Big Ten Football Power Rankings Week 9: Ohio State stays strong

Oct 24, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) turns up field during the first quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

Michigan State desperately needed a blowout win against an inferior team in Indiana this week, and the Spartans got one — although it took 55 minutes to really put the Hoosiers away. Taking a 31-26 lead into the final minutes of the game, Connor Cook made an NFL-caliber throw to junior receiver R.J. Shelton in the end zone to put MSU up 38-26, and it was all over. The Spartans added two more scores to make it a 52-26 final.

Cook proved, once again, that he is the top quarterback in the Big Ten, falling just two passing yards shy of the single-game school record. He finished with 398 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions, really looking like a pro-ready QB. Cook’s receivers helped him out as well as Aaron Burbridge recorded his sixth 100-yard game of the season.

No surprise here. Beating Rutgers is not a big deal and should not really be considered a “huge” win, but the way the Buckeyes defeated the Scarlet Knights was nothing short of impressive. After weeks of mediocre play that had almost resulted in a number of upset losses — including Northern Illinois, Maryland and Indiana — the Buckeyes came back to absolutely dismantle Rutgers on Saturday night.

The real difference in the quality of play, in my opinion, was the naming of J.T. Barrett as the team’s starting quarterback. This is something Urban Meyer should have done from the beginning of the year as the sophomore quarterback is the most talented gunslinger on the team and Cardale Jones just doesn’t have that spark. Barrett passed for 223 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 101 yards and two more scores.

Next: MSU Football: Top 7 plays of the 2015 season so far

More from Spartan Avenue

• Michigan State football: 5 candidates to replace Mel Tucker as head coach
• Michigan State football: 3 not-so-quick takes from rewatching Washington loss
• Michigan State Football: Revisiting Week 3 goals vs. Washington
• Michigan State vs. Washington: How to watch, odds, injuries, weather, prediction
• Michigan State Football: 3 goals and a prediction against Washington