Rutgers is literally the most important game of the year

[IthacaMatt]

And not just for recruiting purposes and putting Rutgers back in their place, but because if we can beat Rutgers tomorrow, we will very likely get to 5-1 before facing the meat of our schedule, starting with West Virginia. If we can pop Rutgers again, that will be huge, especially with our defense so banged up.

Tulane looks to be an inferior opponent, not that we can overlook anyone, and long distance travel to a game certainly can affect team performance. But Tulane got smoked by Duke and by Tulsa, not powerhouse teams by any means.

Five wins, of course, leaves us with half a season left to win one game to become bowl eligible. That's why this one is so big, to me, because we are so banged up, and need the breathing room to get back to a bowl game again this year.

 

[Upstate]

Thank the good Lord that we have 2 byes this year. And the one after Tulane will be so very important for this team going forward.

 

[Cadillac]

Critical juncture in the season... yes, without a doubt.

Opponent, not so much. RU hasn't found a groove and usually plays better late in the season anyway. Better them tomorrow than Pitt, USF, WVa, Cincy.

Meh to recruiting implications, since the last two years head-to-head hasn't swung anyone our way thus far, and most of the class is set. We're not really in the business of flipping anyway. The ACC move will have a lot more to do with recruits trending our way down the road.

 

[kingottoiii]

Nah. Assuming we beat Tulane we just need 2 Ws to make a Bowl. If we can't go 2-5 in the BE then we don't deserve it. Beating RU would make it a lot easier. And it would care momentum and some buzz into the WV game. But it isn't a must win for our goals this year.

 

[billsin01]

Nah. Assuming we beat Tulane we just need 2 Ws to make a Bowl. If we can't go 2-5 in the BE then we don't deserve it. Beating RU would make it a lot easier. And it would care momentum and some buzz into the WV game. But it isn't a must win for our goals this year.

I kinda see this both ways. I see the initial point that this is a beatable team at home with a very winnable game next week, which could conceivably put us at 5-1. That record at teh halfway point would be a pretty major accomplishment in and of itself and put us in a spot where anything other than a disastrous six-game stretch would leave us with a pretty good season. A relatively decent second half and we would be looking at 8-4 or something.

But, I also agree with the point that we need to try and go 2-5 in the BE regardless of whether we win or not on Saturday. We don't have any gimmes but we should be tough enough to win 2 games in the BE. Time will tell I suppose.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Nah. Assuming we beat Tulane we just need 2 Ws to make a Bowl. If we can't go 2-5 in the BE then we don't deserve it. Beating RU would make it a lot easier. And it would care momentum and some buzz into the WV game. But it isn't a must win for our goals this year.

Who among the in-conference opponents will be a more winnable game than Rutgers at home? I just don't see it. If we want to go bowling again, this is the key game remaining on the schedule.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I kinda see this both ways. I see the initial point that this is a beatable team at home with a very winnable game next week, which could conceivably put us at 5-1. That record at teh halfway point would be a pretty major accomplishment in and of itself and put us in a spot where anything other than a disastrous six-game stretch would leave us with a pretty good season. A relatively decent second half and we would be looking at 8-4 or something.

But, I also agree with the point that we need to try and go 2-5 in the BE regardless of whether we win or not on Saturday. We don't have any gimmes but we should be tough enough to win 2 games in the BE. Time will tell I suppose.

Last year we were at 6-2, and got beaten down as the season went on. We are already more banged up than last year at a similar point.