Five Reasons to Root for Rutgers

Thursday A.M. Quickie here.

Despite being unbeaten and playing in a BCS conference, Rutgers has been saddled with the college football equivalent of the "soft bigotry of low expectations."

When an unexpected, historically bad program makes a "dream-season" run – particularly when that team starts the season unranked – they are nicked twice: Not only do they have to overcome public perception, but they have to overcome voter bias.

If Rutgers had the exact same record, statistics and strength of schedule but its jersey said "Miami" or "Colorado" -- or even, say, "Pitt" -- they would be ranked in the Top 5 right now.

But because they are "RUTGERS," they entered the season at a severe disadvantage in the human polls that the team is still struggling to overcome: Pollsters can't believe that RUTGERS is any good.

I have first-hand experience with a situation very similar to this: In 1995, when Northwestern went through its dream Rose Bowl season, it took 8 weeks and a win at then-No. 7 Michigan for NU to climb to No. 17, despite being 4-1. (Off the top of my head, Wisconsin went through similar treatment during its Cinderella Rose Bowl season in 1993.)

But NU and Wisco even benefited from playing in the Big Ten. Rutgers is pinged for playing in the Big East (despite the fact that most computer polls rank the Big East ahead of the... wait for it... SEC. I'm not kidding.)

The fastest way for Rutgers to FINALLY earn the Top 5-10 ranking it deserves? Beat unbeaten No. 3 Louisville on ESPN tonight. (Whew, can you remember the last time that two unbeaten teams played this late in the season on BACK-TO-BACK weeks? These Thursday night games really have become the Monday Night Football of college football.)

Anyway, if Rutgers can pull off the upset and beat Louisville, I will replace Louisville with Rutgers as my No. 2-ranked team. End the bias against traditionally shitty programs having Cinderella seasons!

Now, Five Reasons to Root Like Hell for Rutgers:

(1) Would tilt the BCS: Vastly increases the likelihood that the Ohio St-Michigan winner would play one of the many qualified teams with one loss. (Which one? Hey: That's the "tilt" part.)

(2) No better Cinderella story in college football this season. (Or, in fact, the last 10 years. Rutgers is this decade's Northwestern.)

(3) Super superlative: It would be the BIGGEST win EVER for Rutgers football. Those kind of wins are precious and rare. (And it's AT Rutgers: Imagine the Jersey-style post-game mayhem!)

(4) Stick it to poll voters, as mentioned above. Expose the stupidity of those who continue to underrate Rutgers because they're Rutgers.

(5) Rutgers – RUTGERS!! – would have the inside track on the path to the national-title game. RUTGERS!! How can you NOT want to see that?

-- D.S.