Last Call: Final Thoughts, Questions and Predictions Ahead of Ohio State’s Primetime Home Game Against Rutgers

RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS

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7:30 P.M. – SATURDAY, NOV. 7 OHIO STADIUM COLUMBUS, OHIO

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Before Ohio State hosts Rutgers at 7:30 p.m. tonight, with its sights set on earning its seventh straight win over the Scarlet Knights and improving to 3-0 this year, Eleven Warriors staff members share their final thoughts and predictions going into the primetime clash between the Buckeyes and Scarlet Knights.

Final Thoughts

Give Seibert a shot

With Friday morning's news that Blake Haubeil will be unavailable for tonight's game due to a groin injury, it's time to see what Jake Seibert can do.

Walk-on Dominic DiMaccio got the opportunity to kick at Penn State last week after Haubeil's injury, but Ryan Day clearly wasn't happy about his missed 23-yard field goal, and Seibert is the Buckeyes' kicker of the future. Saturday's game isn't likely to be decided by how well Ohio State can kick field goals, but it's a perfect opportunity for Seibert – a true freshman who was ranked as the No. 2 kicker in his recruiting class – to show what he can do.

Since it's certainly possible Haubeil could miss more than one game, especially if his groin injury turns into a lingering issue, the Buckeyes need to put Seibert to the test and see if they can count on him if they need him in bigger games.

– Dan Hope

Greg Schiano’s Rutgers Is Still Rutgers Until Proven Otherwise

In 2014, Ohio State welcomed Rutgers to Columbus for the first-ever matchup between the programs. Since then, they’ve faced each other every year. During that time period, the Scarlet Knights have scored 48 combined points against the Buckeyes. In each six of those games, Ohio State scored more than 49 points.

Until Rutgers proves otherwise, I’m going to assume this is the exact same Rutgers that Urban Meyer and Ryan Day have whooped for the past six years. I’m fascinated by what Greg Schiano will build, and the season-opening victory at Michigan State opened some eyes.

But on Saturday evening, despite some Woah, is this a different Rutgers? talk, I expect nothing other than what we’ve seen since these two teams started playing each other: A one-sided beatdown.

– Colin Hass-Hill

Ohio State won’t cover the spread

Perhaps I’m just a little gun-shy after taking the 52.5-point spread in last year’s game, but I think Rutgers is capable of putting together a couple drives late against Ohio State’s twos.

It’ll be a bloodbath but, like, a respectable bloodbath.

– Zack Carpenter

The talent gap is huge

I think this is the first game of the season where we're going to see Ohio State's bench play some significant time, and I think you're going to see just how loaded the Buckeyes are and just how far Rutgers still has left to improve.

I earnestly believe that there is not a combination of scholarship players on this Ohio State roster that would allow Rutgers to come within two scores in this game.

– Kevin Harrish

Questions

Which freshmen will show us something?

So far, the only true freshman who we've seen much from is wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had a spectacular touchdown catch in the season opener and was the only member of the Buckeyes' highly touted class of 2020 to play double-digit snaps on offense or defense at Penn State. Against Rutgers, however, that could change in a big way.

If Ohio State can take care of business and build the big lead it should be able to build by the third quarter, Saturday could be the first opportunity of the season for the Buckeyes' backups to see extended playing time, and since everyone gets an extra year of eligibility this year, Ohio State doesn't need to worry about preserving redshirts for freshmen. As a result, I think we'll see most of them see at least some playing time tonight.

That includes quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller, who I expect to both throw their first passes as Buckeyes tonight, with Stroud likely to get in the game first after Miller played over him against Nebraska. Another two freshmen who I'll be intrigued to see play if they get in the game: Ryan Watts and Cameron Martinez, who have yet to make their Ohio State debuts could be needed to provide depth at cornerback.

– Dan Hope

Do We Finally See Why Ohio State Added Trey Sermon?

