THE PERTINENT INFO

When: Saturday, September 8, 2018
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus
TV: 3:30 // BTN
Announcers: Kevin Kugler, Matt Millen and Rick Pizzo

This is the fifth time Ohio State and Rutgers will play each other in football. The Buckeyes are 4–0 all-time against the Scarlet Knights. Chris Ash's team enters this contest with a 1–0 record. 

Below, you will find some interesting facts about the teams, key offensive player stats, coach information, and team stats.

THE LAST TIME...

• Ohio State played Rutgers, the Buckeyes won 56-0.
• Ohio State shutout an opponent in Ohio Stadium was against Rutgers on Oct. 1, 2016 (58-0).
• The Buckeyes defeated Rutgers by less than 38 points was...never.
• Ohio State played on the eighth of September the team beat UCF 31-16 in 2012.
• The Buckeyes lost the second game of the season was last year against Oklahoma.
• A ranked Ohio State team lost the Big Ten opener to an unranked opponent, in Columbus, was 1999 against Wisconsin (42-17).
• The Buckeyes had 400 yards in a half was last week against Oregon State (407).
• Rutgers defeated a Big Ten opponent on the road was last year against Illinois (35-24).
• The Scarlet Knights defeated a ranked team was 2009. They beat No. 24 South Florida (31-0).

ON THE HORIZON​

• Ohio State is one win away from the program's 900th victory (the program has 911 wins if you count the 2010 season). 
• Mike Weber is 92 yards away from rushing for 2,000 career yards. 25 other Ohio State players have reached this milestone.  
• Ohio State has won six-straight Big Ten opening games.
• Saturday is Hall of Fame Day. 10 Buckeyes will be inducted, including James Laurinaitis.
• The Buckeyes have an all-time winning percentage of .725 and are .04 percentage points from taking the all-time lead.

 Rutgers University

GET TO KNOW RUTGERS

• Rutgers University is located in New Brunswick, Piscataway and Camden, NJ. 
• The university was established in 1766. It was formerly known as Queen's College (1766-1825) and Rutgers College (1825-1925). 
• The Scarlet Knights are 1–0 this season.
• Chris Ash's team defeated Texas State 35-7 last week.
• Since joining the Big Ten, Rutgers is 7–27 (.206) against conference opponents.

​TODAY'S TRIVIA QUESTIONS:

1. Ohio State racked up 721 yards of offense last week, the second most in school history. Against which opponent did the Buckeyes amass 776 yards of total offense?
2. Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2014, can you name the team they defeated for their first conference win?
3. When was the last time Ohio State lost its Big Ten opening game?
4. The Buckeyes have shut out Rutgers in back to back games (2017 and 2016). Can you name the last Big Ten team Ohio State has shutout in back to back games? The years?

Answers at the bottom of today's article.

2018 Player Comparison

OFFENSIVE LEADERS
DWAYNE HASKINS	313 YDS // 5 TD // 1 INT	PASSING	ARTUR SITKOWSKI	205 YDS // 1 TD // 3 INT
MIKE WEBER	186 YDS // 9.3 YPC // 3 TD	RUSHING	ISAIH PACHECO	76 YDS //  5.2 YPC // 0 TD
TERRY McLAURIN	121 YDS // 2 TD	RECEIVING	BO MELTON	57 YDS // 0 TD
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
PETE WERNER JAHSEN WINT	5	TACKLES	TREVOR MORRIS	9
NICK BOSA DRE'MONT JONES	2.0	SACKS	ELORM LUMOR	1.0
NONE	0	INTERCEPTIONS	BLESSUAN AUSTIN	1
SPECIAL TEAMS
DEMARIO McCALL	26.0 YPR	PUNT RETURNER	RAHEEM BLACKSHEAR	-1.0
DEMARIO McCALL	21.0 YPR	KICKOFF RETURN	RAHEEM BLACKSHEAR	16.5
DRUE CHRISMAN	65.0	PUNTING	ADAM KORSAK	39.3
7		EDGE	2

THE COACHES

Ryan Day

• 1–0 (1.00) at Ohio State*
• 1–0 (1.00) overall*

*Acting Head Coach

Chris Ash

• 7–18 (.280) at Rutgers (3rd year)
• 7–18 (.280) overall as a college coach (3rd year)

Ash was hired as Rutgers' head coach in December of 2015. He signed a guaranteed 5-year $11 million dollar contract. Prior to taking the Rutgers job, Ash was Ohio State's defensive coordinator (2014-15), Arkansas' defensive coordinator (2013) and Wisconsin's defensive backs and defensive coordinator (2010-12). Ash was also a defensive coordinator at Drake, Iowa State and San Diego State.

