CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1978 Rutgers

9–⁠3, coached by Frank Burns.

Schedule and results

Rutgers in 1978, game by game: lost at No. 3 Penn State 10–26; won at Bucknell 27–13; won vs. Princeton 24–0; won at Yale 28–27; won vs. UConn 10–0; won vs. Villanova 24–9; won vs. Columbia 69–0; won at Massachusetts 21–11; won vs. Temple 13–10; won at Holy Cross 31–21; lost vs. Colgate 9–14; lost vs. Arizona State 18–34+69−16Lost 10–26 at No. 3 Penn State-16No. 3 Penn StateWon 27–13 at Bucknell+14BucknellWon 24–0 vs. Princeton+24PrincetonWon 28–27 at Yale+1YaleWon 10–0 vs. UConn+10UConnWon 24–9 vs. Villanova+15VillanovaWon 69–0 vs. Columbia+69ColumbiaWon 21–11 at Massachusetts+10MassachusettsWon 13–10 vs. Temple+3TempleWon 31–21 at Holy Cross+10Holy CrossLost 9–14 vs. Colgate-5ColgateLost 18–34 vs. Arizona State-16Arizona State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 9at3Penn StateL 10–⁠2626%
Sep 23atBucknellW 27–⁠1388%
Sep 30vsPrincetonW 24–⁠071%
Oct 7atYaleW 28–⁠2733%
Oct 14vsUConnW 10–⁠092%
Oct 21vsVillanovaW 24–⁠976%
Oct 28vsColumbiaW 69–⁠080%
Nov 4atMassachusettsW 21–⁠1178%
Nov 11vsTempleW 13–⁠1068%
Nov 18atHoly CrossW 31–⁠2171%
Nov 25vsColgateL 9–⁠1489%
Dec 16Bowls & playoffvsArizona StateGarden State BowlL 18–⁠3447%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Arizona State 34–⁠18 in the Garden State Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 13th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 152 on file).

Record
9–⁠3
Conference
—
AP final
Unranked
Points
284–⁠165
Coach
Frank Burns
Elo
1563 +17 this season
SP+ rating
12.4 No. 32 of 133; offense No. 35, defense No. 33
SRS
2.7 No. 58 of 138 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Bill Speranza
Defensive coordinator
Bob Naso