Newer to the conference, but not to this hate.
10) New Jersey
You don’t have to be from New York to look down on New Jersey. If NYC is the Big Apple well then Jersey is the crumpled brown leaf that tries to hang on to the stem.
9) They’re facing a Chase Young-less Ohio State
Chase Young already tied the school record for most sacks in a game earlier this season against Wisconsin, but I’m sure Young would destroy that record against the lowly Knights.
Unfortunately for him, he will not get to feast on whoever Rutgers decides to toss out there at quarterback thanks to the two-game suspension he received. Ohio State’s defense is bound to have a big day despite losing Young, but could you imagine how long of a day Rutgers would have against the best defensive player in the country?
8) They make the Big Ten look bad
Rutgers has done nothing to enhance the Big Ten’s prestige. Since joining the league in 2014, the Scarlet Knights have made one bowl appearance. Nobody expects Rutgers to overpower the kings of the Big Ten, but can you at least be competitive?
7) David Stern
Before his days as the NBA commissioner, David Stern attended Rutgers. While he was commissioner, he had plenty of mishaps that make fans look on his years very skeptically.
A few of his blunders include: Fixing the NBA Draft, the NBA lockout in 1998 and 2011, Instituting a dress code, and the WORST, at least to this disgruntled Lakers fan, is ruining the Chris Paul trade to the real Los Angeles team.
6) Lack a signature look
Rutgers has all the ingredients to make a great look. Scarlet Knights is a unique name, and the color scheme ain’t half bad either. Still that hasn’t stopped the designers from putting together multiple forgettable looks. Every team in the Big Ten has a look they can hang its hat on. While not everyone has mastered the art of the alternate they can at least look good when they have too. Rutgers hasn’t figured it out yet.
5) That one time they challenged Ohio State
This one is a joke, because Rutgers has been the Buckeyes' punching bag since entering the Big Ten.
Ohio State has never been pushed by Rutgers. In the five times the two squads have played, Ohio State has won every meeting by the scores of:
56-17
49-7
58-0
56-0
52-3
4) Ray Rice
Rice was a gifted running back at Rutgers and a force in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens, but what could have been a potential hall of fame career was thrown away due to the fact he couldn’t control his anger.
During an argument with his then fiancée, Rice suckerpunched her and knocked her out. The act seemed even more disgusting when the video was released. Rice was released by the Ravens in 2014 and has not been in the league since.
3) Unpatriotic past
Back in colonial times each colony could have their own college. For New Jersey it was the College of New Jersey, which would go on to become Princeton.
Obviously one college per colony is a dumb rule and in an effort to get another one, New Jersey sucked up to Britain by naming it’s university Queen’s College. It wouldn’t be until 1825 before the university was renamed to Rutgers.
2) Firing Chris Ash
Poor Coach Ash. After leading Ohio State’s defense to a national title, the Scarlet Knights scooped him up to lead their joke of a program with a five-year, $11 million guaranteed contract and while the money was good, the teams were not. Ash couldn’t recruit enough talent to compete in the Big Ten and after a 52-0 buttwhuppin by the team up north, Ash was fired. Now Ash works as an analyst for the Texas Longhorns.
Chris Ash after getting fired pic.twitter.com/0atRDFRocr
— Lauren Emmerson (@A_MaizingBlue) September 30, 2019
1) They haven’t been good since 1869
As you all may know it’s the 150th anniversary of College Football this season, but did you know it is also the 150th anniversary of Rutgers first and only National Championship?
Yeah you read that right.
What do you think of Rutgers' throwback unis inspired by the brick, black iron gate & stained glass of Queen's College? pic.twitter.com/LctuwXFwvr
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 15, 2019
The Queensmen, as they were known at the time, were deemed National Champions at a time when there were only two teams in College Football. It gets even better though, that “title” is a shared title since Rutgers went 1-1, falling in its second match against the College of New Jersey, which would go on to become Princeton.
