Betting lines, game preview, and prediction for Minnesota vs. Rutgers

Minnesota is suddenly very good.

The team lost to Iowa badly and Michigan late in the game. It looked like they would not make it with a lot of road games left, but now they have won four straight, are eligible for a bowl game, and are playing well at the perfect time.

That is not been Rutgers at all. After beating Virginia Tech and Washington, it looked like a thing when it was 4-0. But the offense failed and the defense shut down.

Now it needs to win two of the last four games (at Maryland, Illinois, and Michigan State) to finish strong and get into a bowl game.

Minnesota vs Rutgers: How to Watch and Game Preview

Date: Saturday, November 9, 2024
Game Time: 12:00 pm ET
How to Watch: NBC
Venue: SHI Stadium, Piscataway, NJ
Teams: Rutgers (4-4), Minnesota (6-3)

Why Minnesota Will Win

So what is Minnesota doing that is making things better?

When PJ Fleck was in charge, the Golden Gophers were good at running and defense. But transfer Max Brosmer has been great, the passing game is clicking, and the offense is moving when it needs to.

Plus, the O has not lost the ball in the last three games, which helps.

The defense is giving up almost 400 yards per game because Rutgers does not have a pass rush or get into the backfield enough.

Why Rutgers Will Win

Now what can Rutgers do to fix this? The defense needs to stop the ball again.

The defense did a good job early in the season, letting up 320 yards or less in four of the first five games. But in the last three games, Wisconsin, UCLA, and USC all scored over 1,500 yards.

Still, Minnesota’s midrange passing game can not replace its ground attack. But the team is 4-0 when it completes 70% or more of its passes and 5-1 when it does so 62% or more of the time.

There have been four times when Rutgers let passing teams hit 56% or fewer of their passes, but…

Minnesota vs Rutgers: Who Will Win?

A lot of turnovers are happening because of Minnesota’s defense. You might not notice that Rutgers has a low turnover rate, but that is because they do not take many chances.

It is time for the Scarlet Knights to press, and Minnesota loves it. In their last four games, they have taken ten interceptions.

It will score a few, the offense will improve in the last ten minutes when it needs to, and the win streak will keep going, but it will not be easy.