CLIFF CLAVEN'S LITTLE KNOWN FACTS CORNER

 

• Since 2012, Ohio State has averaged 40.1 points per game in Big Ten opening games.
• Urban Meyer led Ohio State teams are undefeated in Big Ten openers. 
• Ohio State has won 12 of its last 13 Big Ten openers. 
• Four current Buckeyes are from New Jersey: Chris Chugunov, Tyler Friday, Jordan Fuller and Javontae Jean-Baptiste.
• The 77 points scored against Oregon State last week were the most by Ohio State against a Power 5 team since dropping 83 on Iowa in 1950.
• Nick Bosa has had at least one sack in four straight games. He has 15.5 in his career.
• Since 2012, the Buckeyes are 21–2 in the month of September.
• .786, Ohio State has the highest home winning percentage of programs with at least 500 home games in their current stadium. 
• Ohio Stadium has had 114 consecutive games of attendance over 100,000.
• With Urban Meyer as head coach, Ohio State is 41–3 when playing at home.
• Buckeye teams under Urban Meyer have scored 50 or more points 25 times. The Scarlet and Gray won all of those games.
• Ohio State is 78–24–3 (.757) in Big Ten opening games.
• When playing on September 8, the Buckeyes are 6–0.
• This is the first time Ohio State will play a Big Ten opponent on September 8.
• Last week, every team in the Big Ten East won, except for one...Michigan.

2018 Statistical Comparison

OFFENSE
77.0	2nd	POINTS FOR	35.0	57th
375.0	4th	RUSHING OFFENSE	218.0	45th
346.0	19th	PASSING OFFENSE	205.0	83rd
721.0	4th	TOTAL OFFENSE	423.0	67th
.800	2nd	3rd DOWNS	.643	13th
.875	76th	RED ZONE	.667	99th
DEFENSE
31.0	85th	POINTS ALLOWED	7.0	12th
196.0	93rd	RUSH DEFENSE	69.0	19th
196.0	51st	PASS DEFENSE	100.0	15th
154.4	100th	PASS EFFICIENCY DEFENSE	65.6	9th
392.0	74th	TOTAL DEFENSE	169.0	8th
.375	71st	3rd DOWNS	.077	3rd
1.00	65th	RED ZONE	0.00	1st
SPECIAL TEAMS
10.3	39th	PUNT RETURN	-1.5	121st
21.0	61st	KICKOFF RETURN	16.5	84th
65.0	1st	NET PUNTING	39.7	49th
MISCELLANEOUS
+0.0	51st	TURNOVER MARGIN	-1.0	83rd
6.0	50th	PENALTIES	7.0	70th
11		EDGE	7

TODAY'S TRIVIA ANSWERS

Ohio State racked up 721 yards of offense last week, the second most in school history. Against which opponent did the Buckeyes amass 776 yards of total offense?

Answer: In 2016, Ohio State had 776 total yards of offense in the season opening 77-10 dismantling of Bowling Green. 

Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2014, can you name the team they defeated for their first conference win?

Answer: Michigan. Rutgers won 26-24 in 2014.

When was the last time Ohio State lost its Big Ten opening game?

Answer: Michigan State defeated the Buckeyes 10-7 in 2011 in Columbus. Both teams were not ranked.

The Buckeyes have shut out Rutgers in back to back games (2017 and 2016). Can you name the last Big Ten team Ohio State has shutout in back to back games? The years?

Answer: Ohio State defeated Wisconsin 59-0 (1979) and 21-0 (1980).