Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2025 Opponent Preview: Ohio Bobcats

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will kick off the 2025 season on Thursday, Aug. 28 against Ohio at SHI Stadium.

This will be the first of three non-conference games to begin the season. Rutgers has not lost a game outside of the Big Ten since Greg Schiano returned for his second stint in 2020.

Rutgers will be tested against the reigning MAC champions.

2025 Ohio Football at a Glance

Name: Ohio Bobcats

Stadium: Penden Stadium (Cap.: 25,210)

Head Coach: Brian Smith (1st season)

Offensive Coordinator: Scott Isphording

Defensive Coordinator: John Hauser

2024: 11-3 (7-1 MAC)

2024 Ohio Season-in-Review

Ohio put together back-to-back winning seasons heading into 2024 and was able to take the next step. The Bobcats opened the season 2-2 with non-conference losses to Power Four teams before getting to work in the MAC. The Bobcats would go onto win seven of the next eight games, including a 42-21 triumph over Ball State to punch their ticket to the MAC Championship Game.

Ohio dominated Miami (Ohio), 38-3, to win its first MAC title since 1968. This was the first conference title game played between the teams with the best records regardless of division.

Key Returners: QB Parker Navarro, WR Chase Hendricks, WR Rodney Harris II, S Tank Pearson, G Devon Weatherspoon, TE Mason Williams, S DJ Walker, C Kam Wright, LB Jack Fries

Transfer Additions: RB Sieh Bangura (Minnesota), G Josh Waite (Shippensburg), DL Evan Hermann (Vanderbilt), DL Nehemiah Dukes (Youngstown State), DL Anas Luqman (Arkansas-Pine Bluff), S Rickey Hyatt (South Alabama)

Key Losses: DE Bradley Weaver, LB Blake Leake, LB Shay Taylor, RB Anthony Tyus II, WR Coleman Owen, S Dustin Johnson, DL Marcel Walker-Burgess

Strengths

Parker Navarro returns for the Bobcats after an All-MAC campaign in 2024. He was second on the team with 1,054 rushing yards. Even with the loss of Anthony Tyus II, the ground game for Ohio will be strong.

Navarro is a true dual-threat quarterback who can make plays using his legs. Ohio also welcomes back Sieh Bangura, who led the team in rushing in 2022 and 2023. In those two years, he rushed for 1,889 yards and 20 touchdowns. Bangura transferred to Minnesota for the 2024 season but is now back with the Bobcats.

Navarro and Bangura will work behind a loaded offensive line as well. Davion Weatherspoon and Josh Waite are guards with All-Conference hopes.

Defensively, Ohio was stout last season. The secondary will be the strength. Tank Pearson is one of the MAC's top cornerbacks after 51 tackles and four interceptions last season. DJ Walker and Adonis Williams are an elite duo at safety as well.

Weaknesses

The Ohio defense was ninth in the nation in total defense last season, including fourth against the run. The Bobcats will have to focu on stopping the run once again and that could be a question mark with new faces in the middle.

Ohio lost two of its top three tacklers from last season in Blake Leake and Shay Taylor. They combined for 163 tackles in the middle of the defense. Ohio will turn to Michael Molnar and Jack Fries to step up in extended roles.

The offense will be without its top pass catcher in Coleman Owen this season. He was the go-to receiver for Navarro all season long, finishing with 78 catches in 2024. Navarro will also look to clean up turnovers a bit after throwing 11 interceptions.

What to Expect?

The Scarlet Knights enter the season-opener as a two-score favorite. The expectation is that Rutgers will comfotrably win this game but there will be some early tests.

It will be interesting to see how the defensive line competes against one of the MAC's best offensive lines. On the other end, the Scarlet Knight offensive line will look to dominate the front against a Bobcat team that defended the run well last season. This will be a chance for the coaching staff to test running backs in the post-Kyle Monangai era.