PISCATAWAY – It’s been a while since Rutgers football was ranked.

Twelve years to be exact.

Could that drought end soon? It’s possible, but the Scarlet Knights have some work to do to make that happen.

Not to mention help from some other teams dropping out.

Rutgers improved to 3-0 after its 26-23 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday, but that wasn’t enough to earn any votes in the Associated Press Top 25.

For that to potentially happen, the Scarlet Knights have to beat Washington on Friday at SHI Stadium (8 p.m., FOX).

Whether they receive votes or actually move into the Top 25 could come down to how convincingly they beat the Huskies – the wider the margin of victory, the more it would sway voters across the country to strongly consider Rutgers.

And much of it also comes down to what the teams in the final spots, or sitting just on the outside, of the Top 25 do.

For example, Washington State is just outside the Top 25 with 67 votes. If it beats Boise State, currently ranked No. 25, on Saturday, it’ll secure a spot. Arkansas received three votes this week and plays No. 24 Texas A&M this weekend, so the Razorbacks would also move into the rankings with a win. Arizona received two votes and would move into the Top 25 if it somehow pulls off an upset over No. 10 Utah. Indiana received 63 votes and would likely earn a spot with a win over Maryland.

So all that being said, Rutgers needs help from the teams ahead of it to earn a spot.

But winning on the road next week against Nebraska, which dropped out of the rankings this week after losing to No. 19 Illinois, would almost certainly change that.

A 5-0 record with wins over Virginia Tech, Washington and Nebraska (on the road) should lock up a Top-25 spot.

Rutgers first needs to take care of business on the field.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rutgers football: How Scarlet Knights can enter Top 25 rankings