Game To Watch: #7 Michigan State at #4 Ohio State: November 20, 2021

Michigan State will visit Ohio State for a critical match-up in Columbus on Saturday at 12:00 EST. The Spartans have had a remarkable season and are coming off a 40 – 21 home win against Maryland that pushed their record to 9 – 1 overall and 6 – 1 in conference play. The Buckeyes beat Purdue 59 – 31 last week, running their record to 9 – 1 overall and 7 – 0 in conference play. The Big Ten East race is down to Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan, these two teams will settle part of that puzzle on Saturday.

Recent History

Ohio State is 34 – 15 all time against Michigan State. The Buckeyes have won seven of the last ten, including five straight in the series. They won last year’s game 52 – 12 on the road. Michigan State’s last win in the series was a 17 – 14 win on the road in 2015, knocking Ohio State out of the playoff and helping Michigan State earn their only playoff bid. The Spartans also beat Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game in 2013 to keep the Buckeyes out of the BCS National Championship Game that year.

Top 25 Players

What To Watch For…

Battle of the Running Backs

Kenneth Walker and TreVeyon Henderson have been on the short list for best running backs in the country this season. Walker has become a Heisman candidate with big performances in key games for the Spartans. He ran for 197 yards and 5 touchdowns in the big win against Michigan a few weeks ago. Walker is an explosive runner who has the patience, vision and burst to allow plays to develop and make big plays even when the defense thinks they have him contained. He has carried the ball 227 times for 1,473 yards and 17 touchdowns this year, averaging 6.5 yards per carry and leading the way for his offense. Henderson is a true freshman who took a couple of weeks to become the lead runner for Ohio State, but has been remarkable as well. He set an Ohio State freshman record with 277 rushing yards against Tulsa and had 152 rushing yards in the win against Penn State. Henderson has an elite burst that makes him tough to get angles against and helps him get to the second level quickly where he is nearly unstoppable. Henderson has carried the ball 141 times for 1,035 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 7.3 yards per carry and giving the Buckeyes an explosive weapon in the backfield to go with their dynamic passing attack. Two of the best running backs in college football will be on display Saturday and their performance will be critical to the outcome of the game.

Will Ohio State’s Explosive Offense Roll?

Ohio State’s offense is among the best in the country. The Buckeyes average 46.3 points per game and 8 yards per play, leading the country in both categories. With CJ Stroud getting better every week at quarterback, a dangerous trio of receivers and the aforementioned Henderson in the backfield, it’s difficult for defenses to match-up. The best bet is usually to take away the big plays and hope the offense gets anxious and makes a mistake. Usually the Buckeyes are a well oiled machine offensively having cleared 40 points in seven of ten games this year. The Spartans have rebuilt much of their back seven this year and rank ninth in the conference allowing 22.5 points per game. The run defense has been solid, but Michigan State has given up far too many passing yards this year. Even still they are seventh in the Big Ten in yards per pass attempt against. The defense has been solid this year but unspectacular, they will need to be spectacular on Saturday to contain what could be the best offense in the country.

Can Michigan State Take Advantage of Ohio State’s Defensive Woes?

Ohio State’s defense struggled early this season. The Buckeyes allowed 33 points per game over the first two games and were unable to get stops in key spots. Ryan Day shook up his defensive staff and the defense has made schematic changes as well. There has been a marked improvement since and the defense now allows 20.2 points per game for the season. They have improved their ability to create pressure and force turnovers which has helped the defense get back on track. The big difference is that Michigan State is the best offense the Buckeyes have faced since making changes to their defense. The Spartans rank third in the conference, scoring 34.6 points per game. They are second in yards per carry and third in yards per pass attempt. Michigan State has Kenneth Walker to build their offense around, but has shown the ability to open up the passing game with Payton Thorne and Jayden Reed this year. With explosive weapons on the perimeter and a strong running game this will be a tough test for the Ohio State defense.

Prediction

Ohio State’s offense is elite, they will look to put pressure on Michigan State and create separation early. Kenneth Walker is a great running back and with the balance the passing game provides, Michigan State will score some points as well. It will be difficult for Michigan State to match scores with the Buckeyes for four quarters, leading to an Ohio State win. Ohio State 48 Michigan State 31.

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