Ohio State used an explosive second quarter to give themselves a comfortable cushion against Rutgers, ultimately winning 49-27 Saturday evening in Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes, now 3-0 on the season, have defeated the Scarlet Knights in all seven all-time meetings between the teams.
Quarterback Justin Fields was once again the catalyst for the Scarlet and Gray, accounting for three TD passes in the first half alone. He finished the game 24-of-28 for 314 yards and five touchdowns. Buckeye wideout Garrett Wilson (104 yards, 1 TD) recorded his third-consecutive 100-yard game, becoming just the fourth Buckeye (David Boston, Terry Glenn and Cris Carter) to have three or more consecutive games surpassing the century mark.
The Ohio State defense dominated Rutgers throughout the game, especially in the second frame. The Silver Bullets forced a trio of three-and-outs and recovered a Scarlet Knights fumble. The Buckeyes held Rutgers to 83 total yards in the first half.
Scroll along for a quarter-by-quarter account of the action.
After stopping Rutgers on its opening drive, the Buckeyes wasted little time putting points on the scoreboard. Justin Fields tossed the first of his three first-half touchdown passes on the night, a 38-yard floater to Jameson Williams in the back corner of the endzone. The drive, which started with a 25-yard Master Teague III rumble, covered 89 yards in seven play in just under three minutes.
Rutgers tacked on a field goal during the frame after a 9-play, 63-yard drive in just less than four minutes.
🔊 Williams hauls it in for six
The Buckeyes flat-out exploded in the second quarter. Fields rushed around the end from seven yards out for six points on the first play of the quarter to end a five-play, 61-yard drive. Ohio State would reach paydirt on its next three possessions.
Fields connected with the dynamic wide receiver duo of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson for scoring strikes to cap back-to-back drives. Fields found Olave just inside the sideline from six yards out to finish off a nine-play, 66-yard drive. A key play in the march, was a 38-yard run from Steele Chambers on a fake punt on fourth-and-eight from the OSU 36.
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Wilson hauled in another short pass – eight yards – from Fields in the back corner of the north endzone to complete the next drive (6 plays, 32 yards).
The Buckeyes capitalized near the end of the half as well. Teague rumbled in from nine yards out to finished off a 74-yard, 9-play drive that took just 2:44 off the clock.
🔊 Fields hits the edge and finds the end zone
🔊 Wilson toe-taps for a touchdown
After holding the Buckeyes to punts on their first two second-half drives, Rutgers opened the scoring in the second half with a six-play, 91-yard touchdown drive, using a few trick plays along the way.
The Buckeyes recovered an ensuing onside kick and drove 44 yards in seven plays, capping it off with a Jeremy Ruckert seven-yard touchdown toss from Fields.
The Scarlet Knights finished the third quarter in the midst of a drive, ultimately opening the fourth quarter with a touchdown. After forcing Ohio State to a three-and-out on the ensuing possession, Rutgers returned the punt for a touchdown with an across-the-field lateral and weave into the endzone.
Ohio State recovered the onside kick and made quick work of the short field, scoring in four plays. The 44-yard drive was capped by a lob from Fields to Olave, his second touchdown reception of the night.
