Ohio State took care of business in a bizarre sort of way against Rutgers. The Buckeyes raced out to a dominating 35-3 lead, then was put off balance by a slew of trick plays by a Rutgers team using all the pages of the playbook.
Each game, we dissect the game and provide you with five things we observed in the game, and for this one, it sure feels a little wacky. In the end, Ohio State won 49-27, but that second half won’t sit well with anyone on the Scarlet and Gray’s sideline.
In the end, it’s a win during a very different, strange, and tragic year, so we’ll continue to forge ahead.
Here are five things we observed in the ‘Shoe on Saturday night.
NEXT … So, there’s that Justin Fields guy
Justin Fields keeps impressing
WATCH: Justin Fields finds Chris Olave for fifth TD of the game https://t.co/ZhPA5rZwOX
— Buckeyes Wire (@BuckeyesWire) November 8, 2020
For all the chaos of what Rutgers created in this game, most notably in the second half, the Buckeyes at least had Superman on their side to keep Lex Luthor from ruining the season with some wood-chopping kryptonite.
Fields again impressed with his ability to spread the ball around and complete passes at a high percentage. He connected on 24 of 28 passes for 314 yards and no interceptions. He was in complete command and made every throw in the book. Fields accounted for five touchdowns through the air and one on the ground.
Without him, this game could have gotten into one of those trouble spots where the opposition pulls out all the punches and finds a way to win.
NEXT … Hang on Sloppy
Ohio State better clean things up
Everyone trying to make highlight hits. Just tackle. #RUTGvsOSU
— Buckeyes Wire (@BuckeyesWire) November 8, 2020
This was a sloppy, sloppy game for Ohio State. There were too many penalties, too many missed tackles, and too many bizarre moments that the Buckeyes allowed to happen with poor discipline.
You can get away with these things against a Rutgers, a Maryland, or just about any other team in the Big Ten, but there’s more at stake later in the year. OSU made just enough mistakes in the Fiesta Bowl last season to let Clemson off the hook, and this was even worse than that.
As the season wears on, you are either getting better or getting worse. This team needs to figure things out and grow from this. Something tells me it will.
NEXT … There are concerns at the tailback position
Ohio State needs more from the running backs
The offensive line and running game still need work. Which is weird to say. #RUTGvsOSU
— Buckeyes Wire (@BuckeyesWire) November 8, 2020
We’re three games in now so things aren’t just a flash in the pan, one game anomaly. You kind of are what you are at this point, especially with only eight regular-season games on the docket this year.
The running back position just isn’t as dynamic as its been in years past. J.K. Dobbins might be a once in a few years tailback, but this is Ohio freakin’ State. It’s the university that made guys like Archie Griffin, Eddie George, Eziekiel Elliott, and more famous.
Trey Sermon seems to be a step slow, Teague doesn’t have the wiggle you’d like, and the combination of the two is just adequate. We need to see more as the season wears on because there’s going to be a game when the running backs are going to have to get more electric plays when the competition heats up.
NEXT … But still, Ohio State won
Great teams win, even when not playing well
Yes, Ohio State had more total yards, 517-373, but Rutgers outgained Buckeyes in second half 290-164. It was not pretty, at least from the OSU point of view. Still a 22-point win on a day when the Big Ten East otherwise went upside down.
— Tim May (@TIM_MAYsports) November 8, 2020
The first half was a thing of beauty for Ohio State, but this game was not a well-played sixty-minute contest for the Buckeyes. Still, the good guys won by 22 points.
The hallmark of a really good team is the ability to still win handily even when not at the top of its game. Clearly, Ohio State was put back on its heels with the finishing kick and creative play calling by Rutgers. In the end though, Ohio State still won the game rather easily.
Now it’s time to go back to the drawing board and correct those things that need to be put under the microscope.
NEXT … Credit to Rutgers
Rutgers is in good hands with Greg Schiano
Rutgers looks WAY more competitive under Greg Schiano. Long way to go, but headed in the right direction. How's Jeremy Pruitt doing at Tennessee?
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 8, 2020
I don’t know that I’ve ever been more impressed with a team that lost by over twenty points. This Rutgers team sure has some fight in it and you can credit what Greg Schiano is trying to do.
He could have come into this game and just played a vanilla game, took a licking, and got out of town — especially after being down 35-3 at the half.
But no. Schiano is trying to build something here and he wanted his team to know that he was going to pull out all the stops to try and get back in this game. There are no moral victories, but that team will leave Columbus knowing that it put it all on the line by outscoring the Buckeyes 24-14.
This team is on the way up and it’ll be interesting to see where things go from here.
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