If any team in college football is capable of scoring 100 points, it would have to be the Ohio State Buckeyes when they take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Over two decades ago, Steve Spurrier and his Fun ‘n’ Gun Florida Gators offense put up half a hundred points against the Georgia Bulldogs in a rare meeting between these two rivals in Athens. Flash forward 24 years later and we could have something both more impressive and sad happen in the Big Ten: Can the Ohio State Buckeyes score 100 points on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights?
Ohio State scoring 100 points on Rutgers that might theoretically happen on the hardwood, but we’re talking about the gridiron here? Is there any way the Buckeyes can hit triple digits on the saddest of Power 5 teams in their own SHI Stadium? Well, it’s a new dawn, it’s a new “Day,” it’s a new life for Ohio State and the Buckeyes have to be feeling good about their chances to do so.
With former offensive coordinator Ryan Day taking over for Urban Meyer as head coach in 2019 and former Georgia Bulldogs backup quarterback Justin Fields making the trek north up I-75, these two can provide the offensive fireworks to completely embarrass their Big Ten East foe in Rutgers.
This high-octane Ohio State offense has scored over 70 points twice this year, including 73 vs. the terrible Maryland Terrapins last week. Ohio State has put up over half a hundred on four different opponents this year. In all nine contests this year, the Buckeyes have put at least 34 points in the ledger. So no, Ohio State will have absolutely no problem putting up points on pointless Rutgers.
But can Rutgers score on Ohio State? Maybe a few points, but no team has scored more than 21 points on Ohio State this season. That came in Week 1 vs. Lane Kiffin’s Florida Atlantic Owls. No Big Ten team has scored more than 14 points on this vaunted Ohio State defense and that was the 14 a moribund Maryland team mustered last week. Rutgers is both hopeless and screwed.
So the Scarlet Knights will take their punishment in their house because Day, Fields and the rest of the Buckeyes will be seeing red, as in as many trips to the red zone as possible. Assuming Day isn’t a jerk that opts to go for two every time, his team will have to score 14 touchdowns, convert all 14 PATs and tackle some frightened Scarlet Knight in the end zone for a safety to get to 100.
It could happen, but is there enough time for the Buckeyes to reach a Wilt Chamberlain level of offensive excellence in this ball game? Well, they’ll have 60 minutes and nothing more. We are more likely to be engulfed by the fiery sun than to see this game between Ohio State and Rutgers go to overtime in the Buckeyes’ epic quest for the century mark.
So how does Ohio State get to 100 points in a mere 3,600 seconds? The Buckeyes will need a bunch of one-play drives and more trips to pay dirt than a 49er in the California Gold Rush. A trio of special teams touchdowns would certainly help, as would enough pick-sixes to make you forget about Nathan Peterman or Matt Schaub. Once again, this could so happen because it’s Rutgers.
Greg Schiano can’t get back to Piscataway fast enough. No football team would be happier about achieving .500 consistently than the Cleveland Browns. Schiano will give the Scarlet Knights hope in the college football equivalent of Jeff Fisher 7-9 B.S. Long live Jeff Fisher 7-9 B.S.
But before the State University of New Jersey can bring Schiano back to coach in SHI Stadium, Rutgers will have to endure the greatest beating Scarlet Knights football has ever seen on Saturday. If you ever wanted to know what a hammer vs. nail rivalry is, this is more like a sledgehammer vs. ant and Rutgers is the poor insect. No ant ever asked for this.
Of course, Day could feel bad for Rutgers and only score a season-high 80 points on the Scarlet Knights. Doing so will surely make the Terrapins and the Miami RedHawks feel better about life after 70, as in getting 70 points scored on you by Ohio State this season. The Buckeyes should have no problem winning this game by 50 or more points, but if 100 is in play, go for it, guys.
For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.