Predicting the Final Score of Rutgers vs. Ohio State

If a casual fan looks at the names of the schools involved, Ohio State and Rutgers looks like a total mismatch and it might be just that.

Still, the fact that both schools have similar records indicates that this is a game to watch. The visiting Scarlet Knights (5-1, 1-1 BIG 10) have one more win than the Buckeyes (4-1, 1-1), but that’s where the similarity ends. Ohio State is ranked No. 13 for a reason, and the chief reason is that the Buckeyes have a lot of talent. While the mere names of the schools should push the betting line higher than its current 19.5 number, the fact that Ohio State never recruited more than a handful of current Rutgers players — or even would consider doing so — should be an eye-opener.

The Buckeyes simply have too much high-end talent for Rutgers and are coached by a future Hall of Famer in Urban Meyer. Rutgers, on the other hand, is coached by Kyle Flood, who no one ever expects will make the Hall of Fame. The school had no choice but to promote him from offensive line coach when current Alabama assistant Mario Cristobal turned  down the job three years ago.

Rutgers spent most of the last five years recruiting talent to fit the competition in the AAC and the old Big East, and despite getting an invitation from the Big 10, they never won a title in either league — a sobering thought since Rutgers’ affiliation with the old Big East dated back to 1991. Rutgers struggled to a one-touchdown win over 3-4 Navy and beat Howard by 13 points. They should have their hands full with Ohio State.

Prediction: Ohio State 42, Rutgers 17

Mike Gibson is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @papreps , “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.