variety clauses” in place to ensure different teams appear in each bowl within a two-to-three-year frame.
| Bowl Game | Date/Time | Location | Opponent | Variety Clause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheez-It Citrus Bowl | Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. | Orlando, Fla. | SEC | No Iowa |
| ReliaQuest Bowl | Dec. 31 at noon | Tampa Bay, Fla. | SEC | No Wisconsin |
| Duke’s Mayo Bowl | Jan. 3 at 7 p.m. | Charlotte, N.C. | ACC | No Maryland |
| Music City Bowl | Dec. 30 at 2:30 p.m. | Nashville, Tenn. | SEC | No Maryland |
| Pinstripe Bowl | Dec. 28 at noon | New York, N.Y. | ACC | No Rutgers |
| Rate Bowl | Dec. 26 at 5:30 p.m. | Phoenix, Ariz. | Big 12 | N/A |
| GameAbove Sports Bowl | Dec. 26 at 2 p.m. | Detroit, Mich. | MAC | N/A |
It’s also important to note that the four newcomers to the conference—Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC—are not eligible for these seven Big Ten-related bowl games. Any of these newcomers that achieve bowl eligibility but do not make the College Football Playoff will be drawn from the legacy pool of former Pac-12 teams eligible for six specific bowl games.
Current Standing
Key Games to Watch
Assuming Indiana makes the College Football Playoff, three upcoming games could significantly influence Rutgers’ bowl selection. These games will all take place before Rutgers faces Michigan State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in East Lansing.
- Minnesota at Wisconsin, Friday at noon: A Minnesota win could eliminate Wisconsin from contention, which would benefit Rutgers and narrow the competition. If Minnesota ends up at 7-5 (even with Rutgers holding the head-to-head win), they could become a more appealing pick. A Wisconsin victory might complicate matters further.
- Nebraska at Iowa, Friday at 7:30 p.m.: Iowa would likely secure a spot in the ReliaQuest Bowl with a win, while it would also keep Nebraska behind Rutgers in the standings, assuming Rutgers beats Michigan State.
- Michigan at Ohio State, Saturday at noon: Although Michigan is expected to be the underdog, a loss at 6-6 might still position them as a more attractive selection than Rutgers.
Conclusion
Even with a win, Rutgers may struggle to climb out of the competitive middle of the standings. If their best-case scenarios are the Duke’s Mayo or Music City Bowls, the committees will need to view Rutgers as a more favorable pick than teams like Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, or Wisconsin. While it may be a long shot, it is not impossible.
Leave a Reply