Kansas @ Rutgers preview

Rutgers has made plenty of bad news off the field recently and tries to inject some much-needed good into its program when it hosts Kansas on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights have dropped two straight since a season-opening victory over Norfolk State and will be without coach Kyle Flood on Saturday as he continues to serve a three-game suspension for breaking university policy by contacting a professor about a player's grade, although he is allowed at practices.

"It’s practice as usual for us,” interim coach Norries Wilson told reporters Monday. “(Flood is) out there and he’s doing the things he does. He makes corrections and he congratulates when it’s done right. And he gives his suggestions and he asks questions.” Rutgers this month also dismissed six players from the program because of arrests including assault and home invasion, and a seventh - senior wide receiver and captain Leonte Carroo - is suspended indefinitely following an altercation. The off-field issues have taken attention away from sophomore Chris Laviano, who has completed 72 percent of his passes - highest among Big Ten quarterbacks with at least 75 attempts - after winning the job over sophomore Hayden Rettig. The Jayhawks have lost 30 consecutive road games as they prepare for their first contest away from home after losing to FCS member South Dakota State and Memphis.

TV: Noon ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Rutgers -12.5

ABOUT KANSAS (0-2): The Jayhawks possess the Big 12's top rusher in junior Ke'aun Kinner, who's totaled 270 yards and three touchdowns. Kansas, though, is hurt by the lack of a deep threat through the air as junior quarterback Montell Cozart (57.6 percent, TD, interception) hasn't completed a pass of more than 40 yards. The Jayhawks yield 48 points per game - third-worst among the 127 FBS teams in the nation - and their average of 557 yards allowed is fifth-worst.

ABOUT RUTGERS (1-2): Junior wide receiver Janarion Grant (10 receptions, 93 yards) has returned a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown this season and has five career kick returns for scores. Grant also could emerge as Laviano's favorite target with Carroo (seven catches, 181 yards, three touchdowns) sidelined. Sophomore running back Josh Hicks (258 yards, two touchdowns) is the Scarlet Knights' top threat on the ground.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Rutgers is 2-2 against Big 12 teams not including West Virginia (4-33-2) with its last encounter a 27-13 victory over Iowa State in the 2011 New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

2. Kinner is the first player in history to begin his Kansas career with back-to-back 100-yard games after arriving from Navarro Junior College.

3. This is the first meeting in a home-and-home series set up by former Jayhawks coach Charlie Weis in 2012 with a game scheduled for 2018 in Kansas.

PREDICTION: Rutgers 48, Kansas 28