Trey Sermon’s yards-per-carry average of 4.3 actually equals Master Teague’s through two weeks. But if statistics told the whole story, somebody who hasn’t watched the games probably wouldn’t be overly impressed by Haskell Garrett’s one sack of Jonathon Cooper’s 1/2 of a sack.

Teague has run harder, made more decisive cuts and hit holes with a ferocity missing from Sermon thus far. The Oklahoma transfer, however, has a prime opportunity in front of him. He’ll face Rutgers and Maryland back to back. It’s time for him to showcase his talents, gain some confidence and run all over the Scarlet Knights.

– Colin Hass-Hill

Which running back pushes past the 150-yard mark?

I think this week’s play calling will be run-heavy from Day, and we’ll get to see if the Buckeyes can get the running game going again like they did last week. As Colin hit on, Sermon hasn’t looked as he was advertised yet, but can he break through tonight? And will Master Teague be able to capitalize again after a momentous Week 2 performance?

– Zack Carpenter

CJ Stroud or Jack Miller?

Dan already mentioned this a bit, but this could be our first chance to get an extended look at both CJ Stroud and Jack Miller in the same game, as I have a strong hunch this one will be over by halftime.

We've only seen Miller in action so far and he didn't even attempt a pass. One of these young quarterbacks is going to be Ohio State's starter next season, so who's going to be the first to impress as a backup this year?

– Kevin Harrish

Predictions

This won't be Ohio State's most lopsided game of the year

The annual game against Rutgers has been an easy win for Ohio State every year since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten, and I don't expect that to change on Saturday night. But I do believe Rutgers is legitimately better than the laughingstock of the conference that it's been for the past couple of years, and because of that, I think the Scarlet Knights will show at least a little competitiveness against Ohio State.

If most people were predicting what the most lopsided final score on Ohio State's conference-only regular season schedule will be this year, they'd probably circle this game, given the history between the two teams – after all, Ohio State has won its previous six games against Rutgers by an average of 46.5 points – and that the Scarlet Knights are clearly the weakest opponent Ohio State will face at home this season.

But while I do think Ohio State will win this game by five or six scores, I believe at least one of the Buckeyes' three remaining games – against Maryland, Illinois and Michigan State – will end up being a more lopsided win in Ohio State's favor.

– Dan Hope

Ohio State recovers an onside kick or blocks a punt or kick

If you listened to Ryan Day earlier this week, you heard someone who was fed up with the Buckeyes’ missed kicks against Penn State. I think Ohio State reminds itself just how important special teams can be this weekend.

We all watched Day successfully attempt an onside kick last year against Maryland, so we know he’s not opposed to trying one when facing a team he’s supposed to crush. And Ohio State was close to nearly getting a hand on a couple of kicks in the first two games. Whether it’s an onside recovery or a block, I see the Buckeyes making a big special-teams play on Saturday evening.

– Colin Hass-Hill

C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller both score a touchdown. And so does Julian Fleming.

Going a little bold here. I think they’ll both get at least one series in the second half when Ohio State is murdering Rutgers. At least one of the touchdowns will probably have to be a breakaway play as Day would likely call off the dogs and stick to 80-plus percent run plays with Stroud or Miller in there.

But I bet we get to see them each let it fly a couple times to get them some experience in mop-up duty. Adding an extra prediction for the freshman Fleming to get a lot more snaps and find his way into the end zone.

– Zack Carpenter

Ohio State's defense and special teams will outscore Rutgers' team

If Marcus Hooker could have made it nine more yards, Ohio State would have had a defensive touchdown in each of its first two games. No problem, the Buckeyes will make up for it today.

For most of the season opener against Nebraska, the Ohio State defense was decidedly fine, but it was back to its dominant, havoc-creating self against Penn State last week, and I expect that to continue against an even more inferior opponent.

I think the Buckeyes are going to live in Rutgers' backfield today, and I think that's going to lead to a few miscues and at least one touchdown the other way all while keeping Rutgers from finding the end zone often or at all.

– Kevin Harrish