Tony Soprano, the Governor and Expectations Come to Piscataway

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano signed Piscataway High School product Anthony Davis, a 350-pound tackle regarded as the best offensive line recruit in the nation, after telling the behemoth he would jump out of a plane if he joined the Scarlet Knights. (Rich Schultz - AP)

Brian C. Wahler has lived in Piscataway, N.J., his entire life, raised in a home not far from Rutgers Stadium. His grandfather, in 1938, worked construction on the old stadium. Wahler is a Scarlet Knight by birth, a diehard who had sat in 9,000-person crowds surrounded by some 30,000 empty seats. Now, he is worried.

"Rutgers fans, they're expecting the university to make a run at the BCS championship," Wahler said. "That's one big concern I do have. I don't think a lot of people realize the expectation level. What did Alan Greenspan say a few years ago? It's 'irrational exuberance.' "

Wahler is not only a Rutgers alum but also the mayor of Piscataway. The coming season's expectations worry the fan in him like stepping on a school bus rattles a kindergartner: It is uncharted territory.

Rutgers sent New Jersey into a frenzy last season, starting 9-0 and finishing 11-2, including the first bowl victory in school history. In one magical season, the Scarlet Knights shed a century-old reputation as a laughingstock, swapping it for the trappings of an elite college football program.

James Gandolfini, the Rutgers grad who played Tony Soprano on "The Sopranos," stood on the sideline for several games last season. The school has established a Web site -- SeeRayRun.com -- to promote the Heisman candidacy of running back Ray Rice. ("It's pretty cool," Rice said.) When quarterback Mike Teel attended a New Jersey Nets game this winter, the arena erupted when his face flashed on the JumboTron.

"It's a great time to be a Rutgers football player," Rice said.

The fan in Wahler thinks it all may be a bit much, but the mayor in him knows the football team's impact extends far beyond the field. Just three seasons ago, the athletic department would call his office and ask, "Can you get rid of 400 tickets?" Rutgers didn't want to give the impression of an empty stadium, so Wahler and his staff would give them away to Pop Warner programs and senior citizens.

Each home game this season is sold out, and the school is running newspaper advertisements for people to join a waiting list to buy season tickets. The boom of Rutgers football can be felt in the local economy. Hotel revenue alone this season will bring $200,000 to $300,000 to Piscataway, Wahler said. You can't find a table in some restaurants on game weekends.

The football team's success also raises the profile of New Jersey's largest university, which can lead to more money from the state legislature, which can lead to more jobs for Piscataway citizens.

"It's all interwoven," Wahler said. "There's a lot of things that could come out of it. I personally hope they keep going up, because I'm looking for more research money and more jobs for the economy."

When Rutgers played Louisville on a Thursday night last season, the Empire State Building was lighted red for the game, and a popular New York City radio show, "Mike and the Mad Dog," was broadcast live from the stadium. And when the Scarlet Knights upset the then-No. 3 Cardinals, it was instantly hailed as the greatest victory in school history.

Almost as important, in Wahler's view, were the guests on the sidelines: Gov. Jon S. Corzine, the two leaders of the state legislature and Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

"For the first time, you're seeing a lot of members of the legislature that they may want to stop for a game," Wahler said. "In the past, it was an afterthought. Now it's chic to go to a Rutgers football game. That's a good thing, because the university is very dependent on the legislature for everything. It's been a very, very beneficial lobbying tool."

Last season's breakout is paying local dividends for the team, too. Coach Greg Schiano signed Piscataway High School product Anthony Davis, a 350-pound tackle regarded as the best offensive line recruit in the nation. Davis chose Rutgers over Ohio State, a coup that turned heads across the country.

Davis announced his decision on national television from the annual U.S. Army high school all-star game in San Antonio. Organizers invited Wahler to accompany Davis, and before Davis chose his school, Wahler offered a deal.

"If you choose Rutgers," Wahler said, "I'll jump out of an airplane."

Days later, Wahler sky-dived with seven Army rangers.

All of the attention and expectations have come fast. Schiano arrived in 2001 and went 3-20 in his first two seasons. As recently as 2004, the Scarlet Knights ended the season with five straight losses.

"You never heard a word about Rutgers growing up," said quarterback Teel, a junior who grew up in Ramsey, N.J. "It just wasn't the place to be. That's changed now."