GAME 12: Michigan

Thanksgiving Weekend Predictions

MY THOUGHTS.....Rutgers

 

Despite a slow start in the first half, the Ohio State Buckeyes coasted in the second half to a 42-9 victory over Rutgers in the final home game of the 2025 season.  Playing without Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, the pass offense was way below the numbers it has put up in earlier games, with a mere 176 yards through the air.  However, the rushing attack continues to make strides, and the defense gave up one touchdown when the game was already in hand.  With Smith and Tate out, TE Max Klare was able to step up with a season-high seven receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown.  David Adolph saw his most extensive playing time of his career and he and Brandon Innis each accounted for two receptions.  Bo Jackson cracked the 100-yard mark with 110 yards, averaging nearly six yards per carry and two touchdowns.  James Peoples saw extensive action for the second consecutive week, getting 55 yards and one touchdown.  Isaiah West also saw extensive playing time, with eight carries for 48 yards.  The run game churned out 254 yards, the best against a B1G opponent.

                Caden Curry was the star on defense, leading the way with six tackles, two sacks and the fumble recovery at the one-yard line.  Payton Pierce saw extensive playing time and responded with five tackles, along with Sonny Styles.  Rutgers’ offense was hardly elite, but they entered the game ranked 22^nd in passing offense and 39^th in total offense.  The Buckeyes defense put a blanket on that offense for most of the game, giving up only 147 total yards and 81 passing yards.  They also allowed a mere 2.7 yards per play, stopped the Scarlet Knights on both their fourth-down tries and held them to four plays or less on five-of-ten drives.

                Next week, the competition and stakes really ramp up as the annual battle against Michigan looms up in Ann Arbor.  The Buckeyes hope to have Jeremiah Smith and Carnel Tate healthy as well as continued improvement in the ground game, which will be needed to come out of there with a victory.

GAME 11: Rutgers

November 22 Predictions

MY THOUGHTS.....UCLA

 

The Ohio State Buckeyes came out and from the start, dominated an overmatched UCLA squad without their starting quarterback, in posting a dominant 47-10 win. 

The Bruins figured to struggle on offense without dual-threat quarterback Nico Iamaleava and Ohio State’s defense held them to eight first downs and a little over 200 yards of total offense.  Sonny Styles led the way with seven tackles, while Lorenzo Styles Jr. and Caden Curry had five.  Despite not getting any sacks, the defense held UCLA substitute quarterback Like Duncan to 154 yards passing and stopped UCLA twice on fourth down.  They forced six UCLA punts and allowed only two trips into the red zone.

Lorenzo Styles Jr. not only starred on defense, but he also electrified the crowd with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the first for Ohio State since Jordan Hall did it against Michigan on November 24, 2010.  Jayden Fielding hit on both his field goal attempts and Joe McGuire boomed a 51-yard punt, the only time he was called upon to punt. 

The Ohio State offense wanted to work on the ground game, and they got one of the best efforts of the season, albeit against a bad UCLA run defense.  For some reason, C.J. Donaldson didn’t see the field, but Bo Jackson led the way with 112 yards, averaging over seven yards per carry.  Without Donaldson, Isaiah West and James Peoples got more opportunities and they didn’t disappoint, with West averaging nearly eight yards per carry and a touchdown and Peoples scoring twice, including a 19-yard TD run in which he hurdled a UCLA defender.  Carnell Tate was out for the second straight game, but Brandon Innis had his best day receiving with six receptions for  30 yards, while Max Klare turned in five catches for 26 yards.  Jeremiah Smith had four catches including a one-hander on the first drive, before sitting out the second half, so Mylan Graham got more opportunities, and he responded with three receptions for 40 yards.  Julian Sayin threw more incompletions than he is sued to, but he still completed almost 75 percent of his throws for 184 yards, and a touchdown toss to Bryson Rodgers.  Backup Lincoln Keinholz saw some action, going three-for-three for 34 yards. 

Next up is the final home game against Rutgers in what should be another opportunity to empty the bench in the second half.

GAME 10: UCLA