2023 Rutgers Football Game: Week 10 Preview vs. Ohio State

How To Watch, Stream & Listen

Ohio State at Rutgers

Where: SHI Stadium in Piscataway, NJ

Kick-off: Saturday, November 4 at 12:00 PM ET

Weather: 62 degrees, cloudy with a 4% chance of rain, 4 mph winds

TV: CBS with Tom McCarthy (play-by-play), Ross Tucker (color), and Tiffany Blackmon (sideline)

Stream: Paramount+

Radio: Radio: RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Sports Network (WFAN 101.9 FM/660 AM, Fox Sports New Jersey 93.5 FM/1450 AM) with Chris Carlin (play-by-play), Eric LeGrand & Mike Teel (analyst), and Anthony Fucilli (sideline); WRSU 88.7 FM - Dylan Allen, Eddie Kalegi, & Arnav Sarkar; Audacy app, SiriusXM 99 or 203, Scarlet Knights app

Series History: Ohio State leads all-time 9-0, last meeting Buckeyes beat Rutgers 49-10 in 2022.

Ohio State SB Nation Site: Land-Grant Holy Land

Returning Statistical Leaders

Rutgers

Passing: Gavin Wimsatt - 91-for-181, 50.3%, 1,134 yards, 7 touchdowns, 4 interceptions

Rushing: Kyle Monangai - 744 yards on 144 carries, 5.2 ypc, 7 touchdowns

Receiving: Christian Dremel - 23 catches for 294 yards, 112.8 ypc, 3 touchdowns

Defense: Deion Jennings - 52 tackles; Aaron Lewis & Wesley Bailey - 3 sacks; Robert Longerbeam, Shaquan Loyal, Jordan Thompson, Max Melton, Flip Dixon - 1 interception

Ohio State

Passing: Kyle McCord - 148-for-231, 64.1%, 2,163 yards, 14 touchdowns, 3 interceptions

Rushing: TreVeyon Henderson - 457 yards on 68 carries, 6.7 ypc, 6 touchdowns

Receiving: Marvin Harrison Jr. - 48 catches for 889 yards, 18.5 ypc, 8 touchdown

Defense: Tommy Eichenberg - 61 tackles, JT Tuimoloau - 4 sacks, Steele Chambers, Jermaine Mathews Jr., Josh Proctor, Denzel Burke, Lathan Ransom - 1 interceptions

What To Watch For

When Rutgers has the ball

Rutgers returns from its bye week bowl eligible and hosting the top team in the country. Offensively, the Scarlet Knights have not been able to throw the ball consistently and this could be a major issue on Saturday.

Ohio State comes in with an elite defense. Rutgers has struggled to score points and this matchup is not a favorable one. As usual, expect a heavy dose of Kyle Monangai and Gavin Wimsatt on the ground. This has been the formula and game plan for Rutgers this season. There is no reason to believe it will change but the game script could force the Scarlet Knights to get out of their comfort zone.

How do you do that? Let Wimsatt be mobile and get the ball out quick.

Once Rutgers falls behind in this game, it will be unable to just pound the ball. Wimsatt will have to use him arm a bit and that does not bode well. Kirk Ciarrocca needs to get the Buckeyes running laterally. This means letting Wimsatt roll out and get Christian Dremel and other receivers running quick routes. Open up the playbook!

The last four games of the season will be difficult and it begins now. If Rutgers wants to get one more win, it will have to score points.

When Ohio State has the ball

There is not enough guys in the secondary to defend the Buckeyes so pick your poison.

Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best wide receiver in the country. Going up against a shaky Rutgers secondary is not favorable for the home team. Can Rutgers afford to put multiple guys on Harrison? That should be the plan regardless of Emeka Egbuka’s status. He is trending in the right direction while his status remains up in the air. If he plays, there is great reason to be concerned in this matchup.

Kyle McCord has been the one question mark for Ohio State. He has struggled at times and while he should be able to get comfortable against Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights should be able to put pressure. The front seven for Rutgers has been its strength defensively and it will have to show up again.

Another surprise for the Buckeyes is their lack of production on the ground. There has been some injuries and TreVeyon Henderson has not looked like himself from recent years. This will be a key matchup as the Buckeyes look to get the ground game going against a strong front for Rutgers.

In what could be a defensive battle, it will be all about what team can hit the big play and put points on the board. Of course, the answer overwhelmingly favors the Buckeyes.

Could Rutgers win this game?

Any given Sunday (or Saturday), right? Maybe not in this case. Rutgers is not ready to take this step in competition but it can be seen as a bit of a measuring stick.

Final thoughts

Ohio State fans, the thought of one more year with CJ Stroud sounds pretty good. McCord has been the one downfall for a team that is maybe as well-rounded as its been in years. Regardless, the Buckeyes sit undefeated and at the top of the nation awaiting a Rivalry Week matchup with Michigan.

As for Rutgers, it is a chance to host the nation’s best and pack the stadium once again. It feels better heading into this matchup without bowl eligibility hanging over the team’s head.