The 3 Biggest X-Factors for Ohio State vs. Rutgers

After a week away from the action, Urban Meyer and No. 13 Ohio State will get back at it this Saturday when they host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

It will be a big game for the Buckeyes, who are looking to build on the momentum they gained in a trio of consecutive blowouts over Kent State, Cincinnati and Maryland. Those routs, in addition to a number of upsets to higher-ranked teams in the last two weeks, have Ohio State back in the College Football Playoff race.

To stay in that race, the Buckeyes will need to hold off the upset-minded Scarlet Knights. And while Ohio State is favored by 19.5 points, according to Odds Shark, Meyer will need his team to bring its best to the field this weekend.

Here are three X-factors for the Buckeyes in their matchup against the Scarlet Knights.

Ohio State's Secondary

The last time Rutgers saw the field, quarterback Gary Nova was torching the Michigan defense, completing 22 of 39 passes for a career-high 404 yards and three touchdowns against no interceptions. The senior signal-caller kept the Wolverines off balance, finding 10 different pass-catchers in a 26-24 victory.

Nova was named the Big Ten Player of the Week for his performance, and he earned the praise of Scarlet Knights head coach Kyle Flood.

"I thought he played an excellent game,'' Flood said of Nova, according to Keith Sargeant of NJ.com. "I thought he made good decisions, he made good throws. He made some plays under duress that guys who play at a high level make.''

Nova will challenge Ohio State's overhauled secondary.

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

The Buckeyes have played well under new co-defensive coordinator Chris Ash and his aggressive 4-3 scheme, but there have been growing pains. Cincinnati's Gunner Kiel took advantage of some miscues in Ohio State's secondary, throwing for 352 yards and four touchdowns in Week 5. 

Ash's unit looked much better a week later against Maryland, limiting an explosive passing attack to just 244 yards while coming up with four interceptions.

If the Buckeyes bring that kind of focus to Ohio Stadium on Saturday, it will be a long afternoon for Nova and the Rutgers offense.

Joey Bosa

Joey Bosa will also need to make things difficult for Nova.

The sophomore defensive end has been an absolute terror coming off the edge for the Buckeyes this season. He's been a disruptive force, leading the team in tackles for loss (seven), sacks (3.5) and forced fumbles (three), according to Ohio State's official website.

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The Scarlet Knights do a good job of protecting their quarterback, though. Rutgers allows just 1.33 sacks per game—ranking 26th nationally—which is a big factor in Nova's success this season.

One of the best ways to knock a passing attack out of rhythm is to fluster the quarterback. The Buckeyes are only averaging 2.4 sacks per game, so they'll need to ramp up the pressure this Saturday.

As the best pass-rusher on the team, Bosa will need to fuel that effort.

Ezekiel Elliott

Ohio State's offense has surged in its last three outings, averaging 56 points and 623.7 total yards of offense per game.

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett has been sensational during that stretch, and he has the Buckeyes playing at a high level. But the emergence of sophomore running back Ezekiel Elliott has been a big factor in Ohio State's offensive explosion.

Against Navy and Virginia Tech, Elliott didn't catch a single pass out of the backfield and accumulated just 76 rushing yards, averaging 3.8 yards per carry. In Ohio State's last three games, though, Elliott is averaging 165 total yards per game and 6.5 yards per rush. 

Meyer will unleash Elliott against a Rutgers team that has had decent success defending the run this year. The Scarlet Knights currently rank 44th in run defense—one spot higher than the Buckeyes—allowing 135 yards per game. 

Ohio State will want to maintain the balance it has established over the last three games, so getting Elliott in a groove early will be key.

David Regimbal covers Ohio State football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.