Media Picks Rutgers Football Team to Finish Third in American Athletic Conference

The Rutgers University football team was picked to finish third in the American Athletic Conference by members of the media as the conference kicked off its Media Day festivities at the Hotel Viking in Newport, R.I. on Tuesday morning.

According to ESPN reporter Brett McMurphy’s Twitter feed, the Scarlet Knights were picked to finish behind Louisville and Cincinnati. Louisville, which is likely to be a preseason top-10 team following its win over Florida in the Sugar Bowl last year, received 28 first place votes, and Cincinnati received two, according to McMurphy.

Rutgers visits Louisville for a Thursday night matchup Oct. 10, and it welcomes Cincinnati to High Point Solutions Stadium on Nov. 16.

Louisville visits Cincinnati in the season finale for both teams Dec. 5.

Last season, Rutgers finished 9-4 overall, including a 5-2 record in the conference and a 13-10 overtime loss to Virginia Tech in the Russell Athletic Bowl.

Rutgers defeated Cincinnati, 10-3, but lost to Louisville, 20-17, in a game that decided the final Big East football championship.

Louisville returns 14 starters, including Heisman Trophy candidate junior quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Cincinnati returns 13 players and is coached by Tommy Tuberville, who went 85-40 as the head coach at Auburn University, playing in what is regarded as the nation's best conference, the SEC.

Rutgers returns 10 players, including junior quarterback Gary Nova, who threw for 2,695 yards and 22 touchdowns last year. Junior wide receiver Brandon Coleman caught 10 touchdown passes in 2012.

This is Rutgers’ only season playing in the American Athletic Conference before becoming a member of the Big 10 next year.