Ohio State escaped Piscataway with a win, but the Buckeyes did not exactly look the part of a defending national champion. Ohio State beat Rutgers 24-17 on Saturday in a game that was tied entering the fourth quarter and required a late touchdown drive to secure the victory.
Head coach Ryan Day was frustrated after the game. He said the team lacked focus, that the offensive line had been outmuscled at the point of attack, and that the defense had allowed Rutgers to move the ball too easily on third down. Day’s tone was noticeably sharper than in most postgame press conferences.
Quarterback Julian Sayin threw for 218 yards and two touchdowns, both to receiver Jeremiah Smith. Smith continues to be the best wide receiver in college football, a legitimate first-round draft pick even as a sophomore, and the Buckeyes rely on him more than the play calling should let on.
Rutgers played its best game of the young season. Head coach Greg Schiano built a game plan around ball control and physical defense, and it nearly worked. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 187 yards and a touchdown, and running back Kyle Monangai carried 22 times for 118 yards against an Ohio State front that could not consistently win at the point of attack.
The Buckeyes’ inability to run the ball is a real concern. TreVeyon Henderson is gone. Quinshon Judkins is gone. The transfer portal additions have not filled the void. Ohio State ran for just 89 yards on 30 carries, and the play calling in the second half became predictable as a result.
The defensive line, which was supposed to be a strength, was inconsistent. Kayden McDonald had one sack. Freshman edge rusher Zion Grady flashed potential. But Ohio State could not consistently generate pressure with four rushers, which forced defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to blitz more than he wanted to.
The Big Ten is stacked. Oregon is unbeaten. Penn State is unbeaten. Michigan just took a loss but has real talent. USC is a legitimate playoff contender. Ohio State does not have room to keep playing games like this and expect to be a top-four seed.
The Buckeyes travel to Washington next week for a road game against the Huskies. It should be a comfortable win, but games like this one against Rutgers are the reason coaches lose sleep. Ohio State needs to sharpen up quickly.
The College Football Playoff picture will look different in a month. Ohio State is still a top-five team on talent alone, but the Buckeyes need to start playing like it. Ryan Day has a lot of work to do this week in practice.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
