Rutgers reached the red zone six times against Ohio State on Saturday. Those drives led to as many touchdowns for the Buckeyes as they did for the Scarlet Knights.
Statistically, the Buckeyes’ defense had one of its worst games of the year in Piscataway. The Buckeyes allowed Rutgers to gain 361 total yards, including 232 rushing yards – both the most Ohio State has given up all season. The Scarlet Knights’ 5.3 yards per play were the second-most any opponent has averaged against the Buckeyes this year, as were their 16 points.
But Rutgers could have scored a lot more – and perhaps even beaten Ohio State for the first time ever – if the Buckeyes’ defense hadn’t consistently stepped up when their backs were against the wall.