Game Prediction: No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan State Spartans

Here's what our BuckeyesNow staff thinks will happen when two of the most proud football programs in the Big Ten meet on Saturday afternoon.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have played so well this season that it feels like we are running out of superlatives to properly describe them. For the second consecutive season, they have the top-ranked offense in the country and we are no longer at the point in the year where you can point to lesser opponents that they've overwhelmed.

Michigan State football opened the year with substantial hope after a brilliant 2021 and a couple wins out of the gates. But the last three weeks have been brutal for Sparty and they're in for arguably their biggest test of the season on Saturday.

Here's what our crew is expecting to see this weekend.

What's the betting line for Ohio State vs. Michigan State?

MICHIGAN STATE at OHIO STATE – Saturday, 4:00 p.m.
Spread: Ohio State (-27) on SI Sportsbook
O/U Total: 65

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Michigan State vs. Ohio State Predictions

Brendan Gulick: Ohio State 52, Michigan State 13

I appreciate the respect that Ryan Day and the Buckeyes are showing the Spartans this week. They're taking this game seriously and that they've said all of the right things publicly all week.

But Michigan State isn't in the same stratosphere as Ohio State right now. Their offense has been lousy, their pass defense has been non-existent and I don't see any game plan from Sparty that's going to keep this one close.

Mel Tucker is getting paid a whole lot of cash to get the Spartans program turned in a better direction. It looked like that was happening last year, but I think we're learning that they found lightning in a bottle with Kenneth Walker (who by the way, did nothing against a below average OSU defense last fall).

It's going to be a long day for the Green and White.

Andrew Lind: Ohio State 56, Michigan State 7

Earlier this week, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said Michigan State was very much the same team it was last year, when the Spartans won 11 games, including the Peach Bowl, and finished ninth in the AP Poll.

However, Michigan State lost Doak Walker Award winner Kenneth Walker III to the NFL and their All-American wide receiver/punt returner Jayden Reed has been hampered by injury this season, making it unlikely they’ll be able to keep up with the Buckeyes offensively.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Spartans allow 275 passing yards per game, good for 115th in the country. Quarterback C.J. Stroud should be able to have his way with their secondary after throwing for 432 yards and six touchdowns in just over one half of work in last year’s meeting.

So, maybe they truly are the same team as last year? I guess my prediction will have to reflect that. 

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