No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes huff and puff on their way to edging out Rutgers 35-16
The Ohio State Buckeyes survived another close game on Saturday, as they were unable to get away from the Rutgers Scarlet Knights until late in the fourth quarter. A game against Ohio State is always a tough matchup for Rutgers. However, this season, they were expected to go toe to toe with the Buckeyes, with a solid 6-2 Rutgers record, having managed to run Michigan close in the first half of their matchup in Week 4.
Ohio State Buckeyes' First Half Struggles
The Buckeyes were held to just seven points in the first half and took a two-point deficit into the halftime break, as Rutgers led 9-7. Rutgers held Ohio State star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to just two catches in the first half and managed to keep him in check for most of the game, limiting the Heisman hopeful to just 25 yards on the day.
Ohio State relied heavily on TreVeyon Henderson in the first half, while Rutgers also leaned on Kyle Monangai, who had an impressive outing against an excellent Buckeyes run defense.
Second Half Rally
Ohio State sprang into life in the second half after junior defensive back Jordan Hancock returned an interception 93 yards for a Buckeyes touchdown, kick-starting a much better second-half performance.
TreVeyon Henderson made some incredible plays during the Buckeyes' 28-point second half, including a 20-yard burst that saw him find the endzone. On the very next Ohio State drive, Henderson took a Kyle McCord check-down 65 yards to get his team inside the 10-yard line.
Preparation for Week 11
Ohio State will be back in Columbus for a Week 11 matchup against Michigan State. The Buckeyes will use their final two regular-season games to tune things up before 'The Game' against the Wolverines.
The Ohio State defense has been arguably the best in the country all season, and they will need to maintain their level as they gear up for another College Football Playoff run. Buckeyes stars Marvin Harrison, TreVeyon Henderson, and Cade Stover will have to rise to the occasion every single time.