As the season approaches, so do the previews. ESPN lead analyst Kirk Herbstreet has been looking ahead to the upcoming season on the Pat McAfee show. When asked about a dark horse surprise from the Big Ten, the former Ohio State QB pointed to the schedules.
.@KirkHerbstreit on @PatMcAfeeShow believes #Rutgers is a dark horse to make the College Football Playoff.
— Rutgers Scarlet Knights | TheKnightReport.Net (@RutgersRivals) July 30, 2024
"Rutgers has a schedule that by Big Ten standards and this new Big Ten world that we’re in, they can make a little bit of a run.”
👉 https://t.co/HF3zOwYyQR pic.twitter.com/iQQnevE6Re
“Someone is going to come out of that conference that you really didn’t expect. … Whoever has the schedule, the most manageable schedule,” Herbstreet said.
So who has a favorable schedule with a team good enough to take advantage? Herbstreet says it’s Rutgers.
"Rutgers has a schedule that is, by Big Ten standards in this new Big Ten world that we live in, they could make a little bit of a run,” he said.
The Scarlet Knights avoid the Big Ten “big three” in Ohio State, Oregon and Michigan.
Rutgers 2024 Schedule:
8/29 vs. Howard
9/7 vs. Akron
9/21 @ Virginia Tech
9/27 vs. Washington
10/5 @ Nebraska
10/12 vs. Wisconsin
10/19 vs. UCLA
10/25 @ USC
11/9 vs. Minnesota
11/26 @ Maryland
11/23 vs. Illinois
11/30 @ Michigan State