The loss column continues to pile up the tallies and the scoreboard continues to show lopsided decisions. Rutgers, who hasn’t won a B1G game since 2017, it’s hard to imagine a situation in which the program could stoop any lower.

Right now, it’s being regarded as potentially one of the worst teams in B1G history. There haven’t been too many positives in Piscataway over the last four years. But former head coach Chris Ash, fired earlier this year after a 1-3 start, believes the program is still in a better situation than it was when he first took over.

Ash was terminated following a 52-0 loss to Michigan in September, ending his run as head coach after 40 games with an 8-32 record. Though the record was nowhere close to what Ash expected when he was hired in 2016, he thinks that Rutgers is better than when he found it.

“As I go back and reflect on a lot of stuff, I feel strongly that I was still able to do that, and I can hold my head high because of that,” Ash told Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch in an interview. “If I looked back and I just had a whole long list of mistakes that I made or things that I didn’t do, I’d have regret. But I feel looking for in programs –it’s in a much better place.”

Rutgers sits at 2-7 on the season, with its wins coming over UMass and Liberty. The Scarlet Knights have yet to win a B1G game (0-6) and have been outscored 245-24 by conference foes.

This week, Rutgers takes on Ohio State, a team many regard as the best in the country, and one of the better teams Columbus has seen. The opening spread favored the Buckeyes by 50.5 points.

Since Rutgers terminated Ash, it’s been looking to fill its head coaching vacancy, zeroing in on names like Greg Schiano and Butch Jones, though Jones has removed his name from consideration.

Regardless of who takes the job next, Ash believes the program will be more prepared for success than when he first inherited it four years ago.