Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
TV/Radio: Big Ten Network/1410
Series history: Ohio State leads 8-0 and has scored at least 49 points in every meeting. The Buckeyes have outscored the Scarlet Knights by an aggregate of 428-88.
Last meeting: Ohio State scored on seven of its first eight possessions en route to a 52-13 win in Piscataway last season.
Coaches: Ohio State’s Ryan Day is 38-4 in three seasons, including 24–1 in the Big Ten. Greg Schiano is 79-82 in 14 seasons at Rutgers.
Ohio State notes: Ohio State has won 26 straight home conference games, a streak that began with a 58-0 win over Rutgers in 2016… The Ohio State defense ranks in the national top 25 in total defense (18th, 283 yards per game), passing defense (22nd, 171.8 ypg.), scoring defense (21st, 16 points per game) and tackles for loss (17th, 30)… Ohio State is the only team in the country averaging more than 300 yards passing and 200 yards rushing… The Buckeyes are second in the nation in total offense (558.8 ypg.) and third in scoring (48.8 ppg.)… Ohio State has five players who list New Jersey as their home state: quarterback Kyle McCord (Mt. Laurel), safety Ronnie Hickman (South Orange), linebacker Cody Simon (Jersey City), center Luke Wypler (Montvale) and defensive end Tyler Friday (Ramsey).
Rutgers notes: The Scarlet Knights are looking for their 10th victory over a ranked team and first since topping No. 23 South Florida in 2009… Rutgers is second in the nation in run defense (56.5 yards per game) and ninth in total defense (249.5 ypg.)… Against the pass, the Scarlet Knights are 35th in yards allowed (193) and 42nd in efficiency (120.6)… They are 121st in red zone offense and 121st in red zone defense… Rutgers has already blocked three kicks this season… Rutgers’ roster lists three Ohio natives: offensive lineman Kwabena Asamoah (Pickerington Central), receiver Don Mannerlyn (Columbus Independence) and long snapper Ed Rogowski (Lakewood St. Edward)… Under Schiano, the Scarlet Knights are 4-24 against teams ranked in the AP poll.
Quoted: Schiano on the game: “If you play poorly against a team like Ohio State, it really gets exposed, right? We need to go out and play our best game and then some things go your way and again, the game is what you need to do. You need to hang in there. You need to play tough, and you keep looking up and there’s still a chance and then you keep going and it gets tighter and tighter, and that’s what you go in when you’re a market under dog and that’s where we are right now.”
Next week: Ohio State goes on the road for the first time to take on Michigan State at 4 p.m. next Saturday. Rutgers returns home to take on Nebraska in primetime.
Prediction: Ohio State 45, Rutgers 6
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