Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
So who would have thought Rutgers and Ohio State would ever hook up in a key Big Ten football game? But the stakes are surprisingly high when the Big Ten neophytes, the Scarlet Knights, head to the Horseshoe Saturday afternoon to take on the Buckeyes. Rutgers is 5-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play, while No. 13 Ohio State is 4-1 and won its Big Ten opener two weeks ago at the other conference newbie, Maryland. Michigan State leads the Big Ten East with a 2-0 record, so Rutgers and Ohio State will be looking to stay within striking distance of a shot at the conference title game.
Both teams were idle last week. Two weeks ago, Rutgers got its first Big Ten win, 26-24 over visiting Michigan. This is the first-ever meeting between the schools.
Details for Saturday’s game are below:
Date: Saturday, Oct. 18
Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Stadium: Ohio Stadium
TV Info: ABC/ESPN2
Live Stream: Click here
Radio: For a list of Ohio State affiliates, click here. For a list of Rutgers affiliates, click here.
Ticket information: For Ohio State ticket info click here. For Rutgers ticket info click here.
Keys to Victory
Ohio State merely needs to perform to the level of its talent, which is simply better than what Rutgers can bring to the table. The Scarlet Knights have done well embracing the underdog role this season, but they’ve not seen offensive or defensive lines as good as the Buckeyes will throw at them.
Betting Odds
Point Spread: Rutgers plus-21
Moneyline: Rutgers plus-875, Ohio State minus-1300
O/U: 63
Prediction
Ohio State has won 17 straight Big Ten regular-season games, but has only played twice in the last month. Still, the game is at the Horseshoe—a place the Buckeyes know well and a place the Scarlet Knights have only seen on television. That doesn’t bode well for a Rutgers team that lost its first matchup with a Big Ten icon when it fell to Penn State.
Final Score: Ohio State 43, Rutgers 16