Ohio State Buckeyes vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Match Player Stats On Oct 24, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Oct 24, 2015

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Making his first start of the season for top-ranked Ohio State, quarterback J.T. Barrett passed for 223 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 101 yards on 13 carries and two more touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 49-7 win over Rutgers Saturday before 53,111 at High Point Solutions Stadium.

The defending national champions have won 21 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation. The Buckeyes (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) have also won 28 Big Ten regular season games in a row -- a Big Ten record. The NCAA conference record is 29 by Florida State.

Barrett started in place of junior Cardale Jones, the hero of Ohio State's 2014 championship run. Barrett's ability to flourish in the read-option attack and his third down efficiency persuaded coach Urban Meyer to make the switch.

Ohio State was 3 of 6 on third-down conversions under Barrett.

Barrett stepped in for Jones in Ohio State's 38-10 decision over Penn State last week, accounting for four of the Buckeyes' five TDs.

The sophomore dual-threat completed 14 of his 18 passes against an over-matched Rutgers defense that allowed 530 total yards. Jones took over for Barrett in the fourth quarter.

Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, the Big Ten's leading rusher, ran for 142 yards on 19 carries and two scores.

Quarterback Chris Laviano was 10-for-20 for 117 yards for Rutgers (3-4, 1-3).

Rutgers was able to penetrate into Ohio State territory on just three of its 11 possessions. Ohio State recorded five tackles for a loss.

The Scarlet Knights scored with 13 seconds to play on a 4-yard pass from quarterback Hayden Rettig to wide receiver Andre Patton.

The Buckeyes scored on their first three possessions of the second half to move ahead 42-0.

On the next possession, Barrett engineered a quick 76-yard, four-play drive that ended when wide receiver Curtis Samuel ran past the Rutgers' secondary and caught a 30-yard strike from Barrett.

Barrett tossed a one-yard pass to H-back Jalin Marshall with 4:34 left in the third. He then sprinted in from the 10 with 8:24 left in the quarter.

Ohio State scored two touchdowns in less than four minutes toward the end of the first half to grab a 21-0 lead.

Barrett, who rushed for 85 yards on 10 attempts in the half, bolted in from the 2-yard-line with 3:02 left in the half and connected with wide receiver Michael Thomas on a 50-yard TD catch-and-run with 6:48 left.

Elliott scored from 2 yards with 10 seconds left in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. Barrett ran for 56 yards on six attempts in the quarter.

Rutgers put together an impressive opening drive, but it ended when Kyle Federico's 28-yard field goal attempt dinged off the left goal post.

NOTES: Ohio State leads the Big Ten in scoring, rushing and pass defense and is second in total offense and interceptions. ... Ohio State DEs Joey Bosa and Tyquan Lewis rank in the Top 10 in tackles for a loss. ... Rutgers starting CB Blessuan Austin is out with an upper body injury. He was replaced by freshman Ronnie James, who was making his first career start. ... Todd Frazier, a Rutgers alum and the 2015 Home Run Derby champion from the Cincinnati Reds, was introduced to the crowd. ... This was the fifth time that Rutgers played the No. 1 team in the country. It lost to Miami in 2002 and 2001, Pittsburgh in 1981 and Alabama in 1980.