Imagine paying someone a million bucks to kick you in the stomach in your backyard.

Rutgers faces that prospect this weekend, literally.

The Scarlet Knights will try to snap their six-game losing streak and prevent another 1-11 season when they host Liberty on Saturday at SHI Stadium in Piscataway (12 p.m., BTN).

Emphasis on “try,” according to the oddsmakers (and anyone else who has watched them play).

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The FBS independent Flames (5-2) have been installed as a four-point betting favorite over Rutgers (1-6) by Circa Sports. If the sports books are correct, Liberty will not only become the third non-Power 5 program to register a road win over the Scarlet Knights in as many years, but also hand Rutgers the most expensive loss in program history.

Rutgers will pay Liberty a $1,000,000 guarantee for the game, according to a contract obtained by NJ Advance Media. That payout is bigger than Rutgers’ two most-recent non-conference home losses. Buffalo received $900,000 for its win in Piscataway a year ago and Eastern Michigan was paid $860,000 for its victory in 2017.

Rutgers paid UMass a school-record $1.3 million guarantee for its season-opening (and only) win in August. Rutgers paid Texas State $1.2 million for its only win last season and it paid New Mexico $900,000 for a home win in 2016.

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One thing Rutgers has going for it: If it does lose to Liberty, it won’t be the nation’s most expensive paycheck loss in 2019. Not even close! Arkansas gave San Jose State a whopping $1.5 million for its own embarrassing loss in Fayetteville earlier this year.

And if Rutgers manages to pull the upset and knock off the Flames, it will have paid a combined $2.3 million for its pair of wins this season - the same amount of salary due to fired former coach Chris Ash this year.

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James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.