Ohio State Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Michigan State in Week 11

2. Brian Lewerke doesn’t throw for 300 yards

If the Greg Schiano-led Ohio State Buckeyes defense can limit Saquon Barkley to minimal impact on offense, LJ Scott doesn’t stand a chance against the OSU defensive line. Scott has averaged a measly 4.4 yards per carry and that’s not going to get easier against Ohio State.

Brian Lewerke, the sophomore quarterback for the Spartans, has throw back-to-back 400 yards games but that stops now, too. Lewerke was held to 94 yards against Michigan, 120 against Minnesota, and 185 against Indiana before the two explosive games.

Lewerke is about to face the 20th-ranked defense per the S&P+ that is also the fourth-ranked offense. I think Barrett and Dobbins will hold the football too long for Lewerke to throw it that much, and without a real running game, Michigan State won’t have the success against OSU that it had against Penn State and up-and-down Northwestern.

In fact, Northwestern’s defense is only 43rd in the S&P+ so not quite up to the standard of the top-20 defense that the Buckeyes boast.

I can see this matchup being held to 27-10 in favor of Ohio State as the Buckeyes bounce back from their upset to Iowa, which was Urban Meyer’s most points allowed as a head coach in his entire career. That isn’t going to happen twice and Lewerke won’t throw for 400 yards, let alone 300 in Week 11.