Game Eight Preview: Rutgers @ Pittsburgh

Tyler
Scarlet Surge
Date Posted: 10/24/08

After getting a much needed win last week, the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers find themselves on the brink of yet another game that could be a "season changer," for not only Rutgers but for Pittsburgh.

Rutgers, who will come into the game at 2-5 will face off against the Pittsburgh Panthers, 6-1, who they've beaten three straight seasons in a row.

But this a different Rutgers team, and a different Pittsburgh team. Pittsburgh comes back with highly touted halfback LeSean McCoy, who many, including myself, consider him the best overall halfback in the country. His speed, elusiveness, power, and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield makes him the best in my opinion. Rutgers did a great job of shutting him down last year in Piscataway - but that was different. Rutgers not only had no threat of a passing game coming from Pittsburgh, but the game was at home, which helps greatly in the ability to hold down an opponents best offensive weapon.

This game is going to come down to defense, a Rutgers defense that I have a great deal of confidence this week in. The linebackers have played very well the past three weeks, and Ryan D'Imperio, a linebacker, has probably been the most outstanding player the past three weeks on the entire team, not just the defense.

Offensively for Rutgers, they will need to find a running game. If they are unable to find a running game for the third straight week in a row, it will be a long afternoon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rutgers had just 75 yards on 25 carries from halfback Kordell Young last week. No signs of Jourdan Brooks, Mason Robinson, or Joe Martinek for a few games now...which to me has been just mind boggling.

We now move onto my:

Prediciton
Rutgers 14
Pittsburgh 20
Game Ball: Joe Lefeged. Lefeged, a strong safety, will be up in the back this week making plays for the Knights, but it just won't be enough as Rutgers loses a tight one against the best team in the Big East. Predicted stats for Lefeged: 11 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 FF.

Game Time: 3:30 PM E.T.
Site: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA.
Weather: Rain on and off. At times heavy. Temperatures near 55 degrees.

That's all I've got for this week. Thanks for reading, and Go Knights!