Week 5 rival watch: OSU stays unbeaten, trounces MSU

Elijah Kaye | Sep 29, 2024

Michigan State Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith shakes hands with Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day after the NCAA football game against Ohio State University at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. / Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In a matchup where Michigan fans would prefer to see both teams lose, Ohio State (4-0) came out on top against Michigan State for the ninth time in a row (3-2), thrashing the Spartans 38-7. The Buckeyes have outscored their first four opponents 195 to 27. Meanwhile, MSU drops its second consecutive game after a 3-0 start in the Jonathan Smith era.

Ohio State only led 3-0 after the first 15 minutes, but the Buckeyes turned it up a notch and scored three touchdowns in the second quarter to carry a 24-7 lead into halftime. On 4th & goal, Will Howard popped a 3-yard pass to Gee Scott Jr. for OSU's first touchdown. Freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith was responsible for the Buckeyes' next two scores.

Michigan State's Ed Woods, left, tackles Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith during the first quarter on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Smith rushed 19 yards for his first touchdown on the ground this season and with less than a minute left in the half, he made a spectacular one-handed grab for a 17-yard score. The only points for Michigan State came in the second quarter after a 12-yard touchdown pass from Aidan Chiles to Jaron Glover.

MSU was outrushed by Ohio State 185 to 49. TreVeyon Henderson led all Buckeye rushers with 69 yards on 7 carries, while QB Will Howard ran for a touchdown for the third straight game. Turnovers burned the Spartans as Aidan Chiles threw his eighth interception of the year (along with a fumble).

Sep 28, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) runs the ball against the Michigan State Spartans in the first half at Spartan Stadium on Saturday. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State has now outscored Michigan State 358 to 84 in the last nine meetings. The Buckeyes host Iowa on Oct. 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS. The Spartans will hit the road to Oregon for a Friday evening matchup on Oct. 4 at 9:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

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