Ohio Bobcats vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Prediction, Odds and Picks for Thursday, 08/28/25
Ohio vs Rutgers Pickswise Expert Predictions
The defending MAC champions, the Ohio Bobcats, roll into Week 1 coming off the first 11-win season in program history looking to make some noise against what’s turned into a legitimate Big Ten program in the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. With success comes transition, and the Bobcats will be taken over by former offensive coordinator Brian Smith after Tim Albin took the Charlotte head coaching job. The Bobcats return a bevy of notable starters including All-MAC QB Parker Navarro and the majority of a secondary unit that contributed to Ohio finishing as a top-10 unit in total defense last season. The Bobcats found success last year through slow, methodical drives and an all-around defense that saw a perfect 10-0 record when limiting opponents to 4.2 yards per carry or less. Ohio ranked 13th in scoring defense and 4th against the run in all of FBS last season, and I expect the unit to still be strong under a new head coach in 2025.
The primary concern for the Bobcats lies up front after losing top edge rusher Bradley Weaver to their Week 1 opponent, Rutgers. However, Rutgers lost its top rusher from a season ago and will likely look to lean on veteran QB Athan Kaliakmanis to begin the season. Ohio found success in 2024 when controlling the tempo, ranking 125th in plays per second last season while the Scarlet Knights struggled to generate much chaos, falling outside of the top-100 in turnovers gained last season. Rutgers is no longer a free pass in the Big Ten, but the tale of the tape for this matchup suggests it will be difficult for the Scorlet Knights to pull away substantially. I’ll lean on Navarro to make a few big plays to keep this one interesting and take the Bobcats to cover a two-touchdown spread.
Ohio vs Rutgers prediction: Bobcats +14.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.
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Ryan Bunnell
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