Jermaine Mathews Jr. is a starter for the first time in his collegiate career.
The freshman took the field first in place of usual No. 1 cornerback Denzel Burke, who was listed as out on the team's status report on Saturday.
Mathews helped fill in for Burke in the other game that Ohio State's star junior missed against Penn State on Oct. 21. Mathews played 47 of the team's 70 defensive snaps vs. the Nittany Lions, collecting three tackles with one pass breakup to help the defense hold PSU quarterback Drew Allar to 4.5 yards per pass attempt.
If that number were a team's season average, it would be the worst in the country.
Jordan Hancock started that game in place of Burke, but whenever Hancock slid inside to fill his usual nickel role – where he's rotated with Sonny Styles much of the season – it was Mathews who took Burke's spot on the outside.
On the season, Mathews has seven tackles with two pass breakups and a 58-yard pick-six during garbage time against Western Kentucky in Week 3.
Stay tuned to Eleven Warriors for more updates from Ohio State's matchup with Rutgers.
