This close 31-28 victory for Minnesota over Rutgers earned 4.29 ranking points because it was a narrow 3-point win against a conference opponent, which typically generates moderate point values in ranking systems that reward wins while accounting for margin of victory. The relatively modest point total suggests this was likely a game between teams of similar strength levels, where Minnesota was expected to compete closely rather than dominate, making the tight victory worth a solid but not exceptional ranking boost.