3 reasons Ohio State will thump Michigan State
By Alec Hartman
2. The Buckeyes’ improved rushing defense will keep the Spartans off the field.
The Buckeyes’ defense does have a bright spot which comes in the form of rush defense. At a current ranking of 12th in the nation in the category, the Buckeyes have continued to impress against the run. The game script may have something to do with their consistent success but another factor is the improvement of the linebackers.
Linebackers Pete Werner, Tuf Borland, and Baron Browning have been key factors to the success of the run defense. It has been years since Buckeye linebackers and success have entered the same sentence confidently. This group finally seems to be rounding out to something meaningful as each of these starters has made great strides.
The linebacker trio tops the Buckeyes statistically in total tackles led by Pete Werner who is also second on the team in tackles for loss. Their ability in pass coverage remains to be seen but they know how to fill the gaps and contain the big run. One of the Buckeyes’ main weaknesses in recent years was defending the big play. These backers have been diligent at keeping the ball in front of them.
The Spartans will not pose much of a threat to the Buckeyes in the run game as they rank last in the Big Ten in rushing offense and eighth-worst in the nation. The Buckeyes held the Hoosiers to -1 rushing yards in their last outing. The Spartans tend to fall behind in their matchups which has clearly had an effect on continuity in their run game due to game script.
As a team, the Spartans average just 2.7 yards per carry with just one rushing touchdown in five games. A committee consisting of junior Connor Heyward and freshman Jordon Simmons leads the Spartans in rushing. Neither of the backs averages over 3.5 yards per carry. Expect the Buckeyes to stifle this underwhelming rush attack and force the Spartans into obvious passing situations.