Rutgers Scarlet Knights - NCAA Football Odds, Lines & Betting

Five years ago, Rutgers rewarded head coach Greg Schiano with a contract extension despite records of 3-20 overall and 0-14 in the Big East in his first two seasons at the helm. Smart move? Uhh, yeah, you could say that. Five seasons later, Rutgers is coming off the most successful campaign in recent program history. The Knights won their first nine games of 2006 and 11 overall - including that comeback thriller at home over powerful Louisville and a Texas Bowl romp over Kansas State. They ran out of magic just a bit at the end, losing two of their last three regular-season matches to Cincinnati and West Virginia (both on the road), but they reached  No. 7 in some polls, found themselves on the national championship radar screen, and energized the Jersey-area football scene like never before.

Now, of course, the challenge is to do it all again. This season, RU returns 13 starters, including RB Ray Rice, QB Mike Teel, three-fifths of the offensive line, All-American DT Eric Foster and three-quarters of the defensive backfield. Rice helped the Knights rank 15th in the nation in rushing, and Foster helped the defense rank fourth overall and 17th against the run. Add it up, and Rutgers out-rushed opponents last year by an average of over 70 YPG. The Knights will have to replace all-everything RB Brian Leonard, and answer questions about the linebacking corps. The offense could be better and more balanced with an improved passing game, and Teel got better as last season rolled along.

The '07 schedule is accommodating, too, with Maryland, Cincinnati, South Florida, West Virginia and Pitt all visiting Jersey. If all goes well, and there's little reason to believe it won't, the season-finale showdown at Louisville Nov. 29 might have a BCS bowl bid on the line.

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