Game Prediction: No. 4 Ohio State vs. Michigan State
The game that many wondered if it would ever be played will in fact kick off Saturday at high noon from Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Considering how badly the Buckeyes needed to be on the field this weekend, just being able to play the game feels like a moral victory.
But Ohio State isn't playing regular season games in early December looking for moral victories.
The Buckeyes are desperate to get on the field each of the final two Saturdays in the Big Ten schedule to play enough games and guarantee themselves a chance to play in the Big Ten championship game on Dec. 19 in Indianapolis.
Game Preview: No. 4 Ohio State at Michigan State
On one hand, it's very difficult to give a final score prediction for a game in which we don't know (yet) which Buckeyes will actually be available for Saturday's game. The team's game status report won't be released until a couple hours prior to kickoff. What if one of Ohio State's most impactful players has CoVID-19 and is unavailable? What if multiple starters are out for 21 days with the virus? It's impossible to give a great guess without knowing who will be on the field.
And perhaps that's why the 24-point line in this game is standing out - because no matter who plays for the Buckeyes, Vegas thinks Ohio State is three touchdowns better than Michigan State this year. I know one thing - OSU has everything to lose by not playing well and in a year where the "eye test" matters more than it ever has, they can't afford to play poorly if the want to stay inside the Top 4 nationally.
Since it's hard to speak specifically without knowing which players might not be available, I think the Buckeyes have enough of a rushing game to move the ball effectively on the ground against the Spartans 4-2-5 defensive scheme. And if Justin Fields is healthy and on the field, he's the most dangerous player in college football. The Spartan secondary is solid and they're coming off a great week, but I don't think they've played an offense with this much firepower. Spartans QB Rocky Lombardi has had a few moments of great play this year, but he's been very inconsistent.
I have a hard time thinking they'll be able to slow the Buckeyes down and I think Ohio State wins comfortably on the road.
Final Score Prediction: Ohio State 38 - Michigan State 17
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