All In Baby! Bowl Eligible!

Leave it to Rutgers. Only the Scarlet Knights could have me fuming mad at halftime of a game that ends up being a blowout in their favor. Only they could give up a 60+ yard touchdown run on a play that was meant to run out the clock. Only they could back a team up to 2nd and 25 only to give up another 60+ yard run. Vintage RU antics. Whatever. Fuck all that. I'm back on the bus. Bowl eligible baby! What was the over/under on wins for the season? 4? 4.5? Where the odds makers at? They can kiss every inch of my dick. Give me the keys, I'm about to drive this bandwagon. Not like I have a choice after buying this shirt last night...

That's how the Piscataway portion of the season had to end. The three previous games are water under the bridge. We took our lumps. Learned what it is like to play with the big boys. At the end of the day, Rutgers is going to be a middle of pack team in the Big Ten…in their first year. The team many thought would be a doormat has solidified, at the very least, a .500 season. I am not going to sit here and glorify 9 bowl trips in the last 10 seasons. Many of those bowl trips came playing a weak out of conference schedule and a less than stellar Big East/AAC schedule. This bowl is something to be proud of. Following a travesty of a season last year with a bowl worthy first season in the B1G is progress. It's something to hang your hat on. It's a building block for this program to progress to bigger and better things. It's what recruits needed to see to consider Rutgers a worthy destination.

It was a great afternoon for Rutgers players both new and old. The freshman running back duo of Robert Martin III and Josh Hicks were lights out. A glimmer into what looks to be an embarrassment of riches at the position. Kemoko Turay nearly beheaded Indiana's quarterback, again justifying the hype surrounding an already impressive freshman year. Leonte Carroo, once again, showed why it might not be feasible to see him in Piscataway next year. He has NFL talent and he flashes it every time he is given an opportunity. Last night was no different. Lastly, Gary Nova played his last home game in front of a crowd that has grown to love and hate him, depending on the week. It was a pleasure to watch him go out a winner. He played solid, smart football and finally led Rutgers to a win where our collective hearts weren't in our stomachs come the final two minutes. I, for one, appreciate everything he has given to this football program, even during the low points.

While last night was a pleasant experience, and worthy of celebration, there is still a lot of season left. I got to say…I'm all in. I know Langford is going to run for an entire mile on our defense next week. Hope Melvin Gordon enjoys his record the whole 7 days it lasts. Fuck it. Bend but don't break. Motherfuck a spartan. Just keep on battling. Nothing to lose now. After a couple beers and a Rutgers win I was convinced to take the road trip out to Maryland. Can't wait to send the turtles crawling back into their shells. Might have to give Testudo some nightmares in a few weeks. Bowl tickets available? Sign me up for that shit too (as long as it's not in Detroit). I want to watch these boys battle in person as many times as I can. Lord knows my NFL won't be doing the same.