QB Kyle McCord of the Ohio State Buckeyes is aware that not every player is fully healthy at this stage of the season.

This Saturday at SHI Stadium, the newly designated No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes will play the tough-to-win road game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

For a program that hasn’t had a season with at least six wins since 2014, when the Scarlet Knights finished 8-5, Rutgers is already 6-2 as of the beginning of November.

This is obviously not the same Rutgers club that the Buckeyes are 9-0 versus in the all-time series—all of the Buckeyes’ victories have been by double digits—even if Ohio State (8-0) is still a roughly 19-point favorite on the road. This includes Ohio State’s 49-10 victory in Columbus last year.

With everything considered, it is critical that Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord plays at full strength despite an ankle ailment. Although he acknowledged to the media on Wednesday that he won’t be fully recovered for Saturday, it doesn’t appear that this will have much of an effect on the OSU signal-caller’s availability.

It’s not perfect, McCord said. Simply pushing through it, pushing through the pain. The biggest thing is learning how to play with it. And I think it’s been getting better every single week. And, you know, just learning how to move on it a little bit and stuff like that.”

Despite some setbacks this season, McCord has persevered, helping Ohio State secure the top spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings, which were unveiled on Tuesday. The Buckeyes defeated No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 7 Penn State, respectively, with decisive victories. Their remaining wins have all come by double digits.

Numerous players’ bodies have suffered over the season, including McCord.

“We’re at that point in the year where no one’s quite 100 percent,” McCord stated. Thus, I believe that just playing through it is plenty. Of course, I could keep playing on it when I returned and received some treatment. I feel fairly comfortable about it right now.

Despite some setbacks this season, McCord has persevered, helping Ohio State secure the top spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings, which were unveiled on Tuesday. The Buckeyes defeated No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 7 Penn State, respectively, with decisive victories. Their remaining wins have all come by double digits.

Numerous players’ bodies have suffered over the season, including McCord.