In the previous nine matchups with Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights provided the backdrop for Ohio State's true freshmen to get valuable playing time. Fourteen freshmen played against the Scarlet Knights last year. This year? Greg Schiano's crew kept the game closer than any time in the series' history, limiting Ryan Day to playing seven of his youngsters in the 35-16 victory in Piscataway.
Carnell Tate and Luke Montgomery were the only freshmen to play on offense, while Jermaine Mathews Jr. and Malik Hartford had reps with the defense.
With Denzel Burke unavailable on Saturday, Mathews started for the first time as a Buckeye. Schiano dialed up a pass play on Rutgers' first play from scrimmage and went after the talented freshman cornerback. Mathews may have gotten away with a bit of contact, but the result was an incompletion and a three-and-out for Rutgers.
Rutgers also goes three-and-out. QB Gavin Wimsatt tested Ohio State true freshman CB Jermaine Mathews Jr. on the first play of the game.
— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) November 4, 2023
Went deep for WR JaQuae Jackson but couldn't connect. pic.twitter.com/9Kt4PfUlV4
Mathews finished the day with three tackles and has 10 stops for the season. The Winton Woods alum played a season-high 69 defensive snaps and was also used on the kickoff, punt, punt return and field goal block teams.
Tate caught a pass for the fifth consecutive game as he hauled in two passes for 22 yards. For the season, he has caught at least one pass in eight of Ohio State's nine games and has 219 receiving yards on the season.
Ohio State's first third down conversion of the day (previously 0-of-5) comes courtesy of WR Carnell Tate, and a missed false start call on LT Josh Simmons.
— Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom) November 4, 2023
Tate reels in his second catch of the drive to move the chains on 3rd-and-2. pic.twitter.com/05MUVJxhzn
Tate was on the field for 23 offensive snaps and was used on Ohio State’s five kickoff returns and three of its four punt returns.
When Josh Proctor left the game following Jordan Hancock's pick-six, Hartford was called upon to replace Proctor. Hartford broke up a pass and notched a tackle during his 31 defensive snaps. He was on all five of Ohio State's kickoffs and was a member of the kick block team for Rutgers' extra point attempt in the fourth quarter.
Montgomery played two snaps on offense as a sixth offensive lineman and filled in for Cade Stover as the wing on Ohio State's five extra-point attempts.
Brandon Inniss, Arvell Reese and Calvin Simpson-Hunt played on special teams. Inniss was on every kickoff team, with Reese playing on five of the six. Inniss was also on the field for every kickoff return. Reese played in consecutive games for the first time since Weeks 1 and 2 and joined Inniss on three of Ohio State's four punt returns.
Simpson-Hunt saw his first collegiate action in SHI Stadium. The cornerback from Waxahachie, Texas, was on the field for nine total plays between the punt return unit and the kickoff team.
After two weeks on the road, Ohio State returns to the friendly confines of Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes will host Michigan State as a heavy favorite in a home night game, which could make Saturday the best remaining opportunity this year for a large group of freshmen to see playing time.
Through nine games, 11 of Ohio State's 21 scholarship true freshmen have seen the field with five – Hartford, Inniss, Mathews, Montgomery and Tate – now ineligible for a redshirt as they have played in five or more games. McDonald and Reese are in line to shed their redshirts if either plays in one more game.
| NAME | POS | DEBUT | RUTGERS STATS | GP | SEASON STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CARNELL TATE | WR | Indiana | 2 catches, 22 yards | 9 | 14 catches, 219 yards, 1 TD |
| MALIK HARTFORD | S | Indiana | 1 tackle, 1 PBU | 8 | 6 tackles, 2 PBU |
| BRANDON INNISS | WR | Indiana | Special teams | 8 | 1 catch, 58 yards, 1 TD |
| JERMAINE MATHEWS JR. | CB | Indiana | 3 tackles | 8 | 10 tackles, 1 INT, 2 PBU, 1 TD |
| LUKE MONTGOMERY | OL | Indiana | 2 offensive snaps | 7 | 28 offensive snaps |
| ARVELL REESE | LB | Indiana | Special teams | 4 | Special teams |
| CALVIN SIMPSON-HUNT | CB | Rutgers | Special teams | 1 | Special teams |
| KAYDEN McDONALD | DT | WKU | 4 | 1 tackle, 0.5 TFL, 1 PBU | |
| NOAH ROGERS | WR | Indiana | 3 | 11 offensive snaps | |
| JELANI THURMAN | TE | WKU | 2 | 6 offensive snaps | |
| JASON MOORE | DT | WKU | 1 | 3 defensive snaps | |
| BRYSON RODGERS | WR | Purdue | 1 | 3 offensive snaps | |
| JAYDEN BONSU | S | ||||
| NIGEL GLOVER | LB | ||||
| CEDRICK HAWKINS | S | ||||
| LINCOLN KIENHOLZ | QB | ||||
| JOSHUA MICKENS | DE | ||||
| JOSHUA PADILLA | OL | ||||
| AUSTIN SIEREVELD | OL | ||||
| WILL SMITH JR. | DT | ||||
| MILES WALKER | OT |
(Note: The table does not include freshman walk-ons who have not yet played.)
- #1 Ohio State 35, Rutgers 16
- • Buckeyes Win 10th Straight Against Rutgers
- • Henderson, Human Highlight Reel
- • Red-Zone Defense Key to Buckeyes Win
- • McCord Sets Consecutive Completions Record
- • Ohio State Postgame • Rutgers Postgame
- • Photos
