Depleted No. 1 Ohio State relies on its run game to blow past Rutgers

Minus its top two receivers, No. 1 Ohio State relied on two rushing touchdowns by Bo Jackson and a pair of Julian Sayin scoring passes in a 42-9 win against Rutgers in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday.

Ohio State (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) was without Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate due to undisclosed injuries. Tate missed his third straight game. Smith played three first-half series against UCLA on Nov. 15 before being pulled after making four catches for 40 yards.

Sayin was 13-of-19 passing for 157 yards, with tight end Max Klare making seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Rutgers (5-6, 2-6) quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis completed 10 of 20 passes for 81 yards.

The Buckeyes seemed to not miss a beat on their first possession of the game when they went 74 yards in 10 plays before Jackson fumbled the ball at the 1-yard line into the end zone and Rutgers recovered.

Ohio State then took advantage of Rutgers being stopped for no gain at its own 29 on fourth-and-1. Three plays later, Jackson ran for a 15-yard score to make it 7-0.

After a Scarlet Knights field goal, a roughing-the-passer penalty deep in Rutgers territory kept a drive alive for Ohio State, and Sayin tossed a 7-yard TD pass to Brandon Inniss for a 14-3 halftime lead.

Another miscue led to a 21-3 lead midway through the third quarter when Caden Curry sacked Kaliakmanis, whose fumble was recovered by Curry at the Rutgers 1. Klare, after a holding penalty, grabbed an 11-yard TD reception.

Jackson (10 yards) late in the third and CJ Donaldson Jr. (5) early in the fourth scored on the ground for a 35-3 lead.

Antwan Raymond finally found the end zone for Rutgers with 6:43 left on a 1-yard run to cap off an eight-play, 71-yard drive.

The Buckeyes play at No. 18 Michigan on Nov. 29, looking to end a four-game losing streak to the rival Wolverines and earn a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Rutgers needs a win against Penn State on Nov. 29 to be bowl eligible for the fourth time in five seasons.