Rutgers Football - Ohio Game Preview

by Nathan Thompson August 28, 2025

Rutgers Football is set to kick off the 2025 season with a matchup against the defending MAC Champions, the Ohio Bobcats. The Bobcats are led by first year Head Coach Brian Smith, who takes over after serving as the offensive coordinator last season. He replaces Tim Albin, who left for Charlotte. With Rutgers’ offense strongest as ever, the Scarlet Knights look to pound the weaker MAC defense and ensure no upset takes place in Piscataway on Thursday night.

Key Players for Rutgers:

QB Athan Kaliakmanis - The returning starter is back for his final season of eligibility, and fans should look out for him to have a big first game in the season opener, as the passing game should be out in full force.
WR Ian Strong - This goes hand-in-hand with Strong’s QB, Kaliakmanis, as he will be the one throwing the returning Junior’s passes all evening long. Strong is expected to have another big season, and you will likely see the ball thrown into his hands consistently during this game.
DE Bradley Weaver - Weaver is one of two Rutgers players who have previously played for the Bobcats, with Safety Jett Elad being the other. Weaver was a beast on the edge for Ohio last season, and will look to make the same impact at Rutgers, only now against his former squad. Weaver recorded an incredible 8.5 sacks last season.

Key Players for Ohio:

QB Parker Navarro - Navarro returns as the Bobcats’ starting Quarterback from last season’s MAC Championship winning team. He can certainly be a guy who lights up the unpredictable Rutgers defense. Last season, Navarro threw for 2,423 yards and 13 touchdowns.
TE Mason Williams - Williams was only a Sophomore last season, but had a breakout 2024 campaign that had him going for 211 receiving yards on 19 receptions. He also scored three touchdowns. His blocking ability is also something to keep in mind with an inexperienced Rutgers defensive line in the Big Ten.
S DJ Walker - Walker leads the Bobcats secondary in almost every category. Last season, he broke out and recorded 53 combined tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 7 pass deflections, and an interception. Rutgers receivers must keep their heads on a swivel wherever DJ Walker is on the field.

Series History:

Rutgers leads the all-time series against Ohio, 2-1. They’ve only met three times ever, with the first result ending in a loss way back in 1937, but Rutgers has one the only two modern meetups with the two schools, in 2006 and 2011.

Wrap Up:

In a normal world, this shouldn’t be an issue of a game for Rutgers, as the Big Ten has a significant advantage in talent over the MAC. The only real threat that makes this game somewhat concerning for the Scarlet Knights is that the Ohio Bobcats have had three straight 10+ win seasons, and have only had one losing season 2008. Ohio’s offense may be something that Rutgers fans should be on high-alert for, but Rutgers’ offense has more talent, and if all goes well, should win them this game.