Rutgers football has opened as a massive underdog in Columbus for next week’s tilt against #1 Ohio State, with Ohio State currently favored by 32.5 points according to FanDuel. The over/under is set at 56.5
points.
The Scarlet Knights are coming off their second bye week of the season and are 5-5 this season (2-5 B1G). The last time Rutgers was on the field, they took down Maryland 35-20 in their best all-around performance of the season at SHI Stadium. RU is just one win away from the postseason, but the final two weeks with games against Ohio State and Penn State will be difficult obstacles to overcome.
Ohio State defeated UCLA 48-10 last night to improve to 10-0 on the season (7-0 B1G). After opening the season with a 14-7 win over Texas, the Buckeyes have cruised through their schedule, with two eighteen-point wins over Washington and Illinois being their toughest conference games so far.
The Buckeyes have dominated the series against Rutgers, taking all 10 matchups from 2014 through 2023. The last meeting between the teams was the closest, with the Scarlet Knights holding a 9-7 lead at halftime before falling to the Buckeyes 35-16, with Ohio State holding the top ranking then as they do now.
This will be the first trip to Columbus for Rutgers since the 2022 season, a game in which the Buckeyes cruised to a 49-10 victory at Ohio Stadium. The Scarlet Knights will need to put their best foot forward to have any chance of staying in this game, as OSU has steamrolled nearly every team they have played this season.
The game is set for a 12 PM kickoff on FOX, but the Big Noon Kickoff set will not be in attendance for the matchup; instead, they will be on location for Cincinnati’s clash against BYU at 8 PM on the network. Despite playing in the noon window on FOX, Rutgers will have to wait to be involved with the famed pregame show.
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