Rutgers is improving, but the Big Ten East is a tough climb

With Rutgers coming to Ohio Stadium to play Ohio State on Saturday, there is one big question to ask.

This question isn’t whether Rutgers has a chance to beat Ohio State. Everyone already knows this answer.

The question is, what is the ceiling for the Rutgers football program? What can Rutgers hope to become?

It will probably be hard to ever be like Ohio State, Michigan or Pennsylvania.

But could it become like Wisconsin or Iowa? These two programs have been among the Big Ten contenders most years, even if they don’t have all the advantages of elite football programs.

Could it become like Michigan State? After all, it is a public university in New Jersey with an enrollment of nearly 50,000.

Could it become like Northwestern, which, while wildly unpredictable, manages to produce enough good seasons to balance out the not-so-good seasons?

Could it be like Minnesota, which is starting to recognize that it has resources that haven’t been used as fully as they could?

Location is the main reason Rutgers made the Big Ten. Getting into New York’s television market is something the Big Ten has wanted, and Rutgers offered that opportunity.

But a different location could be one of the biggest things working against Rutgers emerging and challenging the Big Ten’s big boys.

As long as it’s in the Big Ten East, Rutgers will likely be fourth at best in the East behind Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. And Michigan State could be years ahead of them, too.

Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, Rutgers is 0-8 against Ohio State and Penn State and 1-7 against Michigan State and Michigan State.