The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) will face their first road test as they travel to East Lansing Saturday in a matchup against Michigan State (2-3). Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
Every story needs a bad guy, and the Buckeyes may be just that come Saturday.
Third-year offensive lineman Luke Wypler and No. 3 Ohio State (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) are cast in a different role for the first time this season, playing as the visitors against Michigan State (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten). Wypler said he’s eagerly anticipating the opportunity to play in a “hostile” environment after the Buckeyes hosted five-consecutive home games.
“I think I’m pretty excited for that — the first one of the year — and to kind of be, like, the bad guy in the arena,” Wypler said. “It’s always nice to kind of be the villain.”
In their most recent meeting at Spartan Stadium — taking place during the pandemic-impacted 2020 season — fans were absent from the stands, and Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day was absent from the sidelines.
Day tested positive for COVID-19 just over one week before Ohio State and Michigan State met Dec. 5, 2020, resulting in a quarantine for Day that held him out of team activities.
Associate head coach and defensive line coach Larry Johnson served as the interim head coach during the Buckeyes’ 52-12 win over the Spartans that season, and fourth-year defensive lineman Zach Harrison said one of his best memories from that game is celebrating with Johnson.
“That was his first time out there being a head coach, and I was excited for him to be a part of that because he always talks about how he wanted to be a head coach,” Harrison said. “Being there for him and celebrating in the locker room for him, that was probably my favorite part of that game.”
This time around, a stadium filled with tens of thousands of spectators will be on hand to witness the Week 6 matchup.
Michigan State began the season ranked as high as No. 11 in the AP Top 25, but sit unranked after its recent three-game losing streak. The Spartans fell for the first time this season 39-28 at Washington Sept. 17, then dropped back-to-back Big Ten battles with Minnesota and at Maryland.
Despite several slip ups this season, Day said the Buckeyes aren’t letting their guard down and recalled last season’s Michigan State game in which both teams dueled in a top-10 showdown at Ohio Stadium.
“I know they’ve lost a couple of games here, but we’re expecting a top-10 team when we go up to East Lansing,” Day said. “They had an excellent season last year and those guys are still there, so it’s going to be hard, just like it always is. We know that we got our hands full this week.”
Spartans redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne returns under center this season, throwing for 1,121 yards and eight touchdowns through five games. Without Heisman Trophy-caliber running back Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State has several ball-carriers in the backfield, led by redshirt sophomore Jalen Berger who’s rushed for 301 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Michigan State thrives on special teams ranking No. 1 in the NCAA in net punting behind an average of 45.79 yards. Sixth-year punter Bryce Baringer averages more than 53 yards per boot, and Day said the Buckeyes must be “on edge” during special teams plays in order to gain an upper hand.
“They do a great job in that area, so that’s an area we got to win,” Day said. “We’d like to get some yards back on that area so that we don’t feel like we’re going uphill all day.”
Third-year running back Miyan Williams had little issue running downhill against Rutgers in Week 5, leading the Buckeyes to a 49-10 win behind 189 rushing yards and a program record-tying five touchdowns on the ground.
Day also said he hopes to see the return of second-year running back TreVeyon Henderson, who was a late addition to the status report against the Scarlet Knights before ultimately being held out of the game.
Third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud also looks to regain form after throwing for 154 yards last week, the fewest during a game he’s started. Stroud threw for 432 yards and six touchdowns against the Spartans last season, and Michigan State’s pass defense ranks second-worst in the Big Ten behind an average of 275 yards per game.
Ohio State’s offense ranks atop the conference and No. 1 in scoring offense nationally, averaging 48.8 points per game. Second-year wide receiver Emeka Egbuka has played a large role in the Buckeyes’ offense, scoring in three of the last four games. He said he’s confident Stroud and Ohio State can continue applying pressure offensively to force opponents to limit the Buckeyes however they can.
“I feel like we do have an answer for anything that any team could throw at us,” Egbuka said. “Just having that confidence and going out there knowing we have a Heisman quarterback and great receivers, great running back, great line, tight ends, everything like that, so we feel confident week in and week out. It’s just all about us and all about how we can execute the plays.”
Ohio State kicks off on the road for the first time this season at Spartan Stadium Saturday, taking on Michigan State at 4 p.m. on ABC.
