Friday, October 17, 2014

On The Mark 10.17.14 Ohio State vs. Rutgers Preview

By @MarkW2112

The Ohio State Buckeyes, after another week off, face off against first year Big 10 opponent Rutgers Scarlet Knights.  While the Buckeyes are favored by 19.5 points, don't overlook the strong start of the Scarlet Knights, who are 5-1 so far this season.

The Buckeyes will again look for the continued growth of J.T. Barrett and his strong cast of offensive weapons with an offensive line that also seems to be getting better every game.

The Buckeyes defense will need to contain quarterback Gary Nova who passed for 404 yards and three touchdowns against Michigan 2 weeks ago.  Their defense also leads the Big 10 in sacks with 24.

My take: this will be a challenge for the Buckeyes even at the Horseshoe.  Rutgers is no push over team and will make plays both on offense and defense.  It's up to the Barrett, Ezekiel Elliot and arsenal of receivers to keep scoring and keep mistakes at a minimum.  The defense will need to concentrate on containing Nova both up front and with good coverage in the secondary.

Prediction: It will be a shoot out, but the Buckeyes will prevail 49-31.

What: Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio State Buckeyes
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
Time: 3:30 PM
TV: ABC, ESPN2

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