The top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, winners of 20 straight games and 27 consecutive Big Ten regular season games, will attempt to extend both streaks against Rutgers Saturday. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET, with television coverage on ABC and streaming broadcast on WatchESPN.
How to watch Ohio State vs. Rutgers on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
The Buckeyes try to continue their roll toward the College Football Playoff. Here’s how to see it.
The Buckeyes have been less than dominant in defense of their national championship, but Urban Meyer's squad remains atop both major polls and a presumptive playoff team. Meyer announced this week that J.T. Barrett will start at quarterback, a change that had been in the offing for weeks. Buckeye fans hope that Barrett can breathe life into an offense that has sputtered on occasion.
Meanwhile, Rutgers has dealt with turmoil all season. Head coach Kyle Flood returned from a three-game suspension for inappropriate contact with a player’s professor last week. His team responded with a 19-point fourth-quarter comeback over Indiana. The Scarlet Knights played their previous top-ranked opponent well, nearly knocking off Michigan State two weeks ago.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Radio: Ohio State and Rutgers affiliates available
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Spread: Ohio State -21
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at On the Banks (for Rutgers fans) and Land Grant Holy Land (for Ohio State fans).
Three big things to know
It's Barrett time. Urban Meyer announced Tuesday that J.T. Barrett will replace Cardale Jones under center, citing Barrett's production as OSU's red zone quarterback. It's with good reason: Barrett is converting 5 of every 6 pass attempts in the red zone and ran for 229 yards this season. He adds another dimension to Ohio State's offense, one desperately needed by the Buckeyes as they hit the stretch run.
Before the Flood. Rutgers got a much-needed win last week, but it was the Scarlet Knights’ performance against Michigan State two weeks ago that should give Rutgers some hope. The Scarlet Knights were up 14-10 on the Spartans at halftime and tied with Michigan State with 43 seconds left. And even though L.J. Scott’s touchdown run gave Michigan State the lead, Rutgers looked dangerous in a brief 40-second drill before a clock management error ended the game. With Flood back, those errors should be minimized, and a breakthrough win could be in order.
Strength on strength. Rutgers is balanced on offense -- 1,500 yards passing, 1,200 yards rushing -- but quarterback Chris Laviano has been the Scarlet Knights' most important offensive catalyst. If Rutgers is going to pull off the monumental upset, he'll have to beat an Ohio State passing defense that is ranked fourth nationally in average passing yards allowed.
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