With just one tune-up game left before The Game, Ohio State enters Week 13 balancing two priorities: stay sharp, and stay healthy. The Buckeyes are 10-0, the nation’s No. 1 team for 12 straight weeks, and fresh off another dominant defenWith just one tune-up game left before The Game, Ohio State enters Week 13 balancing two priorities: stay sharp, and stay healthy. The Buckeyes are 10-0, the nation’s No. 1 team for 12 straight weeks, and fresh off another dominant defensive showing. Rutgers, sitting at 5-5 and fighting for bowl eligibility, walks into Ohio Stadium as a significant underdog — and Ohio State has every intention of making this the most businesslike Saturday of the season. The question isn’t whether the Buckeyes win, but how much they reveal, how much they hold back, and which final adjustments they make before heading to Ann Arbor.

Here are three bold predictions for Ohio State vs. Rutgers

1. Ohio State’s Run Game Breaks 225+ Yards

The Buckeyes just posted a season-high 222 rushing yards against UCLA, averaging 6.7 yards per carry — and they did it without CJ Donaldson and behind a line missing Josh Padilla. Now they face a Rutgers defense giving up chunk plays on the ground and struggling to sustain pressure up front.With Bo Jackson in rhythm and Isaiah West emerging as a legitimate change-of-pace threat, Ryan Day uses this week to put the run game fully on tape before Michigan. Expect a physical, downhill approach and multiple explosive plays on the ground.

2. Ohio State Forces 3+ Rutgers Three-and-Outs Before Halftime

Rutgers’ offense ranks near the bottom nationally in red-zone efficiency and explosive play rate, and Athan Kaliakmanis has been up-and-down as a passer. Against the No. 1 defense in the country — leading the nation in scoring defense, passing defense, total defense, and third-down stops — that’s a recipe for early disaster. Matt Patricia’s group has allowed only 55 total points all season, and this matchup leans heavily toward another suffocating start. Expect the Silver Bullets to impose their will early, force short drives, and keep Rutgers under 60 first-half yards.

3. The Buckeyes Rest a Star Receiver Early — and Still Score 40+

With The Game a week away, Ohio State will not risk anything unnecessary with Jeremiah Smith or Carnell Tate. Smith has already been listed as questionable in recent weeks; Tate remains week-to-week. Even if they dress, don’t expect more than a few designed touches before they’re shut down for the day. The bold part? Ohio State still scores comfortably into the 40s. The depth pieces — Inniss, Rodgers, Mylan Graham, Max Klare, Quincy Porter — all showed they can carry the load against UCLA, and Julian Sayin thrives distributing the ball efficiently. This offense won’t slow down simply because its superstars get a lighter workload.

What are your bold predictions?

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