Ohio State Football: Why Buckeyes Will Have a Tough Time with Spartans

Week 5 of the college football season will pit the Ohio State Buckeyes against the Michigan State Spartans in what will be a tough game for Ohio State to win.

For the Buckeyes, the Spartans will be the toughest team they have faced yet this season. Ohio State has yet to play a ranked team, yet the Buckeyes have already had two close calls.

The first of which came against the California Golden Bears in a game that saw the Buckeyes win by a single touchdown. Another test came in the form of the UAB Blazers, who in the fourth quarter found themselves down by just six points.

While the Buckeyes were able to prevail in both contests, they must step up against Michigan State if they hope to remain unbeaten.

MSU will bring a different look against Ohio State in this game.

The Spartans are very balanced on the offensive end with a nice mix of run and pass. Le'Veon Bell is an incredible talent who has proven to be a top back in the game this season.

Per ESPN.com, head coach Urban Meyer called his defensive unit a "bend-and-break defense" and that kind of play won't be enough to stop a talented offensive attack like Michigan State's.

Not to mention, Meyer also wasn't too impressed on the offensive end after his team's last game against UAB, saying, "And then we're not a methodically dominating offense. I mean, we're not a very good offense right now."

The Spartans couldn't be a worse opponent for an offense like the Buckeyes.

Michigan State currently sports an elite defense that is ranked 11th in the nation, and any lackluster play will get swallowed up by the Spartans' defense.

So if the Buckeyes can't stop the Spartans' rushing attack and can't keep their offense on the field because of Michigan State's stingy defense, Ohio's defensive unit could spend a ton of time on the field in this game.

That would mean a major advantage in time of possession for the Spartans, while the tired legs of the Buckeyes defense will struggle to stop the Spartans as a result.

Michigan State will be Ohio State's toughest challenge by far this season and it's a matchup between two Big Ten powerhouses that is nowhere near a foregone conclusion.