5 reasons No. 10 Ohio State will dispose of Michigan State in East Lansing
By Alec Hartman
2. The Buckeyes cannot give up on the run game
Last week was the first time in a while the Buckeyes have been successful in running the ball. That has been the main theme of the last few weeks as running backs Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins have recorded career lows in rushing efficiency. It seems as if the team has finally stopped giving them the cold shoulder and let them back into the game plan.
Yes, the passing game has been good for the Buckeyes this season but there have also been many moments when it has gone stagnant as well. The run game is what kick started the Buckeyes last week against Nebraska. After Mike Weber and Dwayne Haskins had trouble holding onto the ball in the first half, J.K. Dobbins took over and ran the ball very well.
Dobbins started to look like himself again after he turned in his best rushing performance of the season. He had 23 carries for 163 yards and three touchdowns. Dobbins’ 7.1 yards per carry in this game matches near his average from last season. This seems like a huge game on the ground for the Buckeyes this season but it’s actually what the Buckeyes have ran like almost weekly in the last few seasons.
It was a big win for the Buckeyes’ offense as it was a firm reminder of what they need to do in order to be successful. The whole team ends up looking better after a great day on the ground. There’s nothing flashy about a nice ground game but it sure does get the job done. The Buckeyes’ 40 rushing attempts against Nebraska almost doubled their total attempts against Purdue.
The Buckeyes must continue to keep feeding the running game no matter what it takes. The hill will be a bit more steep against Michigan State though as they have the best rushing defense in the Big Ten this season. It seems as if no matter what the Spartans do wrong they always tend to play it tough against the run.
This will certainly be a challenge to overcome but it’s not something the Buckeyes haven’t overcame before. The Spartans had the fourth best rushing defense in the nation last season and the Buckeyes still ran for 335 yards and four touchdowns on them. Weber and Dobbins combined for almost 300 yards.
If the Buckeyes can start to run downhill early then they can keep the train going as the game goes on. It may be tough at first but as soon as the Buckeyes start moving the sticks then the avalanche will come. Expect the Buckeyes to continue their use of the run game to fuel their offense.