National Signing Day is over and Coach Schiano has hauled in his best recruiting class ever, with Quarterback Tom Savage headlining a very impressive class.  The Scarlet-White game is a few weeks away.  The RAC - once the country's most intimidating venues for a visiting team to play is more like a morgue these days.  What is a Scarlet Knight fan to do?  Well, there is always NASCAR as the Daytona 500 season kicks off the season on February 15th.  Or you could speculate on who the 12th and final opponent will be for the 2009 campaign. 

If you missed the news during the hype with National Signing Day, The Miami Herald reported that RU inked a deal with Florida International University to play a home and home with the Golden Panthers visiting Piscataway this September. 

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/colleges/state/story/886882.html

While FIU might not excite fans as say a BCS powerhouse of USC or Ohio State - it is a shrewd move by Coach Schiano and the rest of the Athletic Department.

First, it gives fans an easily reachable destination and a great one at that.  While old man winter bears down on us with 20 degree days and snow storms every weekend, the thought of partying it up in Miami and watching the Scarlet Knights play seems like a fantasy.  But in 2010 that will be the case.

Also, it gives the Knights two opportunities to score easy Ws against  FIU.

Finally, it allows Coach Schiano and his staff to travel down the South Florida - arguably where the best high school talent comes from.   A few years back, the NCAA ruled that a school cannot run camps out of its state.  The ruling turned off the spigot that RU had to the area's talent.  In 2009's class - Antwan Lowery was the sole Florida recruit.  This is a departure from classes of the past where several recruits were from the South Florida area. 

While the big 3 - Miami, Florida State and Florida pick up the headliners, Schiano would scoop up the diamonds in the rough.  A perfect example would be Eric Foster - a lightly recruited player from Hollywood, Florida.  Eric went on to have a solid career at Rutgers, achieving All American status and is now starting Defensive Tackle for the Indianapolis Colts.  The 2010 visit should allow RU extra face time to recruit some quality talent.

The remaining schedule is a home game with Army, continuing a tradition RU has had for the last few years in playing a service academy.

RU will be playing Howard - a historically black university that is an FCS school at home.

The Knights hit the road down I-95 for a trip to College Park to exact revenge for a 2007 loss to Maryland. 

Conference play includes home games against Cincy, Pitt, South Florida and West Virginia.  Road games include trips to Connecticut, Louisville and Syracuse.  Exact dates are yet to be determined.

8 home games. 4 road games.  So who do you want to see RU playing?  Potentially opening up the 56,000 seat Rutgers Stadium?

There are several teams that have openings for 2009, but isn't limited to this list.  Schools are always juggling their schedules all the time and slots open up.

http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/college_football_2009_schedules/index_openings.htm

Personally, Colonel Henry would like to see a two and two with Ole Miss.  The idea of tailgating at "The Grove" is just too appetizing.