MSU Opponent Preview: Ohio State Defense
The Michigan State Spartans are looking to rebound after their first loss of the season as they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium this Saturday evening.
Unfortunately, that rebound will prove to be incredibly difficult.
The Spartans are nearly four-touchdown underdogs to the No. 3-ranked Buckeyes. Michigan State has not beaten Ohio State since 2015, and it faces a major uphill battle to pull off an upset a decade in the making.
Ohio State’s claim to fame is their explosive offense, and for good reason. The Buckeyes have put several talented wide receivers in the NFL in the last few seasons.
However, their defense has been consistently excellent since Jim Knowles took over as the defensive coordinator ahead of the 2022 season.
The Buckeyes rank fourth in the country in points allowed (6.7 per game), seventh in rushing yards allowed (66.7 per game), fifth in passing yards allowed (113.3 per game) and second in total defense.
Knowles runs a base 4-2-5 defense (a common base to run in college football nowadays). He also utilizes lots of Cover 3, which makes passing on this Buckeyes defense nearly impossible.
While Ohio State’s offense is often a hotbed for NFL talent, its defense has also produced many pros.
Michigan State’s offense, which has not reached its full potential yet, will again see a bevy of future NFL players on the Buckeyes defense.
Three of them play along the Buckeyes’ defensive line: edge rusher Jack Sawyer, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, and edge rusher JT Tuimoloau. Williams and Tuimoloau lead the Buckeyes in sacks with 1.5 each, while Sawyer also has a sack on the season.
For a Spartans’ offensive line that has struggled to protect Aidan Chiles or open up many running lanes for ball carriers, facing these three future NFL players will be a tall task.
The Buckeyes’ leading tackler is safety Lathan Ransom, an experienced player who can read defenses well. Safety Sonny Styles is right behind him, while the Spartans must also watch for superstar Caleb Downs.
Also in the secondary is cornerback Denzel Burke, who has been among the best corners in college football for a few years. He is tall and long and has great ball skills.
Chiles has been incredibly turnover-prone this season, and defenses will only get tougher.
Jonathan Smith's offense will need to figure something out if they want to beat this Ohio State team, and they’ll have to figure it out fast.
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CARTER LANDIS