Ohio State vs. Michigan State: Game Grades, Analysis for Buckeyes and Spartans
Urban Meyer and No. 14 Ohio State (8-1) picked up a huge win in East Lansing Saturday night, beating No. 8 Michigan State (7-2) 49-37 in a prime-time showdown.
The Buckeyes took control of the Big Ten's East Division with the victory, and if they can win two of their final three games (against Minnesota, Indiana and Michigan), they'll clinch a spot in the conference title game. Meyer has his eyes set on a bigger prize, though, as Saturday night's 12-point win will give Ohio State a huge boost in the College Football Playoff race.
The loss was devastating for Michigan State and its conference and national title hopes. The Spartans will have to win and out and hope that the Buckeyes lose two of their final three games in order to reach the Big Ten title game.
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How did Ohio State and Michigan State grade out from Saturday night's surprising shootout?
| Pass Offense | A | A |
| Run Offense | B+ | A+ |
| Pass Defense | A- | C |
| Run Defense | C- | C |
| Special Teams | F | D |
| Coaching | A | A |
Ohio State Buckeyes Grades Analysis
Pass Offense: The Buckeyes knew they would need to throw the ball to beat Michigan State, and J.T. Barrett came through in a big way for his team. The redshirt freshman was sensational in the first half, throwing for 233 yards and two touchdowns against a stingy Spartans defense. Barrett finished with 300 yards through the air, and his top two targets—Devin Smith and Michael Thomas—came up huge, combining for 220 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Run Offense: Ezekiel Elliott and the Buckeyes' rushing attack abused what was one of the nation's strongest run defenses, piling up 268 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Elliott was explosive and showed excellent vision, running for 154 yards and two scores on just 23 carries. Barrett was a factor on the ground as well, accounting for 80 yards, but it was his 55-yard scamper in the fourth quarter that helped put the Spartans away.
Pass Defense: Ohio State did a good job of flustering Connor Cook early as he completed just six of 18 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown in the first half. The Spartans got things going in the second half, but one of the biggest keys to Ohio State's victory was Doran Grant's success against Tony Lippett. The star Michigan State receiver leads the Big Ten and ranks ninth nationally with 111.1 receiving yards per game, but against the Buckeyes, he only managed 64 yards on five receptions.
Run Defense: Ohio State was having trouble with Jeremy Langford in the first half as coach Mark Dantonio and the Spartans tried to establish the run and set the tone early. While Cook was struggling, the running game was surging as Michigan State rushed for 137 yards in the first half. The Buckeyes had a hard time getting Langford on the ground all night, as the tough running back bulldozed his way to another 100-yard rushing performance.
Special Teams: Ohio State's horrendous night on special teams started early when freshman kicker Sean Nuernberger missed a 47-yard field goal on the game's opening drive. It went downhill from there as Dontre Wilson fumbled two kickoffs, only one of which was recovered by the Buckeyes. Ohio State also lost a possession when a Michigan State punt bounced off Jeff Greene, who was trying to set up a block for his returner. Those were the only two turnovers of the game, and it nearly cost the Buckeyes in the first half.
Coaching: Meyer and Ohio State came into Saturday night's game looking to even the score after Michigan State knocked the Buckeyes off in East Lansing. You could tell that Meyer had his offense ready to go, as the unit played arguably its best game of the season, piling up 568 yards and 49 points against the nation's fifth-best defense.
| Pass Offense | D+ | B+ |
| Run Offense | A | A- |
| Pass Defense | F | F |
| Run Defense | C- | F |
| Special Teams | B- | B |
| Coaching | C | C |
Michigan State Spartans Grades Analysis
Pass Offense: Cook got off to a hot start on Michigan State's first drive, connecting on two of his first three passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. He slowed afterward, though, missing on nine of his next 13 passes before halftime. But trailing for the entirety of the second half, the Spartans aired things out, and Cook finished with 358 passing yards and two touchdowns against no interceptions.
Run Offense: Langford had another big day against the Buckeyes, accounting for 137 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He led the way for a Spartans attack that bullied Ohio State in the first half, but with the deficit that Michigan State was facing in the second half, Langford faded down the stretch. The Spartans finished with 178 yards and a respectable 5.2 yards per rush.
Pass Defense: The Spartans shut down Braxton Miller and Ohio State's passing attack in last year's Big Ten title game, but they had no such luck against Barrett and this year's Buckeyes. Kurtis Drummond and the Michigan State secondary were gashed by Barrett as they surrendered 300 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Spartans allowed both Smith and Thomas to break free for long touchdowns catches, and their inability to stop the Buckeyes ultimately cost them the game.
Run Defense: Michigan State had an even tougher time slowing the Buckeyes down on the ground. Elliott and Barrett ran through and around the Spartans, averaging an incredible 6.5 yards per carry against the vaunted Michigan State run defense. A hobbled Shilique Calhoun didn't help matters, but even having him at 100 percent wouldn't have stopped a determined Ohio State squad.
Special Teams: Michigan State's special teams came up with the two big turnovers in the first half, but they also had a big blunder when Michael Geiger whiffed on a 39-yard field goal. It was a missed opportunity that would have put the Spartans up by 10, but the Buckeyes went down and tied the game on the ensuing drive, capitalizing on a big swing in momentum that Michigan State never recovered from.
Coaching: Dantonio and the Spartans staff came in with a solid game plan, hoping to establish the ground game and the physicality that proved to be the difference in last year's Big Ten title game. That would have worked on last year's Ohio State team, but this year's edition completely outpaced the Spartans for most of the game. Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi admitted to being a step behind Ohio State's staff the entire game, and the result certainly reflected that.
All stats via NCAA.com.
David Regimbal covers Ohio State football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.
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