3 Keys to Winning for the Scarlet Knights Against Buckeyes
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The Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) will face the No. The Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) will play at Ohio Stadium on Saturday at noon.
Both teams have faced each other only ten times. The Buckeyes have won all ten meetings. Their last matchup came back on November 4, 2023, when Rutgers lost 35-16 on the road.
Rutgers is still seeking its first win against the Buckeyes.
The Scarlet Knights are coming off a 35-20 win over the Maryland Terrapins. The team is trying to close the regular season on a high note and compete for a bowl game.
However, this is a bad matchup for Rutgers, as they will face arguably the best defense in the nation. This game can quickly turn into a lopsided contest if Rutgers doesn’t set the tone early.
For Rutgers to somehow change the narrative of this game, they must do three things:
1) Athan Kaliakmanis Must Perform Close to Perfection
Senior quarterback Kaliakmanis can’t afford to make mistakes against the Buckeyes. His performance against the Buckeyes needs to be a combination of how he performed against Purdue and Maryland.
There have to be zero interceptions. His completion percentage needs to be 70% or higher, and he needs to throw for over 300 yards. It’s also up to the offensive lineman to protect him and give him enough time to make accurate throws.
On the road this season, Kaliakmanis has thrown for over 1,200 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. Overall, he has 2,705 yards, 17 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a 70.7 QBR, which is 35th in the nation in the 2025 season.
2) Defense Must Slow Down Buckeye Receivers
All season long, Rutgers' defense, especially in the secondary, has struggled against opponents. The team has battled injuries and has allowed teams to score many touchdowns, especially in the second half.
Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate are two of the best receivers for the Buckeyes team. There’s a possibility that both men might not be available for Saturday’s game, but nothing is for sure just yet.
If you’re Rutgers, you hope this turns out to be true because it takes some pressure off you. Ohio State still has a team with a lot of depth, but those are two key massive weapons.
Tate has missed the last two games because of injuries. Smith didn’t play in the second half last Saturday against the UCLA Bruins. Regardless, Rutgers' defense needs to find a way to make the game tight from the start.
3) Feed Antwan Raymond
Raymond is having a phenomenal couple of days after he was named one of the top 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walter Award. This one right here is a no-brainer. Rutgers has to give him the ball many times in this game.
The Buckeyes will have their eyes on him. Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is very good at what he does, and he’ll have the players ready.
Will the Rutgers coaching staff have a steady game plan to answer the Buckeyes' defense? Raymond must deliver a big performance, and this is an excellent opportunity for him to prove he can hang with the elite teams.
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Miguel Mike Medina is a Writer and Freelance Sports Journalist who contributes to Rutgers On SI. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Creative Writing and a Minor in Journalism in 2014 from City College of New York.