Michigan State Football: 5 reasons Spartans will beat No. 13 Ohio State

EAST LANSING, MI - NOVEMBER 04: Cody White #7 of the Michigan State Spartans looks for yards after a second half catch in front of Manny Bowen #43 of 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) /

3 of 6

EVANSTON, IL – OCTOBER 28: Justin Jackson #21 of the Northwestern Wildcats is stopped short of the goal by David Dowell #6 of the Michigan State Spartans at Ryan Field on October 28, 2017 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

4. The run defense is elite

The Spartans held Heisman candidate Saquon Barkley to 63 yards rushing. They held Justin Jackson to only 41 yards on 17 carries the previous week and also held Iowa’s top-flight back, Akrum Wadley, to just 30 yards rushing.

This defense can stop the run. JT Barrett was the top rusher for the Buckeyes in the Penn State game. This team relies on him heavily for its offense and Iowa exposed that.

J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber are threats to take the pigskin to the house each time they touch the ball. However, the Spartans will not let Ohio State beat them on the ground. It will have to be through the air. This will be vintage Mark Dantonio defense on Saturday.

Michigan State’s cornerbacks have struggled with the dinking and dunking of the past couple of teams, but they have played well against the deep ball. They will dare Barrett to beat them deep because he has not been able to do that yet. They held Penn State on a number of third downs and they must do it again Saturday.

Home/Spartans Football