Indiana vs. Rutgers Prediction, Odds & Pick
Prediction, odds and the model's read
Our model's read
Scouting report
2026 projection · last season, roster and staff
Where Indiana gets at Rutgers: 8th at staying on schedule through the air, against a unit 128th at keeping opponents off schedule through the air. Rutgers projects no clear way in against Indiana. Indiana is also 19th at running it, against a unit 133rd.
How
IUattacks
RUTG
- 1
Stay on schedule through the air
staying on schedule through the air · projected
IU#8 of 138RUTG#128 of 138 - 2
Run it
running it · projected
IU#19 of 138RUTG#133 of 138 - 3
Win first and second down
first and second down · projected
IU#12 of 138RUTG#125 of 138
The two teams
Indiana
Indiana is in year 3 under Curt Cignetti, whose offenses have been balanced. The strengths are defensive, led by 2nd at stuffing runs at the line. The way in is 133rd at hitting chunk plays, and they are 111th at keeping everything in front of them.
On fourth down he goes for it about as often as his peers do from the same spots (+0.4%). Against what the expected-points model recommends he is −28.9% — the profession as a whole is negative on this.
Indiana has played 1 game against an average slate, adjusted for here. That football carries about 0% of what is below; the rest is still the preseason projection.
Projected strengths
- Defensegetting stopped at the line#2projected
- Defenserunning it#4projected
- Defensesacks and tackles for loss#4projected
Projected soft spots
- Offensehitting chunk plays#133projected
- Defensehitting chunk plays#111projected
Rutgers
Rutgers runs it: Greg Schiano's offenses have been run-leaning across 6 seasons. The strengths are offensive, led by 29th at staying out of the backfield. The way in is 133rd at defending the run, and they are 128th at keeping opponents off schedule through the air.
On fourth down he goes for it about as often as his peers do from the same spots (+2.5%). Against what the expected-points model recommends he is −24.6% — the profession as a whole is negative on this.
Rutgers has played 2 games against a genuinely tough slate, adjusted for here. That football carries about 0% of what is below; the rest is still the preseason projection.
Projected strengths
- Offensegetting stopped at the line#29projected
- Offensesurviving second and twelve#32projected
- Offensestaying on schedule through the air#35projected
Projected soft spots
- Defenserunning it#133projected
- Defensestaying on schedule through the air#128projected
- Defensefirst and second down#125projected
Ranks are national. Nothing here is last season's number — carrying one forward is measurably worse than saying nothing — and in-season figures are adjusted for who was actually played. This describes the matchup; it is not a prediction and not a pick.
Head coaches only — there is no free feed for coordinators, so on a program where the head coach does not call the offense this describes the staff he hired. Play-calling identity is a style, not a grade: throwing more than the situations warrant is not better than throwing less than they warrant.
Model prediction
how the number is builtOur model simulates the game drive by drive from each side's opponent-adjusted efficiency (RUTG Elo 1371, IU Elo 2113 for reference), with home-field advantage. That projects RUTG +26.3 (4% to win), essentially in line with the market.
Why that percentage is worth reading: across 604 graded in-season games, the calls this model put near 58% came in at 58.2%. The full calibration table is published, bin by bin. Early in the season the cold-start path runs instead and calibrates less well (Brier 0.2028 against 0.1889).
Model as of Sep 1 · through week 1 · drive simulation
Where the game is won
2026 national rank · right is better
offensethe defense it faces
Moving the ball
IU11th124thRUTGRUTG95th15thIUThrough the air
IU78th96thRUTGRUTG38th16thIUOn the ground
IU33rd114thRUTGRUTG129th31stIUStaying on the field
IU9th69thRUTGRUTG121st33rdIUTaking care of it
IU21st46thRUTGRUTG138th76thIU
Each bar runs from last in the country on the left to 1st on the right. The filled span is the gap between the offense and the defense it faces.
Season form — 2026
nationally rankedThe matchup, in context
series history + adjusted profilesThe series is level at 5–5 · Rutgers has won 3 straight · 40% have been one-possession games
| IU | RUTG | |
|---|---|---|
| +20.3 (#11) | CORE overall | -10.9 (#112) |
| +13 / -7 | offense / defense | +1 / +12 |
| 5.78 | points / drive | 1.75 |
| 1.78 | allowed / drive | 3.70 |
| 11% | three-and-outs | 50% |
| -7 | pass over expected | +14 |
Bold is the side ahead. CORE strips the situation from every play and solves the schedule out across the league, so these compare two teams that never met.
Key matchups
The analyst read: each team's offense splits crossed against the opponent's defense, with the edges called out.
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FAQ
Who will win Indiana vs. Rutgers?
Gridpex's model favors Indiana with a 96% win probability.
What's the predicted spread for Indiana vs. Rutgers?
The model projects Indiana by 26.3.
What time is Indiana vs. Rutgers and what channel is it on?
Sat, Oct 3, 8:00 PM ET, at SHI Stadium.
Where this number comes from. Every projection on this page is produced by the same model, run before kickoff on opponent-adjusted efficiency, power ratings and situational data — walk-forward validated on eleven seasons and never adjusted after the fact. How the model works →