The Big Ten has made it clear: Rutgers and Maryland will be rivals no matter what the teams say. The two squads that entered the conference together in 2014 will remain a “protected game,” meaning as the schedule changes year to year, this game will remain.

The Scarlet Knights have four games remaining, starting with a home meeting against Minnesota, followed by a game at Maryland, home against Illinois and then at Michigan State to close out the regular season. Rutgers needs to win at least two of those games to reach the six-win mark and earn bowl eligibility for a second-consecutive season.