Villanova/Rutgers Sept 10th

[Lehigh Football Nation]

OK, I am getting frustrated. Every game on the Villanova schedule has it's time except for one of the most important ones to my fall schedule: Villanova/Rutgers. Anyone have the inside scoop if this is going to be a 1PM or 12PM start?

Looks like it's Rutgers' screwup - most of their games are listed at TBA (basically, the games that won't be nationally televised).

The reason I'm so interested is Lehigh/Delaware is on at 7PM in Delaware, and I'm hoping for my first I-AA diary to be a "double feature" - Villanova/Rutgers in the afternoon at Lehigh/Delaware at night. Never been to Rutgers stadium, and I am very much hoping for yet another upset of Rutgers.

[blukeys]

Never been to Rutgers stadium, and I am very much hoping for yet another upset of Rutgers.

Are you implying that Nova beating Rutgers would be an upset? ;) ;) :D :D

[LetsGoNova]

I am betting it will be an afternoon game. Rutgers hasn't published any of their game times except those driven by TV.

I am hoping for a repeat of the beatdown we gave Rutgers in 2002, but they are a much better team today, and I don't think we're quite as strong. I do think it will be an exciting high scoring game, though.

[bluehenbillk]

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure the VU/RU game is at night.

[Go...gate]

I'm expecting the Wildcats to give Rutgers a hell of a game. Indeed, Villanova is really an appropriate and natural opponent for Rutgers. If there were ever a 1-A team which never should have sought that level, it is Rutgers, which seems to correctly understand and hold fast to the principle that their players should also be students - thus their high student-athlete attrition rate and low level of football success since they made the fateful decision to be "bigger time" in the early 1970's. They are really an academically strong Ivy/A-10/Patriot-type team attempting to compete in the Big East, while most of the other schools in that conference long ago abandoned any pretense of academic expectation or accomplishment for their athletes (read: Syracuse, Cincinnati, Temple (until this year) and, to a lesser degree, Pittsburgh.

[GannonFan]

While I certainly like IAA's beating IA's, I'm not sure this game will be as close as people would like. nova, at this point, is a decent team, but not much better than that. Burroughs is a good QB, but he has no protection in front of him and the nova skill players are far away in quality from the days of Finneran and Westbrook. Defensively, nova lost a lot from last year, and is especially weak on the line, which was a fairly weak spot last year anyway. Rutgers lost last year to a real up and coming UNH team with Santos at the controls and playing on fire - I just don't see nova playing to that level enough to beat even a lowly IA like Rutgers.

[charliej]

Unfortunately I'm inclined to agree w/GannonFan...Well to a point anyway.


Nova did take some hard knocks on D this year and I really don't know how they will perform as a unit.I'm more optimistic about the O however.There are still alot of weapons there and I think Burroughs could have an outstanding season.

Rutgers IS a better team than they were at the last meeting in '02,but they took some big hits from last year and are rebuilding their D as well. I'm also of the opinion that Schiano,while he may be a recruiting wiz,is laking considerably as a game day coach.Unfortunately,there are still too many variables in RU's favor,(home field,second game,depth),for me to get my hopes up very high.

[ChickenMan]

After losing two consecutive years to 1AA schools (Nova & UNH) I'm sure that Rutgers will be taking this game very serioulsy... I'd be very surprised if Nova pulled off another upset.

[Umass74]

I find it interesting that Rutgers is usually considered to be "improving"

The 2004 Athlon College Football edition said this"

" Final Analysis---Proven talent abounds and the schedule is reasonable. Keeping Hart health is critical and avoiding injuries in the offensive line is essential, but there is no reason this team can't have a winning season and play in a bowl." Athlon ranked them #61 in the I-A universe.

Rutgers finished 4-7 and New Hampshire stuffed them,

This Year, Athlon ranks them #54 (ahead of Kansas State and Penn State) and says "All signs point to this offense (Rutgers) making its mark as the best in the programs history." Athlon predicts 6 wins (including Villanova) and four tossup games against Illinois, West Virginia, Syracuse and Navy.

Anyone care to make a prediction about Rutgers this year?? My pick Villanova over Rutgers 28-24 :)

[Anovafan]

Rutgers has not confirmed yet, but I heard this weekend that the game will probably be at night. My guess is 6pm, so I think your double-header may get blown up LFN, sorry.

As for my thoughts, Nova will put up points this year offensively, including against Rutgers. The question will be if Nova can stop anyone this year. We have a lot of young players who need to step up and perform on D. Rutgers will be a good test, but I think RU wins by 10, much like the year we lost to them 38-28. It will be interesting to see if RU plays as "disrespectfully" as they did against UNH last year and Nova the year before. And by "disrespectfully", I mean RU came out and played UNH and Nova in man coverage all game and dared UNH and Nova to beat them with the pass. Offensively, two years ago, RU tried to run over Nova's defense and found out it couldn't, went to the air, and got sloppy with a few picks. Should be an exciting game though.

[blukeys]

And by "disrespectfully", I mean RU came out and played UNH and Nova in man coverage all game and dared UNH and Nova to beat them with the pass.

Anybody that dumb deserves to lose. :bang: :confused: :)