How can Ohio State football beat Rutgers? 3 keys for Big Ten game

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Here are three keys for No. 1 Ohio State against Rutgers on Nov. 22:

Don’t look ahead

It’s been a decade since the Buckeyes last stumbled in the week before facing Michigan, but they have seen close calls. Maryland gave them a scare in 2022 and 2018 when they traveled to College Park before hosting Michigan. The presence of their archrivals on the schedule looms larger this year. The Buckeyes’ four-game losing streak in the series is their longest since 1988-91, and includes a stunning upset last November that resulted in a melee at midfield in the immediate aftermath. Tensions between the rivals are high, but Ohio State has to wait a week for a shot at redemption and should avoid looking ahead.

Keep running the ball

The Buckeyes rushed for 222 yards against UCLA, their most in seven Big Ten games, and relied on the entire rotation. Freshman Bo Jackson ran for more than 100 yards for the second time in three games. Three running backs, who also included James Peoples and Isaiah West, averaged at least 7 yards per carry. They should run all over Rutgers as well. The Scarlet Knights allow an average of 6.6 yards per carry, the worst in the Football Bowl Subdivision. There’s a need for the Buckeyes to be more run heavy as star receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate deal with unspecified injuries, limiting their downfield passing game, but this is a favorable matchup as well.

Get pressure

After consecutive games without a sack, the Buckeyes could find a reenergized pass rush. Rutgers has allowed 31 sacks, the second most in the Big Ten, and Athan Kaliakmanis has been pressured on 112 dropbacks, the fourth most among the conference’s quarterbacks, per Pro Football Focus. Kaliakmanis, a transfer from Minnesota, has been more accurate in his second season behind center for the Scarlet Knights, raising his completion percentage from 53.9% in 2024 to 62.3% in 2025, but Ohio State should be able to put him under duress.

Key matchup

Ohio State rushing defense vs. Rutgers rushing offense

The Scarlet Knights are led by another 1,000-yard rusher this season in Antwan Raymond, a sophomore who has replaced Kyle Monangai as their feature back. Raymond, who is second in the Big Ten in rushing this year, is a workhorse. He averages 20 carries per game and saw a school-record 41 in a win over Maryland two weeks ago. His elusiveness also makes him difficult to tackle. Raymond has forced 61 missed tackles after a rush, the fourth most in the FBS, according to PFF. It was only two years ago that Monangai ran for 159 yards against the Buckeyes, who will need to continue to bottle up backs. Ohio State is fifth in the FBS in rushing defense and has not allowed any back to rush for 100 yards this year.

Key stat

40: Average margin of victory from Ohio State’s 10 wins over Rutgers since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten in 2014.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football hosts Rutgers. See 3 keys to a Buckeyes’ win

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