The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes continued their pursuit of a perfect season on Saturday, making short work of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a 42-9 drubbing at Ohio Stadium. With the win, Ryan Day’s squad remains undefeated at 11-0 (8-0 Big Ten) and maintains its hold on the top spot in college football for the 2025 season.
Against Rutgers, Ohio State’s offense and defense danced in perfect sync, leaving the Scarlet Knights grasping at straws. Quarterback Julian Sayin completed 13 of 19 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns, while tight end Max Klare shouldered the responsibility as the primary threat through the air, catching seven passes for 105 yards and a score.
Lacking the services of wide receivers Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith due to injuries, Klare pulled in half of the Buckeyes’ receiving yardage, making it a career day with his best output as a Buckeye, outdoing his previous high of 63 yards against Minnesota. David Adolph also contributed on Senior Day, grabbing two catches for 23 yards, doubling his career totals entering the game.
On the ground, Ohio State packed just as much punch, rushing for 254 yards on the day. Running back Bo Jackson led the charge with 110 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, helping the Buckeyes amass 430 total yards of offense. This was the fourth 200-yard rushing game of the season for Ohio State, including back-to-back games over 200 yards following a 274-yard performance against Grambling State.
In a team effort of this caliber, the Ohio State defense didn't fall behind. By limiting Rutgers to just nine points, the Buckeyes became the first team since Oklahoma in 1987 to hold each of their first 11 opponents under 17 points. Through 11 games, Ohio State has surrendered only 84 points, outscoring its opponents by a combined 333 points, with every contest decided by at least 18 points except the 14-7 season opener against Texas.
Rutgers became the seventh team this year to score fewer than 10 points against the Buckeyes’ defense. Defensive end Caden Curry led the defensive charge with six tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, bringing his season sack total to nine.
Ohio State will now travel to Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines in the 121st edition of The Game, looking to complete the regular season without a blemish. The Buckeyes have not defeated the Wolverines since 2019, and the 2020 matchup was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A victory in Ann Arbor would not only maintain Ohio State’s undefeated regular season but also punch a ticket to its seventh appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game, where the team has a 5-1 record in its previous six trips. The last time Ohio State entered Ann Arbor undefeated and ranked No. 1 was in 1973, making this season’s approach to The Game historically significant.
