Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, following a tight win, praises Rutgers football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Through three quarters, Rutgers looked like a team that had a legitimate chance to knock off the top program in college football. For Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, Saturday’s game was a sign of the progress that Rutgers and head coach Greg Schiano are making with their program.
Down 9-7 at halftime, Ohio State (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten( rallied for a 35-16 win at Rutgers (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten). The tight margin for Ohio State, coupled with a very strong performance from Rutgers, is something that Day talked about following the game.
Rutgers outgained Ohio State on offense and held the edge in possession. But mistakes in the second half did not go unpunished against a team the caliber of Ohio State.
Just days after Ohio State was named the top team in the College Football Playoff rankings, Rutgers stepped up and had the Buckeyes very much on the ropes for much of the game.
“Give a lot of credit to Greg [Schiano] and their staff. He’s doing a great job with their players,” Day said after the game.
“Playing on the road, you have to find a way to win the game and we did. It was good to pull away.”
After the game, Rutgers was adamant that this wasn’t a moral victory. But it was clear that progress was made.
This wasn’t 80-0 from seven years ago against Michigan. This was Rutgers, up at halftime and down just 21-16 early in the fourth quarter.
A fourth-quarter pick-six was the difference in this game. If Rutgers, driving at the time, gets points and Ohio State doesn’t get their touchdown, this game could have been very different.
Day said that “Rutgers is physical. They played us hard.” That wasn’t enough for Rutgers to get the win but they showed a rather significant step forward, even in the loss.
“The margin of error is real slim and when we made errors, they cashed in,” Schiano said after the game about his Rutgers team.
“We had opportunities. We had the ball ten times inside the ten-yard line. They are good. They are the No. 1 team in the country for a reason. They don’t hand that, you know, that ranking out to just anybody. So we knew exactly what — you know, no one ever played a perfect game but we knew we were going to have to play one play at a time really, really about as well as we could. And at times we did that. I thought the defense at times was spectacular, right. Just not ready yet. Going to keep saying that word ‘yet’ because this is going to get done.”
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18)…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) arrives at SHI Stadium prior to the NCAA football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Fans arrive at SHI Stadium prior to the NCAA football game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day talks to…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day talks to Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano prior to the NCAA football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day talks to…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day talks to Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano prior to the NCAA football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium.
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NCAA Football: Ohio State at Rutgers
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; A view of the helmet worn by Rutgers Scarlet…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; A view of the helmet worn by Rutgers Scarlet Knights tight end Jordan Walker (82) on the field before the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano walks from the locker room for warm-ups prior to the NCAA football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Helicopters fly over the field at SHI Stadium before…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Helicopters fly over the field at SHI Stadium before a game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Helicopters fly over the field at SHI Stadium before…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Helicopters fly over the field at SHI Stadium before a game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights place kicker Jai Patel (44) kicks…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights place kicker Jai Patel (44) kicks a field goal from the hold of punter Flynn Appleby (95) against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the first half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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Ohio State v Rutgers
PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 4: Kicker Jai Patel #44 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights is…
PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 4: Kicker Jai Patel #44 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights is congratulated by Flynn Appleby #95 after kicking a field goal against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the second quarter of a college football game at SHI Stadium on November 4, 2023 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
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NCAA Football: Ohio State at Rutgers
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Gavin Wimsatt (2) throws the…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Gavin Wimsatt (2) throws the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the first half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Robert Longerbeam (7) trips…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Robert Longerbeam (7) trips up Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) during the first half of the NCAA football game at SHI Stadium.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; A cannon is fired on the sideline following a…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; A cannon is fired on the sideline following a field goal by the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; The Rutgers Scarlet Knight celebrates a field goal by…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; The Rutgers Scarlet Knight celebrates a field goal by place kicker Jai Patel during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights punter Flynn Appleby (95) chases down…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights punter Flynn Appleby (95) chases down a botched snap during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord (6) tries to…
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Members of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights cannon crew watch…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Members of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights cannon crew watch the first half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano leads his…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano leads his team onto the field prior to the first half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Josh Proctor (41) pressures Rutgers…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Josh Proctor (41) pressures Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Gavin Wimsatt (2) during the first half of the NCAA football game at SHI Stadium.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Gee Scott Jr. (88)…
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) fights…
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano reacts during…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano reacts during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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NCAA Football: Ohio State at Rutgers
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Ty Hamilton (58) sacks…
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano points to…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano points to his head as he talks to officials during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium. Ohio State won 35-16.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers cheerleaders react to a touchdown by the Scarlet…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers cheerleaders react to a touchdown by the Scarlet Knights during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium. Ohio State won 35-16.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights fans react during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium. Ohio State won 35-16.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano stands on…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano stands on the sideline during the second half of the NCAA football game at SHI Stadium. Ohio State won 35-16.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers fans watch the Scarlet Knights take on the…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers fans watch the Scarlet Knights take on the Ohio State Buckeyes during the second half of the NCAA football game at SHI Stadium. Ohio State won 35-16.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano motions to…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano motions to his team during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium. Ohio State won 35-16.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights fans watch during the second half…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights fans watch during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium. Ohio State won 35-16.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano motions to…
Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano motions to his team during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at SHI Stadium. Ohio State won 35-16.
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Nov 4, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Davison Igbinosun (1) talks to…
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