Ohio State vs. Rutgers score predictions: Buckeyes bracing for another strong defense

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Will Ohio State football’s last Big Ten East matchup against Rutgers look any different than the first 10?

In nine games since the Scarlet Knights joined the conference, the Buckeyes have scored at least 49 points. It’s average margin of victory: 42.1 points. The last two meetings have been decided by 39 points.

However, Rutgers has a defense this season. It ranks ninth nationally in yards allowed per play and 13th in points allowed per game at 15.8. Even with OSU’s skill position edge, is a big scoring day possible?

I respect what the Scarlet Knights are doing this season, ranking in the national top 10 in opposing quarterback efficiency rating, But I think that defense may need to be on the field a lot Saturday afternoon. A one-dimensional offense — even one with the wrinkle of a dual-threat quarterback like Gavin Wimsatt — will struggle to consistently drive against this defense. Rutgers’ pass defense in particular gives the Buckeyes something to prove this week. Can that aspect of the offense perform more more efficiently as it embarks on a three-week ramp-up for Michigan?

Ohio State and Rutgers are in for a game that might last 2 hours. I’m only sort of kidding. The Scarlet Knights are set on running the ball, and that’s not going to change against the Buckeyes in a game Rutgers needs to speed up. I think Ohio State’s defense is up to the task.

Ohio State should have back all of its complementary pieces to the offense, and that should help Kyle McCord move on from last week’s game against Wisconsin. This strikes me as a game in which Ohio State jumps ahead early, and Rutgers never threatens to do any serious damage.

Ohio State has never scored less than 49 points in nine games against Rutgers. But it’s also only played a Scarlet Knights team that had a record over .500 once. That program has been a bottom-of-the-barrel Big Ten team since it joined the conference, but Greg Schiano finally has things cooking, especially defensively.

Combine that with an OSU offense that has yet to prove it can consistently be explosive and you may get a much lower scoring affair than we’ve grown accustomed to seeing.

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Bucknuts was in attendance Friday night to see one of the top 2025 Ohio players the Buckeyes have offered a scholarship, tight end Luka Gilbert from West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West as well as Gilbert’s teammate, 2026 linebacker/athlete Cam Thomas who is on the Buckeyes’ radar screen too. Thomas will be at the Ohio State – Michigan State game Nov. 11, his second Ohio State game-day visit this season.

Lakota West defeated Cincinnati (Ohio) Western Hills 69-0 in a first-round playoff match-up. WIth his team leading 49-0 at halftime, Thomas did not play in the second half. But he played well in the first half and made a number of tackles, mostly lining up as a defensive end.

After the game Thomas talked about how he projects himself playing in college in terms of position, his scholarship offers, being on the Buckeyes’ radar screen and his upcoming second game-day visit to Ohio State, Jim Knowles and James Laurinaitis, the Buckeyes’ defense this season, his other college visits, what he is looking for in a college and more.