Michigan State Football: 5 bold predictions for huge Ohio State battle

Week 11 is upon us and it’s time to look at the battle between Ohio State and Michigan State football. Will the Spartans pull off the upset?

This is one of those games that Mark Dantonio thrives in. No one is really expecting the Spartans to win and contend for a Big Ten East title — barring a miracle loss by the Wolverines to Indiana — and the Buckeyes are the last big hurdle standing in the way.

Michigan State (6-3) has had an up-and-down season with tough losses to Northwestern and Arizona State but the Spartans are ranked No. 18 in the latest College Football Playoff poll, meaning there’s still a chance for a major bowl berth.

Ohio State (8-1), on the other hand, has been atop the Big Ten standings all season, but a blowout loss to Purdue changed people’s mindsets about the Buckeyes. Then, a close victory over Nebraska made things even stickier for Ohio State.

Can the Spartans beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 2015?

5. Spartans hold Buckeyes under 150 yards rushing

For some reason or another, Ohio State has struggled on the ground this season, at least under the Buckeyes’ standards. The Buckeyes are averaging just under 180 yards per game on the ground, but the Spartans struggled with the duo of Mike Weber and JK Dobbins in Columbus last year as they both rushed for over 100 yards.

Things will be much different on Saturday as the Spartans boast one of the best run defenses in college football, allowing just 72 yards per game on the ground.

Weber and Dobbins will struggle all day long, averaging just under 4.0 yards per carry and finishing with a total of 110 yards rushing. This won’t be enough to really put the Spartans away as Michigan State will hang around and avoid a blowout like what happened in 2017.