Ohio State vs. Rutgers: Keys To The Game in Week 10
The Ohio State Buckeyes have never lost to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in nine games, and there are long odds that they'll lose their first in 2023.
Believe it or not, Rutgers has a better grasp on who will be taking snaps in the fall than Ohio State does, but by week 10 that won't matter. The Buckeyes, barring a disaster, will have their quarterback situation under control, which could mean a long day at the office for the Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers has not had a winning record since its first season in the Big Ten in 2014, and most signs point to that not changing in 2023.
Ohio State wins if...
... it does what it's been doing.
The Buckeyes have a formula to pummeling the Scarlet Knights each year. Since Ohio State's first meeting against them in 2014, it has averaged 53 points in nine games.
Ohio State has rushed for at least 200 yards every game, notching 252 in last season's contest — the most since 2017 when it rushed for 275.
With running back TreVeyon Henderson on the shelf last October, Miyan Williams rushed 21 times for 189 yards and five touchdowns. However, the most important rush of the game was by punter Jesse Mirco.
He saw an opening along the left side of the Scarlet Knights' punt formation, ran for 22 yards and got de-cleated on the sideline in the fourth quarter, inciting a shouting match between head coaches Ryan Day and Greg Schiano.
Ohio State should be able to take care of business without a fourth-down trick play when the game was out of hand.
Rutgers wins if...
... Gavin Wimsatt has a career day.
The recipe to contending with recent Ohio State teams has been stout quarterback play. Tulsa's Davis Brin, Penn State's Sean Clifford, Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa, Michigan's J.J. McCarthy and Georgia's Stetson Bennett are just a few that come to mind.
Wimsatt completed 45 percent of his 145 pass attempts last season for 757 yards and five touchdowns, but threw seven touchdowns.
The Owensboro, KY. native set career highs against Michigan State with a 58.8 completion percentage, 236 yards and two touchdowns. The Scarlet Knights lost on the road at Spartan Stadium by less than a touchdown.
He might need to top that in Columbus.
When Rutgers posted 27 points against the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in 2020, the three different passers combined for a 69.4 completion percentage for 232 yards and a touchdown.
The bad news for the Scarlet Knights: Justin Fields threw for five touchdowns.
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