Where does Rutgers rank nationally as losing streak hits 4?

Rutgers has fallen to .500 and faces a critical juncture in its pursuit of bowl eligibility.
Rutgers’ fourth loss in a row — a 42-20 setback at Southern Cal — dropped the Scarlet Knights to their lowest ranking in more than a year. Across five different national polls, Rutgers (4-4, 1-4 in Big Ten play) has an average ranking of 64.0, which is down another three spots from a week ago and has now dropped well below the Scarlet Knights’ preseason position, which started at 46.8.
A month ago, Rutgers was riding high with four straight wins but has crashed back to earth, losing its last four games to USC, UCLA, Wisconsin and Nebraska. The season will hang in the balance over the final month. Following a bye week, the Scarlet Knights close out their season with four games against Minnesota (5-3, 3-2), Maryland (4-4, 1-4), No. 24 Illinois (6-2, 3-2) and Michigan State (4-4, 2-3).
They could be an underdog in all four. Based on ESPN’s Football Power Index, Rutgers has 56.3% chance of winning six games. That number was as high as 96.6% a month ago after Rutgers defeated Washington.
Where will the Scarlet Knights go from here? Time will tell, but until then, here’s a look at where they stand.
— In ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), Rutgers moved up two spots to No. 64. The FPI poll gives Rutgers a 58.5% chance of winning six games. That number was as high as 96.6% following Rutgers’ win over Washington, which got the Scarlet Knights to 4-0 and was 83.3% before losing to UCLA two weeks ago. It currently stands at 56.3%.
— In Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings on ESPN.com — a “tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency” that are a “predictive measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football, not a résumé ranking” — Rutgers dropped nine spots to No. 67, which is 18 spots lower than its preseason position.
— The Massey Ratings, which accounts for 44 different polls, dropped Rutgers three spots to No. 69.
— The Athletic slotted Rutgers at No. 54, which was a one-spot drop. The Athletic is still Rutgers’ highest ranking.
— CBS Sports also dropped Rutgers, sending the Scarlet Knights down to No. 66, a six-spot deduction.
— Rutgers did not receive votes in The AP Top 25. Overall, 34 teams received votes this week. Overall, the Big Ten has five ranked teams — No. 1 Oregon, No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 13 Indiana and No. 24 Illinois — in the poll.
Check back every Monday for updated rankings and a season-long look how Rutgers fared in the polls.
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Patrick Lanni may be reached at [email protected].