Michigan State @ Ohio State

If one knew little to nothing about these two teams and looked at this game on what the squads have done statistically this season, State is the clear winner- State as in Michigan State! The Spartans roll in offensively averaging 417.3 YPG (yards per game), 7th in the Big Ten & 53rd nationally, while the Buckeyes limp in @ 340.8 YPG, ranked 12th in the Conference (Last) & 91st in the country. On Defense, MSU is giving up 172.3 YPG, best in the Big Ten and 1st in all of the FBS’ 120 teams – that’s right, 1st in America. Meanwhile, OSU comes in giving up 276.3 YPG, ranking them 4th in Conference & 16th nationally.

Both teams are 3-1, OSU has beaten a 1-3 Akron 42-0, a 2-2 Toledo 27-22, and a 1-3 Colorado 37-17, and lost to 1-2 Miami 24-6. MSU has taken care of FCS (Football Championship Subdivision /up to 63 Scholarships for FCS to 85 for FBS) 2-2 Youngstown State 28-6, a 0-3 Florida Atlantic 44-0, a 1-3 Central Michigan 45-7 and lost to a 2-2 Notre Dame 31-13. The Buckeyes opponents combined record is 5-10 and the Spartans foes roll in at an equally unimpressive 5-10 slate.

In the past 5 years, the Bucks and Sparty have met 3 times with Ohio State winning all three contests; in 06: OSU 38-7, in 07: OSU 24-17, & in 08: OSU 45-7 (MSU & OSU have not played the past two years).

This year MSU has the best pocket passer in the league @ QB in the highly thought of Kurt Cousins, ranked 1st in the Big Ten in number of completed passes at 81; the Bucks counter with a very talented, yet inexperienced Freshmen, Braxton Miller, ranked 14th in the Conference with 15 completions (OSU & PSU have 2 ranked, explaining a 14th ranked QB in a league that has12 teams). The Spartans boast one of the nations best receivers in BJ Cunningham, ranked 1st in the Big Ten in several receiving categories and 14th nationally in receiving yards per game & receptions per game; while OSU best receiver, DeVier Posey, is suspended till next weeks tilt vs Nebraska. At running back, Sparty features a double headed monster in Le’Veon Bell 5.71 YPC (yards per carry) and Edwin Baker 4.32 YPC; OSU’s Carlos Hyde is doing a good job @ 4.61 YPC, yet,Ohio’s best runner, Boom Herron, remains suspended till next week’s trip to Lincoln.

Michigan State has the leading defense in the country… enough said… it is time for THE SPARTANS to win @ Thermoppaley or even at the Horseshoe. Also, please watch one of my favorite players: #5 Johnny Adams, a Defensive Back for MSU, who has never stopped talking since his birth. If Bell & Baker run anywhere near where Johnny runs his mouth, MSU will annihilate OSU. That aside… MSU 28 OSU 17