Rutgers +27.5 3.3% play
Washington won this game last year by the score of 48-13 at home, but the final was a bit misleading. If you can believe it Rutgers was only -76 yards in the game and Washington had 2 special team turnovers. Washington obviously getting a lot of public money coming off last season, but there are many reasons not to like this team as much as last year. Washington's defense was excellent, because they were able to defend the pass, but they lose 3 key players in the secondary and return 13 total starters.
Washington was also extremely fortunate last year leading the nation in +18 turnovers which typically means they won't be as lucky the next year. Teams with +14 or more turnovers in a season have a weaker or same record the following season 77% of the time dating back to 1991.
While the offense should be just as potent with Browning back this is also a long road trip from the state of Washington to the state of New Jersey and they are bigger favorites than last year when they were home. They are also without arguably their best defensive player in LB Azeem Victor who is suspended for this game.
There are a lot of things to like about Rutgers moving forward. First of all Chris Ash is in his second year and they return 13 starters. Now the offense averaged just 15.7 ppg a year ago, and that will likely keep many people from betting them, but not me. I like the moves they made brining in Jerry Kill, an excellent coach at Minnesota to coach this offense. With Kill they also bring over a grad transfer in QB Kyle Bolin from Louisville to run the offense along with two other power 5 transfers at WR and they also get Janarion Grant back from injury at WR.
