Ohio State vs. Michigan State: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time, More
Ohio State and Michigan State last met in the Big Ten Championship Game last season, with the vibe around Saturday's rematch eerily similar if not more so thanks to a chance at the College Football Playoff being alive and well for both programs.
The 14th-ranked Buckeyes have one loss on the season and are hotter offensively than most teams in the nation although it certainly does not hurt that the defense ranks among the top 20 in the nation, too.
The No. 8 Spartans lost to then-No. 3 Oregon on the same weekend the Buckeyes picked up their only loss of the season but have since won just about every game in dominating fashion.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Saturday night is an important showcase for the Big Ten, especially with College GameDay in town. For both programs, though, all that matters is staying alive in the hunt for the CFP.
No Ordinary Big Ten Encounter
Runs and punts are what most think of when it comes to the Big Ten, but that could not be further from the truth for the Spartans and Buckeyes.
As Big Ten Network puts into visual form, it is in no way cliche to say it is difficult to find a pair of more evenly matched teams:
Urban Meyer's Buckeyes not only rank No. 4 nationally with an average of 45.6 points scored per game, the team has rattled off 50 or more points in five of its last six games.
Not to be outdone, the Spartans come in right behind the Buckeyes thanks to a 45.5-points-per-game average and have scored a minimum of 45 in four of their last six.
For two programs accustomed to buttering their bread on the defensive side of the football, both have flipped the script on the nation—and each other. Something has to give, too, as not only are both teams similar in their stats, their downright dominance in the conference is much of the same, as explained by Chris Vannini of CoachingSearch.com:
Defense does not exactly take a backseat, though. The Buckeyes allow just 19.9 points per game. The Spartans currently rest at 20.3, with five of their eight opponents scoring just 17 or fewer points.
But offense is sexy and grabs the headlines, and this time for good reason. Both teams provide a breath of fresh air as opposed to their usual strengths, making this matchup one of the most intriguing between the two in recent memory.
Unexpected Quarterback Duel
If somebody had told fans before the season that J.T. Barrett vs. Connor Cook would be one of the most hotly anticipated quarterback showdowns of the year, that poor soul would have been laughed out of the building.
So it goes.
The junior Cook has exceeded expectations since the conference title game last year, something Buckeyes defensive tackle Michael Bennett certainly has not forgotten.
"Going into the game last year, Connor Cook didn't really put anything exceptional on film," Bennett said, per The Associated Press, via ESPN.com. "Then when he played us, he had a really good game, and I think he's kept improving since then."
This year, Cook has completed 60.6 percent of his passes and has 1,868 yards and 17 touchdowns to five interceptions.
Many were ready to count out the Buckeyes after a season-ending injury to Braxton Miller, but Barrett has been better in many ways since taking over. The freshman has completed 64.7 of his passes and has 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns to seven interceptions. Few quarterbacks are better in the dual-threat department as well, as he also has 496 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
"The one thing that he does well, even better than Braxton, is when something is not there, he puts his foot in the ground and gets us to 2nd-and-4, 2nd-and-5," Meyer said, per Austin Ward of ESPN.com. "Someone blitzes, someone flashes, someone misses a block...he puts his foot in the ground."
An ability to take care of the football and put their offenses in short-yardage situations has both teams riding high even if the general public has yet to catch on to the fact that two of the nation's better quarterbacks play for these rivals.
That changes Saturday night.
When: Saturday, November 8, 8 p.m. ET
Where: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan
Television: ABC
Betting Lines (via Odds Shark):
- Over/Under: 57.5
- Spread: Michigan State (-3.5)
Team Injury Reports
| Kyle Berger | LB | 08/15/2014 | will miss the entire season | Out | knee |
| Devan Bogard | LB | 10/23/2014 | will miss the remainder of the season | Out | knee |
| Johnnie Dixon | WR | 09/25/2014 | will miss the remainder of the season | Out | knee |
| Rashad Frazier | DE | 11/05/2014 | is questionable for Saturday's game against Michign State | Questionable | ankle |
| Marshon Lattimore | CB | 08/31/2014 | will miss the entire season | Out | hamstring |
| Braxton Miller | QB | 08/19/2014 | will miss the entire season | Out | shoulder |
| Armani Reeves | DB | 11/05/2014 | is questionable for Saturday's game against Michign State | Questionable | head |
| Rod Smith | RB | 10/30/2014 | has left the team | Out | personal |
| Noah Spence | DE | 09/12/2014 | is suspended indefinitely | Suspended | disciplinary |
| Mylan Hicks | LB | 10/07/2014 | is expected to miss 5-6 weeks | Out | arm |
| Gerald Holmes | RB | 11/02/2014 | is questionable for Saturday's game against Ohio State | Questionable | knee |
| James Kittredge | DT | 11/02/2014 | is questionable for Saturday's game against Ohio State | Questionable | lower body |
Injury reports per The Sports Network, via USA Today.
Prediction
Unfortunately for Meyer's new-look Buckeyes, Saturday is going to feel a whole lot like the title game last year.
The Michigan State defense is simply too good to let the Ohio State offense run wild. Outside of a matchup with Penn State, which was decided in overtime, the Buckeyes have yet to truly be tested against an elite defense.
At home, Cook will do enough while taking care of the football to give his defense the cushion it needs. It will not be some sort of low-scoring affair, but the Spartans will once again prove they are the class of the Big Ten.
Prediction: Spartans 34, Buckeyes 30
Statistics and info courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
