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Buckeyes roll; Penn State next

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Fresh off another rout, Justin Fields and No. 2 Ohio State was looking ahead. Because chances are the next couple of games figure to be a bit tougher for the Buckeyes.

Fields threw for a career-high 305 yards and matched his best with four touchdown passes as Ohio State romped over Rutgers 56-21 on Saturday.

Ohio State (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) posted its 16th straight win over the last two seasons. The Buckeyes had been outscoring opponents by over 42 points per game, the biggest margin in the nation, and were favored by 51 in this matchup.

The win keep the Buckeyes on the path toward a possible national championship with major games coming in the final two weeks of the regular season against No. 9 Penn State (9-1) and No. 14 Michigan (8-2).

Ohio State coach Ryan Day insisted his team was not complacent in beating Rutgers (2-8, 0-7) for the sixth straight time.

“I don’t think so,” Day said. “They’re good coaches and playing hard until the end. They did a good job. Again, we’re going to go through the film, but this is a sport where we’re focused on the next opponent already.”

J.K. Dobbins ran for two touchdowns for the Buckeyes and cornerback Shaun Wade set up two early TDs with an interception and a forced fumble.

Playing just over a half, Fields finished 15 of 19 in topping his previous best of 234 yards against Florida Atlantic in the season opener. His touchdown passes covered 11 and 24 yards to Binjimen Victor, 35 yards to K.J. Hill and 14 yards to Luke Farrell on the opening series of the second half. The Georgia transfer has thrown 31 touchdowns and one interception in his first season as the Buckeyes’ starter.

Fields downplayed his numbers.

“Game, by game, whatever the stats are, that’s what it is,” he said. “I’m just glad we got the W.”

Rutgers took the opening kickoff and turned the ball over twice in his first four plays from scrimmage, helping stake Ohio State to a 14-0 lead which eventually stretched to 42-7.

New Jersey resident Chris Chungunov replaced Fields and added two more TD tosses, a 4-yarder to Jake Hausmann and a 32-yarder to Jaelen Gill.

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