Predicting the win total ceiling for Rutgers in 2024

There is a chance that the Rutgers Scarlet Knights are going to surprise a lot of people going into the 2024 season. Certainly, Andy Staples and Cody Bellaire think that’s a possibility given the team’s schedule.

During a recent episode of Andy Staples On3, the two shared their thoughts on Rutgers going into 2024. They also shared what they think the Scarlet Knights are going to possibly achieve in 2024, giving the team a fairly high win ceiling.

Overall, the two are very positive and high on Rutgers, calling the Scarlet Knights a team built for the Big Ten in November and praising the toughness of the team.

CEILING: 9-3

Rutgers is going into the 2024 season with some pretty high expectations from both Andy Staples and Cody Bellaire. A lot of that comes down to what they see from the schedule this season.

“Rutgers may be the beneficiary of the most generous schedule the Big Ten offered in the first year of the 18-team league,” Staples said.

Cody Bellaire then jumped in and joked that the gods looked down upon Rutgers positively this season. In particular, by not playing traditional Big Ten opponents like Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan.

“This is the chosen team. This is the one the Big Ten gods, they said, ‘We will dispel upon a gift.’ This has to be the easiest schedule in the Big Ten. No Ohio State, no Michigan, no Oregon, no Penn State. I mean, is it crazy to say that this team wins nine or 10 games this year?’

Initially, Andy Staples had a ceiling at 8-4 for Rutgers while Cody Bellaire had them at 9-3. However, Bellaire was able to get him to go up on his number to a nine-win ceiling in 2024.

“I’ve got the ceiling at 8-4. If they didn’t have that trip to Lane Stadium in their non-conference, I’d probably have it at 9-3. Although, I do think they can beat Virginia Tech. So, I had 8-4, maybe I should go to 9-3. You talked me into it. Let’s go 9-3. Let’s go 9-3,” Staples said.

“Athan Kaliakmanis takes over as the starter. He chased Gavin Wimsatt into the Transfer Portal. Gavin Wimsatt, I believe, he’s gonna go to Kentucky as the backup. This defense brings back eight starters. from a group that was 20th in the nation in yards allowed last season. Ninth in passing yards per attempt allowed. These guys will stone your game down. They will stone you. If there’s bad weather you’re even more screwed. These guys are built for November in the Big Ten.”

That quarterback position could be a concern. However, as Bellaire explained, the job of Athan Kaliakmanis isn’t going to be going to win games because of the makeup of the team.

“Absolutely. That’s the theme of this whole team, I think on both sides of the ball is physicality and toughness. They’re a very strong team in the trenches on both sides of the ball, they want to run all over you, they want to stuff the run. All Athan Kaliakmanis has to do is be consistent. Don’t turn the ball over. Keep your team in winning opportunities. Just all you have to do offensively, I think for Rutgers, is just keep the train rolling along, win the battle of field position, and let the defense play its game,” Bellaire said.

“I really do think the schedule works out so much in their favor that I think the way they play football, they’re gonna win a lot of these games. With Schiano and those guys, I just think they’re so physical it’s just a different game they’re playing than a lot of these cats. I love what they look like going into 2024.”

In all of this, Andy Staples compared Rutgers to Iowa, arguing they could have a very similar feel to them this season.

“They look like an old Big Ten West team more than anything else,” Staples said. “Them and Iowa, you’re gonna feel like you played about the same game.”