It was game day for what could be another memorable season for the Ohio State football program. The Buckeyes hosted the Rutgers Scarlet Knights without some key players, but still more than took care of business in a 42-9 rout to improve to 11-0.
As we do every week, we provided live updates and coverage of Ohio State and Rutgers from just before game time, through the contest with highlights and commentary, and will continue with reaction afterwards.
Here’s how things played out during the game, with some instant reaction, including highlights and analysis in a real-time format. We will also add the coaches’ press conferences and postgame thoughts as they become available.
Ohio State vs. Rutgers postgame coverage
Ohio State vs. Rutgers picture gallery
Takeaways from Ohio State vs. Rutgers
Ohio State vs. Rutgers Coaches’ postgame press conferences
Ryan Day
Greg Schiano on Ohio State postgame
Next … Ohio State vs. Rutgers in-game flow
Ohio State makes a stop on 4th and short, and that’s about all she wrote
Rutgers goes for it on fourth down and can’t get the first down. Ohio State runs out the clock, and YOUR Ohio State Buckeyes will win the game 42-9 and improve to 11-0 on the season. We’ll have more on this one after the game.
James Peoples breaks a long one for a touchdown
Just when you thought Ohio State was going to mail it in, Jamesw Peoples has other ideas and takes a handoff around the right side and out the back end for a 49-yard score. OSU is now up 42-9 with 4:17 left. Scoring Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 2:26
Rutgers gets a junk-time score
Just think about how much better statistically this OSU defense would be if it didn’t give up late scores with some of the depth pieces in. Rutgers goes on a long march and scores a touchdown with 6:43 left in the game. Ohio State now leads 35-9.
CJ Donaldson scores for Ohio State
The Buckeyes extend their lead to 35-3 after running back CJ Donaldson gets in on the act by taking a handoff 5 yards for the score. We have 11:39 to play in the fourth quarter. Scoring Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 4:18
And the Ohio State defense with ANOTHER …
Yes, three and out. Here we go with the next offensive possession for Ohio State beginning at their own 30-yard line again. Lincoln Kienholz is now in the game, and we may not see Julian Sayin much from here on out. We’ll see. We are at the TV timeout at the end of the quarter with Ohio State leading 28-3.
Ohio State running back Bo Jackson scores again
The Buckeyes get on the board again with the running game, as Bo Jackson takes a pitch and follows his blockers around the left side to score on a 10-yard touchdown run. OSU is now pulling away with a 28-3 lead and 2:30 left in the 3rd quarter. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:36
Ohio State with another three-and-out on defense
And the Buckeye defense forces another three-and-out. Rutgers has to punt the ball away again, and OSU takes over at its own 30-yard line with 6:06 left in the quarter. Ohio State still leads 21-3.
Julian Sayin hits Max Klare for the score
With Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate being out of the game, tight end Max Klare has had a lot of targets, and he gets another one, this time in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown reception. The Buckeyes now lead 21-3 with 7:00 left in the 3rd quarter. Scoring Drive: 3 plays, 1 yard, 0:40
Caden Curry with the strip and fumble recovery
The Ohio State defense strikes again. Caden Curry comes off the edge and strips the ball from the quarterback, then falls on the ball in traffic. It’s first and goal from the 1-yard line for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes can’t do anything coming out of the locker room
Perhaps Ohio State is going to have to just grit its teeth and win this one ugly. The offense is clearly out of rhythm. The Buckeyes can’t get anything going coming out after halftime and will have to punt the ball to Rutgers, up 14-3.
Three Ohio State vs. Rutgers Halftime takeaways
Ohio State gets a stop before the half
The Buckeyes stop Rutgers with under 30 seconds in the half and will run the clock out and head to the locker room up 14-3. The Buckeyes will get the ball to start the second half.
Touchdown from Sayin to Inniss
Julian Sayin drops a pass right in the corner of the end zone in tight coverage to Brandon Inniss for a seven-yard touchdown pass and reception. It wasn’t pretty, but the Buckeyes notch another score to go up 14-3 with 2:27 left before the teams head to the locker room. A big rouging the passer kept the drive alive for the Buckeyes. Scoring Drive: 11 plays, 98 yards, 6:50
Big pass play from Sayin to Max Klare
Ohio State gets a big, explosive play through the air with a connection from Sayin to Max Klare for 39 yards. The Buckeyes are in business now near the Rutgers 30-yard line.
Buckeyes moving out of the shadow of their own end zone
Rutgers downs a punt at the one-yard line, and the Buckeyes are moving slowly down the field. They have a 1st and ten from their own 29-yard line with 6:44 left in the half.
Ohio State is out of sync on offense
The Buckeyes are clearly missing Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Depth wide receiver David Adolph drops a pass over the middle of the field that would have given Ohio State a first down. Instead, the Buckeyes will turn the ball over on a punt with 10:50 left in the half.
Rutgers gets on the board
The Scarlet Knights can’t convert on 3rd down, but they bang through a 44-yard field goal, and the score is 7-3 Ohio State with 11:50 left in the first half.
Lorenzo Styles is down on the field for Ohio State
Styles was injured earlier in the year, and he goes down after a collision with the ball carrier. Looks like a shoulder issue, but as we know more. In the meantime, Rutgers has a 3rd down upcoming inside the Ohio State 30-yard line when we get back from commercial break.
Rutgers is having a little success moving the ball through the air against Ohio State
At least on this drive, Rutgers is moving the ball a little against the Ohio State defense and is now in Buckeye territory. We’ll see if the OSU defense can stiffen up.
Bo Jackson makes up for things with a touchdown run
The coaches show confidence in Jackson and put him back in the game. It pays off as he takes a handoff, weaves his way through the Rutgers defense to score on a 15-yard scamper. Ohio State gets on the board first, and it’s 7-0 Buckeyes with 4:01 left in the first quarter. Scoring Drive: 4 plays, 29 yards, 1:46
Rutgers stopped deep in their own end on a 4th and inches
Rutgers coach Greg Schiano rolls the dice on 4th and very short from his own 30-yard line, and Ohio State’s defense comes up with the stop once again. The Buckeyes will take over on downs, going in with a short field.
First and goal for Ohio State, but a fumble
Ohio State had no issues moving the ball, but Bo Jackson — who did most of the work to get down to scoring position — fumbles the ball at the one-yard line and Rutgers pounces on it in the end zone for a touchback. Not ideal. We remain scoreless with 7:48 left in the first quarter.
The Ohio State offense is on the move
After some nice runs and a clutch third-down pass and catch to Max Klare, the Buckeyes’ offense is into Rutgers territory and closing in on the red zone.
Rutgers gets the ball first, Ohio State forces a three-and-out
Ohio State won the toss and elected to defer. Rutgers gets its first possession, and to absolutely nobody’s surprise, the Buckeyes force a three-and-out.
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What channel is Ohio State vs. Rutgers on today?
Ohio State-Rutgers will be televised nationally on Fox in Week 13 of the 2025 college football season. Joel Klatt and Gus Johnson will call the game from the booth at Ohio Stadium, with Jenny Taft reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which may offer a free trial to new subscribers.
Ohio State vs. Rutgers game time today
The Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Rutgers game starts at Noon ET from Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
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Ohio State vs Rutgers predictions, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday, Nov. 21
Pete Fiutak, College Football News
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State vs. Rutgers instant reaction with highlights and analysis
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
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