Ohio State Buckeyes: Rutgers coming to town for historic Ohio Stadium game

Even if they don’t secure their first victory against the Buckeyes in nine tries, some memories are expected to be made as Ohio State pays tribute to its 100-year-old home.

Here are five things to know about the game:

1. It will be the 600th game at Ohio Stadium. Sort of.

“The House that Harley Built” opened in 1922 on the banks of the Olentangy River.

Designed by Daytonian Howard Dwight Smith after All-American halfback Chic Harley’s exploits raised the profile of the program enough to inspire construction of a new, larger home, the stadium has hosted 599 games in reality. Ohio State has posted a record of 467-112-20.

However, not all of those games count in the eyes of the NCAA — and therefore the Ohio State record book.

Because the Buckeye had to vacate all of their wins from the 2010 season over NCAA violations, the university officially only recognizes 696 games so far. That means the “official” 600th game will actually be played Nov. 26 when Michigan — the opponent in the dedication game in the inaugural season — comes to town to renew the greatest rivalry in sports.

2. A celebration is planned nonetheless.

Saturday is homecoming, and a new historical marker is to be unveiled for the stadium.

The Block ‘O’ student section is also planning a special card stunt from where the students originally sat in the stadium, and Smith’s family will be recognized on the field during the game.

With an initial seating capacity of 66,210, Ohio Stadium was the largest poured concrete structure in the world when it was built. It cost $1.49 million and was ready for the Oct. 7, 1922 opener against Ohio Wesleyan.

“I think the Penn State game in ‘18 was one of my greatest memories,” said Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who joined the program as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2017. “Being down three scores during the fourth quarter, that (atmosphere) was unbelievable. Running out of the stadium the first time for that Oregon State game was kind of a surreal experience. Some of the wins against ‘The Team Up North’ (Michigan) were huge. Just great memories of being in the stadium. Hearing ‘Hang on Sloopy’ at the end of the third quarter. You know, just the band. Even pregame, just the excitement of being in that stadium.

“But I’d say probably my two favorite things is listening to the crowd after a touchdown or listening to the crowd after a third down sack or stop are my two favorite things because that’s when I think the stadium is it’s the loudest and when you look back on those times it makes you smile.”

3. The Rutgers head coach does know what it’s like to be on the winning side at Ohio Stadium.

Greg Schiano was Ohio State’s defensive coordinator from 2016-18 before Day took over as head coach and remade the staff.

In 2020, Schiano returned to Rutgers, a program he first built into a winner in the first decade of the century. So far, the Scarlet Knights are 11-15 after going 68-67 from 2001-11.

He seemed to acknowledge this week the rebuilding process is still ongoing, and this week might not be much of an indication of his progress.

“I don’t know if there’s a measuring stick right now with a program that’s established that way,” he said. “I don’t know that. It depends how we play, right? It will be a great measuring stick if we play well.”

4. He might not know who will start at quarterback.

Sophomore Evan Simon started the last the last two games with senior Noah Vedral and sophomore Gavin Wimsatt injured, and Schiano has not indicated who will be under center Saturday.

Early in the week, he said both are on the mend, but that was as far as he went.

“We’ll just keep trying to improve with whoever is available,” he said.

Wimsatt arrived last year as a four-star prospect from Kentucky while Vedral is a sixth-year senior who transferred from Nebraska three years ago.

Vedral has started 20 games and ranks ninth in program history with 316 completions and 10th with 3,566 yards of total offense.

Wimsatt played four games last season and has started one this year.

Simon, a three-star recruit from Pennsylvania in the class of 2020, completed 28 of 49 passes for 300 yards and a touchdown against Iowa last week, but he threw a pair of interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown in the first half.

5. The teams have had the opposite experience finishing drives so far this season.

The Buckeyes are one of 13 teams in the country with a perfect scoring rate inside the 20 while Rutgers is among 10 teams who have not posted a stop defensively inside the 20.

“I think that the (pass) protection has been good. I think the quarterback play has been excellent, and we’re running the ball,” Day said when asked about his team’s success, which includes 18 touchdowns and just two field goals.

Meanwhile, Rutgers is 121st in the country in red zone offense while the Ohio State defense is 86th.

SATURDAY’S GAME

Rutgers at Ohio State, 3:30 p.m., BTN, 1410