PISCATAWAY, N.J. — In this age of college football, where realignment ruins rivalries and TV dollars trump tradition, old series are cast aside for a buck. Nowhere is that more clear than in the reconfigured and rejiggered Big East, and nowhere is it more evident than today’s Rutgers-Syracuse game.
One of Rutgers’ oldest rivalries is against Syracuse, one that began in 1914 and has been played every year since 1980. But because the Orange (2-3) are bolting the Big East after this season for the ACC, the series plays its last scheduled game Saturday at what should be a buzzing High Point Solutions Stadium (noon, SNY).
“I think it’s unfortunate. But it’s the reality of college football these days: Change is the new norm,” said Rutgers coach Kyle Flood, who hinted earlier in the week they could schedule Syracuse as a non-league foe. “Things are moving all the time it seems like in college football. We probably haven’t seen the end of it yet. This might not be the last opponent this will happen with,’’
“I let [athletic director] Tim [Pernetti] handle that kind of stuff. I do think in general college football is best when it’s regional. I just don’t know if that’s reality any more, if that can happen.’’
The Orange would love nothing more than to knock No. 19 Rutgers (5-0, 2-0 Big East) from the national polls and the ranks of the unbeaten.
The programs’ fortunes changed when Syracuse fired Paul Pasqualoni after 2004, and Ray Rice switched his commitment from the Orange to the Scarlet Knights. Much of Rutger’s resurgence was built on Rice, and now they have another squat running back drawing comparisons to him in 5-foot-8, 200-pound. sophomore Jawan Jamison, who has rushed 130 times for a league-leading 601 yards.
“I’m getting compared to somebody I looked up to and one of the reasons why I came here,’’ Jamison told reporters. “And he’s at where I’m trying to get to.’’
These matchups are usually both close and ugly. Syracuse won 13-10 in its last trip to Piscataway, and they combined for nine turnovers in Rutgers’ 19-16 double-overtime win last year in the Carrier Dome, when then then-freshman Gary Nova usurped Chas Dodd’s starting job and led the Scarlet Knights to victory.
If it’s that close again, Rutgers has a concern because the status of Kyle Federico (hip) is up in the air and replacement Nick DeLouisia missed an extra point last week. They also will have to face the league’s leading passer (Ryan Nassib, 1,552 passing yards and 10 touchdowns) and receiver (Marcus Sayles), and do it with a banged-up defensive line.
“They make you defend the entire field,’’ Flood said. “They make you defend the width of the field, and with their vertical passing game the depth of the field. That’s one of the things they do with their offense that makes them so tough.’’