Ohio State will look to improve to 2-0 in Big Ten play this afternoon when it plays its second road game and second conference game of the year against Rutgers.
The Buckeyes will be looking for eighth straight win over Rutgers since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten in 2014, but a victory in Piscataway might not come quite as easily this year as it has in the past, as the Scarlet Knights are off to a 3-1 start and lost by only a touchdown on the road last week at No. 14 Michigan.
Before Ohio State takes the field at SHI Stadium, where kickoff is scheduled for 3:40 p.m. with Big Ten Network televising, we share our final thoughts, questions and prognostications going into the game.
Final Thoughts
Don’t judge this game by Rutgers’ history
Because Ohio State has typically dominated Rutgers in past years, even a semi-competitive game will likely be viewed as another bad sign for those who are already convinced this will be a down year for the Buckeyes. If Saturday’s game is closer than years past, though, that might have as much to do with Rutgers as it does with Ohio State.
While Rutgers has been the cellar-dweller of the Big Ten for the past seven years, the Scarlet Knights have made real strides under Greg Schiano and look capable of actually competing with top teams this season. Ohio State should still be able to beat Rutgers by multiple scores, but Rutgers isn’t Akron or even Tulsa — this year’s Scarlet Knights are a legitimate opponent, so the Buckeyes just need to make sure they get home from Piscataway with a win.
– Dan Hope
Buckeyes aren’t quite on upset alert, but don’t underestimate this Rutgers team
If anyone else but Schiano coached the Scarlet Knights, we’d be using this space to roast Rutgers. Alas, Schiano is the head coach, and has the team’s defense playing well. It’s probably not up to snuff to slow down TreVeyon Henderson or the tandem of Garrett Wilson/Chris Olave, but it’s certainly competent enough to turn this one into a taffy pull for a while. If Rutgers could throw the ball with any authority this matchup would be trickier to predict, but it cannot, so Ohio State wins this by two touchdowns.
– Garrick Hodge
Ohio State has a chance to make a statement
Let’s be honest, the Buckeyes didn’t really have a shot to prove much about themselves in the past two weeks due strictly to their level of competition. After games against Tulsa and Akron, which have combined records of 2-6 this season, Ohio State will finally have the opportunity to show if it really has improved since losing to Oregon in Week 2.
That sentiment may seem strange given that Rutgers is Ohio State’s next opponent, but we all know this is no longer the Scarlet Knight program that has been the laughing stock of the Big Ten since joining it seven years ago. The Buckeyes can’t win the conference in one game, but for those measuring Ohio State against archrival Michigan, a dominant win could prove that the scarlet and gray are still out ahead of the Wolverines following their relatively unimpressive 20-13 win over Rutgers last week.
Ryan Day said this week that his team changed over the past several weeks, and Saturday is its chance to show that.
– Griffin Strom
Questions
Is C.J. Stroud’s shoulder healthy?
Wilson is on record this week saying Stroud “looked great” in practice. We’re about to find out for ourselves. Is his shoulder healthy enough to attack the deep third and convert downfield passes accurately? Will Buckeye Twitter demand Kyle McCord by halftime? Or will Stroud remind everyone why he was named the starter in the first place?
– Garrick Hodge
Will we continue to see personnel changes on defense?
Ohio State's defensive lineups have looked a little different every week, and things still don't seem quite settled. Could we see another new starter or two at Rutgers? A couple positions I'm keeping my eye on: Linebacker, where Steele Chambers seems to be making a real push for major playing time and possibly even a starting job, and free safety, where Bryson Shaw has started the last three games but Lathan Ransom played significant snaps against Akron and could challenge Shaw for his first-team spot.
– Dan Hope
What will the defensive line look like?
It may have seemed like a footnote against Akron, as the Ohio State defensive front produced nine sacks, but three key veterans missed last week’s game. Starting defensive end Tyreke Smith, starting defensive tackle Taron Vincent and fourth-year edge rusher Javontae Jean-Baptiste – who began the season as the Buckeyes No. 3 DE – were all unavailable for Ohio State. Those absences were hardly felt for Ohio State, which has seen true freshmen like Tyleik Williams, Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau step up to make an impact in recent weeks, but how many of the aforementioned Buckeyes will suit up Saturday?
Moreover, could Smith, Vincent and Jean-Baptiste see their snaps take a hit while the young defensive linemen continue to emerge? Rutgers is far from an offensive dynamo in the Big Ten, but Larry Johnson’s decision-making in terms of personnel could be telling going forward.
– Griffin Strom
Predictions
C.J. Stroud will show why he's the starting quarterback
There are plenty of Ohio State fans who think McCord or Jack Miller or Quinn Ewers should be starting at quarterback for the Buckeyes this week, but Ryan Day has made it clear that he believes Stroud is still the best man to lead the offense. And now that he's had a week to rest his shoulder and should presumably be healthier, I think he'll show why he's Ohio State's QB1 against the Scarlet Knights.
He'll need to be nearly perfect to please everyone, and that probably won't happen. Rutgers hasn't allowed anyone to throw for even 200 yards yet this season, so if a 400-yard, five-touchdown game is what you need to see to be satisfied with Stroud's performance, prepare to be disappointed. That said, I do believe Stroud will have the best performance any quarterback has had against Rutgers so far this season by a significant margin, and make the plays Ohio State needs him to make to get another Big Ten win on the road.
– Dan Hope
Henderson continues special freshman season
Starting a quarterback nursing a shoulder injury, Saturday should be a game where TreVeyon Henderson delivers in a big way. Expect the freshman standout to be fed early and often, and rush for well over 100 yards in an Ohio State victory.
– Garrick Hodge
Ohio State makes a concerted effort to get Chris Olave the ball
Two touches in the past two weeks for perhaps the top offensive weapon on the Buckeye roster is simply not enough. Chris Olave did not return for a senior season to be neglected, and Ryan Day and company are well aware of that fact. Both parties benefit from the potential first-rounder getting a much steadier diet of targets, and I would not be surprised if Ohio State gets the ball in his hands by any means possible against Akron. Expect screen passes, jet sweeps and maybe a carry for Olave as the Buckeyes look to re-establish the Californian in the offense.
– Griffin Strom
