Rutgers @ Ohio State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 24, 2015 ) Ohio State 49, Rutgers 7

There will be plenty of familiar faces on both sidelines Saturday when second-ranked Ohio State hosts Rutgers in a Big Ten clash. The Buckeyes have posted three impressive victories this season, dominating on both sides of the ball throughout the month of September.

Ohio State posted two wins by a combined score of 125-13 against Bowling Green and Tulsa before notching an impressive 45-24 triumph at Oklahoma two weeks ago. Now coach Urban Meyer faces the challenge of a defense that will look awfully familiar, as Rutgers is coached by former Buckeyes co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash. "It's our defense. I mean like exactly," Meyer told reporters recently. "They do a very good job and their defensive line is much improved and the guys are bigger and stronger and they also stole one of our strength coaches, Kenny Parker, and it looks like it. They're very strong." The Scarlet Knights are coming off a 14-7 home defeat to Iowa that included some crushing injury news.

TV: Noon ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Ohio State -38.5

ABOUT RUTGERS (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten): Janarion Grant leads the team with 20 catches for 210 yards (not to mention 138 rushing yards and a touchdown pass) but will miss the remainder of the season with a right ankle injury suffered against Iowa. That will put more pressure on quarterback Chris Laviano (647 passing yards, five TDs) and running back Robert Martin (358 yards, one TD). Rutgers outgained the Hawkeyes last week, 383-355, thanks to 106 rushing yards by Martin, who is seeking his third straight 100-yard performance this weekend.

ABOUT OHIO STATE (3-0, 0-0): The Buckeyes' defense returns only three starters from last year - as does the Ohio State offense - but the results have been extremely impressive to this point. Defensively, Ohio State has nine interceptions - four of them "pick-sixes" - and is the only FBS team not to allow a rushing touchdown all season. On the offensive side, J.T. Barrett has 10 touchdowns and only one interception, a big reason why the Buckeyes lead the nation with a plus-9 turnover margin.

EXTRA POINTS

1. In his career, Meyer is 44-3 when he has more than one week to prepare for an opponent.

2. Things don't get any easier for Rutgers, as the clash with Ohio State is followed by a home date with No. 5 Michigan.

3. Meyer has never lost a game in the month of October as Ohio State's head coach (14-0).

PREDICTION: Ohio State 37, Rutgers 13