One ugly trend Rutgers is trying to escape in showdown with Penn State
The Rutgers-Penn State game isn’t really a rivalry game at this point, but because of the proximity, it’s certainly one Greg Schiano and the Scarlet Knights would like to make more competitive. While there have been some close(ish) games in the past, there haven’t been any surprises.
Penn State is a perfect 7-0 against Rutgers since the Scarlet Knights joined the B1G in 2014. Overall, the Nittany Lions owns a 29-2 advantage in the all-time series.
A big reason for Rutgers’ major woes against Penn State the past 7 years? The inability to score. Since 2014, the Scarlet Knights have never scored more than 10 points against the Nittany Lions. Here’s a look at the results:
- 2014: Penn State def. Rutgers 13-10
- 2015: Penn State def. Rutgers 28-3
- 2016: Penn State def. Rutgers 39-0
- 2017: Penn State def. Rutgers 35-6
- 2018: Penn State def. Rutgers 20-7
- 2019: Penn State def. Rutgers: 27-6
- 2020: Penn State def. Rutgers: 23-7
In 7 games, Rutgers has scored just a total of 39 points. Penn State reached that total in one game — the 2016 contest.
If there’s one sign of optimism about Rutgers bucking this ugly trend, it’s that the Scarlet Knights have been held to single digits just twice this year, in losses to Northwestern and Wisconsin. But Penn State’s defense is still really skilled, particularly in the red zone.
Scoring more than 10 points doesn’t guarantee a victory for Rutgers. It would give the Scarlet Knights a much better chance, though.