Ohio State football: 5 reasons the Buckeyes will beat Michigan State
By Alec Hartman
The Ohio State Buckeyes return to Ohio Stadium where they will look to bounce back against the Michigan State Spartans.
The mood has changed quite a bit for Ohio State as it went from being like a dream to a nightmare in a matter of one week. The Buckeyes were on top of the world with the competition at its feet but that is no longer the case.
The Bucks’ high from a grand comeback win over Penn State was sobered at the hands of the Iowa Hawkeyes.
A road trip that was meant to be a simple business excursion for the Buckeyes ended up becoming a treacherous expedition rather quickly. The Hawkeyes’ pick-six of J.T. Barrett out of the gate was the first of many upper cuts they would land.
There isn’t a better way to describe that loss other than pure domination.
While the Hawkeyes were getting whatever they wanted on offense, Ohio State struggled in every way possible. Barrett looked indecisive in the pocket for the first time in a while leading to four interceptions after throwing only one all season.
Barrett had more carries than running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber combined which is always a recipe for disaster. The whole calamity looked to be a combination of the Buckeyes being unprepared mixed with the Hawkeyes and their defense playing at full capacity.
Ohio State will have to put all of that in the rear view this week as they have an even better opponent on tap. Enter the #12 Michigan State Spartans who have lost two games in 2017. MSU bounced back from winning just three games in 2016. Now, they currently have seven wins already.
Despite their struggles, the Spartans were sure to show up against the Buckeyes in their last meeting. That game ended up being one of the hardest fought victories that Ohio State earned last season. They won by only one point as the game went all the way down to the wire.
The Spartans’ return to success is hardly a surprise though considering their coaching staff. Mark Dantonio has been one of the best coaches in the Big Ten. This is evidenced by his three Big Ten titles and also by how his teams give the Bucks a hard time every season.
This game has shaped up to be one of the most important games in the Big Ten this season. Each side currently controls their own destiny in the conference which makes this matchup as pivotal as it gets.
Ohio State is out for redemption after their poor performance last weekend. However, it certainly won’t come easy against the Spartans who have been a long time divisional rival.