The Ohio Bobcats take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in Piscataway, NJ. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
Rutgers is favored by 15.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -670. The total is set at 49.5 points.
Here are my Ohio vs. Rutgers predictions and college football picks for Thursday, August 28, 2025.
Ohio vs Rutgers Prediction
- Ohio vs. Rutgers Pick: Rutgers -15.5 (Play to -17)
My Rutgers vs. Ohio best bet is on Rutgers to cover the spread, with the best odds currently in BetMGM. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Ohio vs Rutgers Odds
| Ohio Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+15.5 -108 | 49.5 -108o / -112u | +500 |
| Rutgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-15.5 -112 | 49.5 -108o / -112u | -700 |
- Ohio vs Rutgers point spread: Rutgers -15.5
- Ohio vs Rutgers over/under: 49.5 points
- Ohio vs Rutgers moneyline: Rutgers -700, Ohio +500
Ohio vs Rutgers Preview
Ohio Bobcats Betting Preview: Returning QB a Good Sign
Ohio is coming off three straight 10-win seasons and a 2024 MAC Championship. They've won more games over the last three years than any team in the MAC. The only problem is that all came under Tim Albin, who unfortunately left for the Charlotte job this offseason.
Replacing such a fantastic coach will be a difficult task for new head coach Brian Smith. Smith has at least been on the staff under Albin since 2022 and was promoted from associate head coach and the offensive coordinator role. Smith picked up his first official win in last year’s Cure Bowl but will have a much more difficult task ahead of him in Piscataway on Thursday.
At the top of every new coach’s wish list is a returning quarterback, and Smith has that in senior Parker Navarro. The graduate student has been in the program for three seasons and earned All-MAC Second Team honors after throwing for 2,423 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Navarro also added 1,046 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, making him one of the country's most dangerous dual-threat options.
Navarro finished fourth among all quarterbacks in rushing scores last season and will need to use his legs again to help replace fellow 1,000-yard rusher Anthony Tyus III in the backfield.
He'll be reunited with Sieh Bangura, who led Ohio in rushing in 2022 and 2023 before transferring to Minnesota last year. After playing just three games for the Gophers, Bangura transferred back to Athens.
Top receiver Coleman Owen is gone but Chase Hendricks and Rodney Harris II both return. The skill positions aren't the issue for the Bobcats; it's the offensive line. Only one regular starter returns up front for Ohio.
While the offense should have decent continuity, the defense is a different story. The Bobcats lost their top five defensive linemen, top four linebackers and best cornerback.
Their best defensive player last season was All-MAC First Team defensive end Bradley Weaver, who'll be playing for Rutgers on Thursday.
The secondary still has some nice pieces, namely cornerback Tank Pearson. Both safeties return, making the backend the clear strength of this defense.
But up front is a major question mark. Ohio needs to replace its entire front seven and should get completely bullied by Rutgers at the line of scrimmage.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Betting Preview: Strong Production Back in Fold
There have been 201 straight AP Top 25 Polls that haven't featured the Rutgers Scarlet Knights dating back to 2012, the longest drought among all Power 4 teams. On the positive side, Greg Schiano has Rutgers coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the 2011-12 seasons.
Rutgers will also have a returning quarterback under center in Athan Kaliakmanis. After two seasons at Minnesota, “The Greek Rifle” had his best season yet last year with Rutgers. He threw for 2,696 yards with 18 touchdowns while reuniting with offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca.
Leading receiver Dymere Miller is gone, but Ian Strong and KJ Duff both really came on strong in the second half of last season as the second and third options. They each averaged over 15.7 yards per catch. North Texas transfer DT Sheffield will join them on the outside.
Another American transfer will be tasked with replacing star running back Kyle Monangai. CJ Campbell Jr. transfers in from FAU after rushing for 844 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Owls last season. Last year’s backup Antwan Raymond also returned.
Campbell and Raymond will have the pleasure of running behind an offensive line that returns all five starters from last season.
The defense returns just two starters and also will have a new defensive coordinator after Joe Harasymiak was hired as the UMass head coach. Schiano called up Robb Smith, who returns for a third stint as the Rutgers defensive coordinator after leading the Scarlet Knights from 2009-2012 and again in 2020-2021.
He's been a defensive analyst at Penn State and its top-10 defense for the last two seasons.
Rutgers really slipped defensively over the back half of last season and hit the transfer portal hard to overhaul this unit. The Knights brought in Weaver from Ohio and Eric O’Neill from James Madison to help get more pressure up front.
Penn State transfer Cam Miller and Marshall transfer Jacobie Henderson will take over the cornerback roles. Linebacker Dariel Djabome returns at linebacker after leading the Scarlet Knights with 105 tackles last season.
Even with some new faces, this defense should be better than it was last year.
Ohio vs Rutgers Pick, Betting Analysis
Rutgers ranks ninth in the country in returning production, including the third most returning production on offense. The only piece it lost was Monangai, but good as he was, Campbell and Raymond should have no problem replacing his production.
Campbell was third in the American in missed tackles forced last season and averaged 4.0 yards after contact per attempt. He should feast in the offense with a lot less work to do running behind this experienced offensive line.
Ohio also returns a good bit on offense but ranks 120th in returning production on defense. Rutgers was able to replenish its defense with pieces from Penn State, two All-Sun Belt players and Ohio’s best defenseman. The Bobcats will be relying on pieces from Youngstown State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
That's where the biggest mismatch in this matchup can be found. All five starters on the offensive line for Rutgers started last season, and they all weigh over 300 pounds. They're going to absolutely bully this brand-new Ohio front for four straight quarters.
The Bobcats' defensive line averages 265 pounds and is in for a rough evening. Even if they're able to withstand this Rutgers offensive line, Campbell and Raymond are both elite at forcing missed tackles and should be able to run all over this defense.
When you get these larger spreads early in the season, you also need to ask yourself: This team can run it up, but will it?
Since 2005, Rutgers has gone 14-8 against the spread when its a favorite between -10.5 and -31.
Let’s look at some of the recent non-conference games and how Schiano treated them.
In 2021, they beat Delaware 45-13 and Temple 61-14. In 2022, they beat Wagner 66-7. In 2023, Rutgers beat Wagner 53-2 and Temple 36-7, scoring 23 points in the fourth quarter. Last season, they started the year beating Howard 44-7 and then beat Akron 49-17 and scored 28 points in the second half.
Look for Rutgers to run it all over the Bobcats on Thursday night and continue running up the score through the second half.
Pick: Rutgers -15.5 (Play to -17)
