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Michigan State Football: 5 bold predictions vs. Ohio State in Week 11

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - NOVEMBER 04: Brian Lewerke #14 of the Michigan State Spartans throws a second half pass while playing the Penn State Nittany Lions at Spartan Stadium on November 4, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 27-24. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - NOVEMBER 04: Brian Lewerke #14 of the Michigan State Spartans throws a second half pass while playing the Penn State Nittany Lions at Spartan Stadium on November 4, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 27-24. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Week 11 presents a tough matchup for Michigan State football as it travels to Columbus to take on the No. 12 Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Big Ten title is on the line Saturday. Like most seasons in the past five years, the Michigan State versus Ohio State battle will have a major effect on the conference title race. This season, it pins two top-15 teams against each other, tied atop the Big Ten East with 5-1 marks.

Mark Dantonio always seems to get his guys up for this matchup, probably because there are a number of players on the roster from the state of Ohio. Now with even more on the line, the Spartans can go into this one with nothing to lose as the major underdog and a team no one expected to even be a contender in the conference.

Crazy things can happen in big games like these and that’s where our weekly bold predictions come into play. Can we expect a down-to-the-wire finish or will it be a blowout like Vegas is expecting?

Take a look at our five bold predictions for the new rivalry game.

5. JK Dobbins will be held under 50 yards

It’s crazy how much can happen in a year. Just last season, Mike Weber was a freshman for the Buckeyes who broke out for over 1,000 yards at the running back position, filling in nicely for the departed Ezekiel Elliott.

Now, Weber sits on the depth chart as the No. 2 running back and the third-leading rusher on the team. He has been passed on the depth chart by freshman J.K. Dobbins from La Grange, Texas, after he filled in for in for the then-injured Weber to start the year.

Dobbins now looks like the lead back and he has impressed. In fact, he has three 100-yard rushing games, including two over 170 yards. He has only accounted for 15-plus attempts once this season and he will be held in check yet again ton Saturday, finishing with his lowest total of the year.

Michigan State’s run defense is fourth-best in the country and Dobbins will have a tough time finding any lanes against that impressive unit. The Spartans will bottle him up and hold him to under 50 yards.

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