No. 3 Ohio State Falls to Visiting Rutgers, 2-1

Friday, September 18

Columbus, Ohio

7 p.m.

Ohio State

5-1-1, 0-1-1

Rutgers University

4-3-1, 2-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Rutgers	1	1	2
Ohio St.	1	0	1

Photo by: Jay LaPrete

Photo by: Ohio State Athletics

No. 3 Ohio State Falls to Visiting Rutgers, 2-1

9/18/2026 9:05:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

Buckeyes remain home to take on Washington Monday

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 3 Ohio State (5-1-1, 0-1-1) fell to Rutgers (4-3-1, 2-0-0) Friday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (Att: 1,721).

The loss was the first of the season for the Buckeyes. The two goals for the Scarlet Knights matched what Ohio State had given up all season.

Aaron Hurge scored the first goal of the match off a feed from captain Andre Roberts to give the Buckeyes a 1-0 lead in the 23'. Hurge has three goals this season and five for his career. It was the third assist for Roberts this season and the seventh of his career.

22' | Hurge scores his third of the season to put the Buckeyes up 1-0!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/EWFIlOhPJ1
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) September 18, 2026

Another look at Hurge's goal ???? #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/0nOMogHO80
— Ohio State Men's Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) September 19, 2026

Rutgers evened the score on a goal by Braxton Montgomery in the 26'. It was the first goal scored in the first half against the Buckeyes in the last nine matches overall and in the seven games to date this season.
Ohio State had played 408 first-half minutes without a goal.
The Buckeyes have held each of their opponents this season to fewer than 10 shots after limiting Rutgers to seven.
The Scarlet Knights went ahead on a goal by Joshua Jerome that just escaped the reach of Ohio State goalkeeper Patrick McLaughlin in the 55'.
Ohio State played a man down for the final 27' after senior Joel Demian was issued a red card for a foul on Rutgers' Zach Mastrodimos.
Ohio State recognized Connor Senn during halftime ceremonies.
"Play Like Connor Today" is an Ohio State men's soccer manta in memory of Senn, a freshman defender who died as a result of a congenital heart defect after he collapsed during the second half of a match at Akron Sept. 26, 2001.
McLaughlin got the start for the Buckeyes in goal. He is 10-3-3 in 16 career starts.