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The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) take to the field for a road game for the first time since 2021 as they travel to East Lansing to take on Mel Tucker’s Michigan State Spartans (2-3) on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. ET in a game that will be broadcast on ABC.
After their trip to that state up north, the Buckeyes will have their open week before getting into the thick of their Big Ten schedule in late October with back-to-back games against the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2) and the No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0). Ohio State is looking to balance the need to keep their momentum going into the bye week while also getting a handful of key players healthy for the stretch run.
The country’s best wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has played very little this season after suffering a hamstring injury against Notre Dame in the opener. And although he has been practicing, he is unexpected to take to the field this afternoon, essentially giving him two more weeks to rest up before (hopefully) returning to the field as close to 100% as possible.
The Buckeyes’ top running back coming into the season, TreVeyon Henderson, is more likely to return to action against Sparty, although nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Ohio State and injuries this season.
Whichever offensive weapons take to the field for the Buckeyes in Spartan Stadium are likely to have big days as MSU has been uncharacteristically porous on defense this season. They come into the game with the 99th-ranked defense in terms of yards allowed (allowing 411.8 yards per game), including the 115th-ranked passing defense (275 ypg).
Sparty’s offense hasn’t been much better this season either, coming in at 92nd in total offense (370.4 ypg) and 88th in scoring offense (27 points per game).
Conversely, the Buckeyes are the top-ranked scoring offense (48.8 ppg) and third-ranked total offense (529.6 ypg). On defense, OSU is the No. 10 defense — allowing just 263.8 yards per game — seventh-rated passing defense (153.4 ypg) and 14th-ranked scoring defense (14.8 ppg).
Ohio State has won six straight games in the series against Michigan State dating back to the unbelievably regrettable 17-14 defeat in 2015 when the Buckeyes were by far the best team in the country, but were so painfully mismanaged that they lost the chance for back-to-back national titles. Ryan Day and his squad are looking for a better outcome this time around.
When is the game and how can I watch?
Game Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. ET
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
TV: ABC
Online: Sling TV
Radio: 97.1 FM | 1460 AM
DraftKings Sportsbook line: Ohio State -27 | o/u 65
Official LGHL Prediction: Ohio State 52, Michigan State 14
Matt’s Prediction: Ohio State 59, Michigan State 10
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Below is your Ohio State vs. Michigan State GameThread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!
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