Rutgers Can’t Corral Ohio State in Tight Big Ten Battle

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights gave it their all, but in the end it was not enough as Ohio State got out of New Jersey with a 35-16 win over Rutgers in a game that was a lot closer than what the final score indicated.

Rutgers gave the Buckeyes a scare.

The opportunity was there for the Scarlet Knights. Sure Ohio State was 8-0 coming into the contest, but Rutgers had a Top-10 defense, and a team that is on its way to a bowl game. A win over Ohio State would send ripple affects not only through the Big Ten, but through college football.

By halftime, Rutgers held a 9-7 lead as the defense dominated OSU. In fact the last pass Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord had in the first half was an interception that would eventually lead to Rutgers final field goal of the half to take the lead.

And it appeared that Rutgers was poised for more. Taking the opening kick of the half, the Scarlet Knights were moving the football on Ohio State. Kyle Monangai had runs of 13-yards and 14-yards on back-to-back plays to spot the ball at the Buckeyes' 27-yard line.

However the momentum of the game changed when Gavin Wimsatt's pass popped up into the air and into the hands of Jordan Hancock who rumbled 93-yards the other way for an Ohio State touchdown.

The Buckeyes tacked on when Treyevon Jackson caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from McCord to give Ohio State a 21-9 lead with 2:39 to go in the third quarter.

Rutgers quickly responded. Wimsatt connected with Christian Dremel for 35-yards to the Ohio State 19 yard line. On the next play, Wimsatt hit JaQuae Jackson for the score, on a disputed call in the end zone. Review upheld the touchdown; Rutgers was back in the game at 21-16.

Ohio State quickly answered on their next drive when McCord guided Ohio State 75-yards on six plays on a drive that culminated in a touchdown to Marvin Harrison Jr.

Rutgers would not give up. The Scarlet Knights again were on the move following an Ohio State touchdown, and they were in great position to score when Wimsatt moved the Scarlet Knights to the Ohio State nine-yard line with 10 minutes to go in the game. Rutgers had four chances to cut into a 28-16 deficit, and couldn't do it.

By fourth and goal, Wimsatt was sacked for a seven yard loss all but ending the game.

At 6-3, the Scarlet Knights hit the road for a tough test against Iowa next Saturday.