Ohio State Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Michigan State in Week 11

(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /
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Here’s everything you need to know for Saturday night’s Ohio State football game against Michigan State in Columbus.

I don’t think that anyone thought that these two teams would have identical records at this point in the season. What is interesting is how differently the 7-2 records are perceived. For Ohio State fans, it feels like their season has gone down faster than the Hindenburg. For Michigan State fans, it means that the best part of their season is just starting.

The question on Saturday will be whether Ohio State will play with the same spirit now that the national title is out of the picture. Mark Dantonio and crew are just happy to be where they are, and they will be even happier to play in the Big Ten Championship.

This one is all about pride, and whether the Buckeyes can sustain their formidable talent through the rest of the season, even without a trip to the College Football Playoff. Chances are high that they will.

Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s game:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 11
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Venue: Ohio Stadium
TV: FOX
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go

Keys to Victory

Michigan State will play hard and they will control the game’s tempo, but let’s face facts — they cannot run. Period. Spartans’ Brian Lewerke is a stellar quarterback, and he has the numbers to prove it. He threw against Northwestern for 445 yards and 400 yards and two touchdowns against Penn State.

The problem is that they already are hobbled in their running game and the Buckeyes have an NFL-caliber defense. This is going to be messy, down-in-the trenches football, but Ohio State has better players on both sides of the ball.

Betting Odds

All odds via SportsBook Review

Point Spread: Ohio State -14.5
Over/Under: 55

Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: Post-Week 10 edition

Prediction

This game is going to be much closer than the experts think. I would pick the Spartans to cover the spread without a problem. In the end, it’s going to come down to the run and the Spartans just don’t have the tools.

Final Score: Ohio State 17, Michigan State 14