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Week 10: The five takeaways from Rutgers football vs No. 1 Ohio State

Michael Cavallo
·4 min read
7

On Saturday, the Scarlet Knights played tough against No. 1 Ohio State but fell short in a 35-16 loss.

The turning point of the game came in the third quarter when Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt threw an 80-yard interception inside the red zone, giving the Buckeyes a 14-9 lead. Rutgers was marching down the field with a 9-7 lead, but Buckeyes’ defensive back, Josh Proctor, made a crucial play to give his team the lead midway through the third quarter.

The Scarlet Knights leaned on their rushing attack in their Week 10 matchup, producing 232 yards on 43 attempts. Rutgers averaged 5.4 yards per carry and out-gained the Buckeyes by 93 yards on the ground.

 

Rutgers’ offensive struggles inside the red zone led to their Week 10 loss. The Scarlet Knights scored points only 66.7 percent of the time inside the red zone on Saturday, producing only 16 points compared to the Buckeyes 28.

Scroll down for the five takeaways from Rutgers’ 35-16 loss to No. 1 Ohio State in Week 10.

 

Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai had his third consecutive 100+ yard performance

 

Rutgers junior running back Kyle Monangai recorded his third 100+ rushing performance on Saturday, his fifth 100+ performance of the season. He recorded 24 carries for 159 yards, averaging 6.6 yards per attempt. Monangai’s 159 rushing yards are his best performance against a Big Ten and ranked opponent. The Don Bosco Prep prospect is the top offensive weapon for the Scarlet Knight. Through nine games, the Roseland, New Jersey, native has recorded 168 carries for 903 rushing yards, averaging 5.4 yards per carry through nine games.

Linebacker Mohamed Toure anchored the Rutgers defense

 

Rutgers starting linebacker Mohamed Toure continued his strong 2023 season in Week 10. Toure anchored the Scarlet Knights’ defense, recording eight tackles, one sack, and one interception. His eight tackles were second on the team, behind senior linebacker Deion Jenning’s 13 tackles. Toure registered four solo and four assisted tackles, recording 58 total tackles on the season. The Pleasantville, New Jersey, native is now the second-leading tackler on the team heading into Week 11.

 

Rutgers offense struggled in the red zone

 

On Saturday, the Scarlet Knights had six trips inside the red zone and only produced 16 points. Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt and running back Kyle Monangai did a solid job marching the Rutgers offense down the field but couldn’t capture enough points inside the red zone. Inside the red zone, the Scarlet Knights recorded three field goals, two turnovers (one interception and one turnover on downs), and a touchdown. Rutgers outgained the Buckeyes, but their inability to produce touchdowns in the red zone led to their 35-16 loss in Week 10.

 

Rutgers' defense had trouble slowing down Buckeye TreVeyon Henderson

 

Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson had a strong performance against the Scarlet Knights. In Week 10, Henderson recorded 22 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt. Also, he added five catches for 80 yards in the Buckeyes’ passing attack. Ohio State leaned on their star running back to secure their 35-16 victory against the Scarlet Knights. The Hopewell, Virginia, native made multiple big plays, sparking the Buckeyes’ offense late in the second half.

Rutgers offense out-gained the Buckeyes

 

On Saturday, the Scarlet Knights’ offense out-gained the Buckeyes 361 to 328 yards. The Rutgers offense recorded 68 plays for 232 rushing yards and 129 passing yards. On the other hand, Ohio State recorded 55 plays for 139 rushing yards and 189 passing yards. The Scarlet Knights controlled the time of possession (35:36 to 24:24) and recorded 22 first downs to the Buckeyes’ 15. Rutgers’ struggles in the red zone led to their 35-16 loss in Week 10.

Story originally appeared on Rutgers Wire