Michigan State football: 3 keys to victory over No. 4 Ohio State

Michigan State football is 9-1 for the first time since 2015. That year, the Spartans entered their eleventh game at Ohio State and walked out with a 17-14 victory. That was on their way to the College Football Playoff.

Like 2015, this Michigan State team is 9-1 and entering Columbus with Big Ten title game implications. As we all know, the Spartans’ path to the playoff is clear: win out and you’re in. That would mean wins against both Ohio State and Penn State.

There are several things that Michigan State needs to do in order to stay competitive. They could force Ohio State into making mistakes, make as few as possible, and utilize Kenneth Walker III. They’ll have a blast doing so, I’m sure. The Buckeyes are competing with their own Heisman candidate, quarterback CJ Stroud.

It’s highly unlikely that Michigan State will win against Ohio State, but we can at least hope for a close game. The Spartans can do several things to help make the game competitive.

The challenge for Michigan State football will be using Kenneth Walker III

To beat Ohio State, the Spartans will need to be the best version of themselves. They’ll need to have timely pressure on Stroud, timely offensive plays, and keep Ohio State’s offense off the field.

To me, it looks like there are three things Michigan State can do to increase their chances of winning, or at the very least, keep the game close. Even a close game against Ohio State would go far in determining where the Spartans get placed, whether it’s the Peach Bowl or Rose Bowl.

If Michigan gets blown out against Ohio State, that could give Michigan State an edge in bowl rankings if the Spartans don’t get boat raced in this game.