EAST LANSING, Mich. — At least a piece of first place in the Big Ten is at stake when Ohio State and Michigan State square off today.
For the 12th-ranked Buckeyes, it’s the usual routine: big game, high stakes.
For the rebuilding and
20th-ranked Spartans, games such as this have been anything but routine.
“This is the biggest game I think this senior class has played in since we’ve been here,” said MSU defensive lineman Justin Kershaw, a Columbus native and one of 24 Spartans from Ohio. “We still have a long way to go, but to see where we came from in two years is a great feeling. We’re going to have to really take advantage of this opportunity.”
Michigan State (6-1, 3-0) is a work in progress, less than two years into a new regime led by former Ohio State assistant Mark Dantonio. The Spartans are off to their best start since 2003 and a victory over the Buckeyes would make them serious contenders for a Big Ten title. It could even push Michigan State to the fringe of the national title race.
Ohio State (6-1, 3-0) is hoping to stay on course for a fourth straight conference title and still holding out hopes of a third straight national championship game appearance.
The Spartans have been little more than a step to be climbed for the Buckeyes in their decade of dominance. Ohio State has won six straight in the series.
Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer, a St. Ignatius graduate from North Olmsted, remembers Spartans fans may have been outnumbered in their own stadium by the end of Ohio State’s 38-7 victory in 2006.
A few weeks later, John L. Smith was fired as the Spartans’ coach and eventually Dantonio was lured away from Cincinnati to replace him.
“It’s up to us,” Hoyer said. “This could be a program win and it’s going to be hard, it’s going to be tough, but you know what to expect when you play against Ohio State.”
The Buckeyes have said all the right things this week, acknowledging there’s some big game feel to this weekend because the winner will continue to have at least a share of the Big Ten lead with No. 3 Penn State.
As defending champions, the Big Ten title belongs to the Buckeyes until Michigan State, Penn State or somebody else gets good enough to supplant them.
“That’s something that we discuss every week because when you’re the person holding the trophy, there’s only (one) way to get the trophy and that’s to take it from them,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. “So every week that’s what we face. This week we’re facing a very good football team with those intentions in mind.”
The Buckeyes have issues to resolve if their string of important games is going to continue.
Ohio State ranks 10th in the Big Ten in total offense at 321 yards per game. Tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells missed a few games because of a foot injury, and freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor is searching for his comfort zone. The offensive line is taking some heat.
The question in Columbus: When’s it going to click?
“Well, we’re not — I hate to say it, we’re not executing,” Tressel said. “I wish there were something different than that.”
Michigan State is on guard against both Wells and Pryor, despite the Buckeyes’ sluggish performance. The Spartans give up about 16.7 points per game but haven’t faced an offense with this much potential since a season-opening loss at California.
Michigan State’s preference on offense is to pound the ball with Javon Ringer, the nation’s second-leading rusher at 158.9 yards per game. Ringer leads the nation with 247 carries and 1,112 yards.
Ohio State and linebacker James Laurinaitis thrive on stopping the run, allowing 103.6 rushing yards per game. The Buckeyes’ defense has rebounded since their 35-3 loss at Southern Cal last month, allowing 12.75 points per game since.
Tressel said it takes a “whole bunch of helmets” up by the line of scrimmage to stop Ringer, but he’s also concerned about Hoyer’s ability to exploit defenses that focus too much on the run.
Michigan State’s last victory in the series came in 1999, when Dantonio was an assistant under Nick Saban in East Lansing.
The Spartans finished 7-6 in Dantonio’s first season as head coach to regain a measure of respect in the conference.
“Now we have to continue to take the next steps in building that foundation,” Dantonio said. “We’re playing a very good Ohio State team. I’d like to think we’re a pretty good football team right now, so we’ll see.”
AP sportswriter Rusty Miller in Columbus contributed to this report.

BUCKEYE PERISCOPE

BUCKEYES BUZZ: Twenty-four Ohio natives — including most of the team’s stars — will play for Michigan State today when the Buckeyes visit Spartan Stadium (3:30 p.m. kickoff).
Some of the Spartans don’t feel anything special about playing Ohio State, others feel the need to redeem themselves after not being recruited by the Buckeyes.
“There’s a lot of towns in Ohio and not everyone can go to Ohio State,” said QB Brian Hoyer (North Olmsted, St. Ignatius). “Coach (Mark) Dantonio definitely has some connections there and I think anytime you get players out of the state of Ohio you know you’re putting your team in a better position.”
TB Javon Ringer, who is second in the nation in rushing at 169 yards a game, said he has no second thoughts about heading from Dayton (Chaminade-Julienne HS) to Michigan State.
“Everything happens for a reason, and I am very happy with my decision to come here and play at Michigan State. Everyone’s reactions were always very supportive,” he said. “A lot of my family and friends are fans of Ohio State as well but they definitely want us to beat them because I am here now.”
Regardless of where a player is from, he always wants to beat the best. That’s what drives senior DT Justin Kershaw, a native of Reynoldsburg.
“I didn’t grow up a Buckeye fan — I was a fan of college football. I’ve been to some games and being from Columbus you hear a lot about Ohio State and they have a good program, but I’m a Spartan,” he said. “They are the best team in the Big Ten, and in order to get that championship we have to go through them.”
RED, MAKE THAT DEAD, ZONE: Things have not been going well whenever Ohio State moves the ball inside the opposing 20. Nobody knows the problems better than coach Jim Tressel.
Told that his offense had been unproductive the past couple of weeks in the red zone, Tressel interrupted a reporter.
“How about the last seven games? Going into last week we had had 19 drives into the red zone and nine of them had a penalty. I mean, c’mon,” he said. “That’s not a secret to us. And do we need to do that better? Sure.”
SEPARATE SPECIALS: Many college teams have an assistant coach who is in charge of all special teams. That’s not the way Ohio State does it. Assistant Darrell Hazell oversees kickoff returns, Paul Haynes has kickoff coverage, Taver Johnson handles the punt return teams and Luke Fickell coaches the punt coverage squad.
Haynes has coached places that had an assistant in charge of all the kick teams.
“I kind of like the way we do it a little bit more because it puts more emphasis on it,” he said. “It’s just like anything else, when I’m in charge of something I’m going to put more emphasis on it instead of just one guy who has to scramble and do it all.”
HONORARY CAPTAIN: Bob Tucker, former defensive coordinator under Earle Bruce and currently the director of football operations at Ohio State, will be the honorary captain against Michigan State. Tucker also was the head coach at his alma mater, Wooster, from 1985-97.
“Bob Tucker’s a guy who loves Ohio State,” Tressel said Thursday. “He loves the kids.”
NEW DEAL FOR AD: Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith has received a contract extension through 2016.
In announcing the extension Thursday, Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee called Smith not only an athletic leader but an academic leader at the university.
Smith’s base salary will increase from $600,000 to $648,000. He can also receive up to $100,000 more per year in incentives if Ohio State athletes meet certain athletic and academic standards.
Smith, who took over for Andy Geiger in 2005, also was given the title of assistant vice president, broadening his role beyond athletics.

TODAY

WHO: No. 12 Ohio State at No. 20 Michigan State
TIME: 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich.
TV/RADIO: Channel 5; WEOL 930-AM, WKNR 850-AM

 

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