Big Ten Insider Shares High Praise for 2025 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Following Visit

Will this version of the Scarlet Knights be Greg Schiano's best upon his return?

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano calls out to his team during first half of the Rate Bowl against Kansas State at Chase Field on Dec. 26, 2024, Phoenix. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are an interesting team in the Big Ten this year.

Rutgers returns plenty of production on both sides of the ball heading into 2025. Does this make them contenders in a difficult conference? Not quite.

Will this be a complete let down of a season? That's not likely either.

So, what's next? There is belief that this could be head coach Greg Schiano's best team since his return to the program in 2020.

After visiting training camp on Wednesday, Big Ten Network's Gerry DiNardo has a simple answer on if this will be Schiano's best in his second tenure -- "absolutely."

The Big Ten Network visited Rutgers during their journey around the conference. DiNardo, along with Dave Revsine and Jake Butt, got the chance to look at Rutgers in all facets and came away impressed. Once practice ended, the conversaton flipped to the schedule.

The schedule for the fall, which was called "tougher than the Big Ten East," is loaded for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights will have to take on the likes of Penn State, Ohio State, and Oregon, along with a difficult road matchup against Illinois.

Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) against the Kansas State Wildcats during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Can Rutgers Win Difficult Games?

Rutgers is currently on a 41-game losing streak against ranked opponents. This is the longest streak among power four programs.

Schiano knows that it is time for Rutgers to start winning big games.

"We're at the point now where, look, we got to compete," he said. "I understand who we're playing, we all do. We look at the rankings, you look at who you're playing and you say 'oh, that's a pretty tough schedule.' But we need to win those games."

Rutgers avoided the top teams in the conference last year during a seven-win regular season. This year, the presence of elite programs is there but this could be an improved Scarlet Knights team.

Schiano knows that it is time for the Scarlet Knights to begin winning some tough games in the Big Ten and that will be the expectation moving forward.

"This is going to be a fascinating team," Revsine said. "Really interested to see them. It is clear that progess is being made here. I don't think there is any doubt. Is this is a team where maybe the final record isn’t reflective of the progress? It’s possible. But to (Schiano’s) point, hey, start winning some of those games. We’ll see whether this is the year where they start doing it.”