Rutgers-centric Big Ten Football Power Rankings Week 8, 2019
By Ed Stein
This week Empire Writes Back continues our Big Ten Football Power Rankings (with a Rutgers twist). After a huge upset, there are only three undefeated teams left.
Welcome to the next edition of our Big Ten Power Rankings. Now through the end of November, we will do this on a weekly basis. The conference finished Week 8 of the 2019 season with six Top 25 teams, which includes two in the top six, as well as three undefeated teams. As of now, the Big Ten will have something to say about who gets into the College Football Playoff in January.
Last week saw a big upset that knocked one team from the ranks of the undefeated and shook up the power rankings. That’s the beauty of the Big Ten Conference, on any given Saturday a team can rise up and change the balance of power. While there is still a big divide between the top tier and bottom, it feels like just maybe the gap is a little closer than it was a week ago.
14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-6, 0-5 Big Ten)
Last Week: Another conference game, another blow out loss. The Minnesota Golden Gophers rolled into New Jersey undefeated and left a few hours later the same. Minnesota scored early and often taking a 21-0 half time lead. They expanded it even further scoring another three touchdowns in the second half.
Rutgers finally got on the scoreboard with just under six minutes left in the game. It was a 3:10, 75-yard drive, highlighted by an Elijah Barnwell 40-yard run. Johnny Langan continues to struggle under center. Last Saturday he was 9 of 19 for 48 yards and three interceptions, including a pick-six. While it was an improvement over the one yard he threw for the previous week, Langan still looks overmatched.
This Week vs Liberty University Flames: The Scarlet Knights might be in a position to double their win total. Then again Liberty University hasn’t played like the pushover they seemed to be when the Flames were first added to the schedule. Liberty is 5-2 with wins over both New Mexico and New Mexico State. In fact, Rutgers is actually a 7.5 underdog at home.