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Illinois Football: How the Big Ten will shake out for the Illini

By Rees Woodcock

MADISON, WI - OCTOBER 21: The Big Ten logo on a yardage marker at the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)
MADISON, WI - OCTOBER 21: The Big Ten logo on a yardage marker at the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /
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PISCATAWAY, NJ – APRIL 14: Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Tom Flacco (19) rushes for a touchdown during the Rutgers Scarlet Knights spring football game on April 14, 2018 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, NJ. (Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ – APRIL 14: Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Tom Flacco (19) rushes for a touchdown during the Rutgers Scarlet Knights spring football game on April 14, 2018 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, NJ. (Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

6. Rutgers Scarlet Knights 3-9

Rutgers hasn’t had a great run in the Big Ten since joining the conference a few years back. It has been a struggle to find wins and this has hurt recruiting.

The Scarlet Knights don’t have a lot of talent on the team right now. They finished the 2017 season with a 4-8 record and they might even take a small step backward in 2018 based on their schedule.

I do see Rutgers starting off with a 2-1 record, though. They can win against Texas State and Kansas, but they have Ohio State pancaked in the middle of that three-game stretch. The rest of the season is pretty much a rough stretch from then on out.

The next three games after the win against Kansas – Buffalo, Indiana and Illinois – I have Rutgers losing. Their only Big Ten win on the season is their next game against Maryland. This will be a good victory for the Scarlet Knights.

The end of the season for Rutgers is amazingly tough. They go Northwestern, Wisconsin, Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State. They will lose all of these games and it won’t even be close.

Once again, I have Rutgers struggling this season. They should win a few games, but at the end of the day, I see them finishing with a 3-9 record overall.

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