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Michigan State Football: 2016 Game-by-Game Predictions

By Colton Wesley

Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio celebrates with his team after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference football championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio celebrates with his team after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference football championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 21, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; The Ohio State Buckeyes offense lines up against the Michigan State Spartans at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 21, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; The Ohio State Buckeyes offense lines up against the Michigan State Spartans at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Week Eleven: Michigan State (10-0) v. Ohio State, November 19

Series History: First meeting in 1912, Michigan State leads the series 29-15.

What Happened Last Time: 2015: Michigan State won 17-14.

The Ohio State Buckeyes:

Just about everyone is gone. Cardale Jones, Ezekial Elliot, Michael Thomas, Braxton Miller, Joey Bosa, everyone. Except for J.T. Barrett, he’s still there. Barrett will finally be the undisputed starting quarterback for the Buckeyes, and he is surrounded by a brand-new cast of characters. The leading running back (Curtis Samuel) only carried the ball 17 times last season, and he’s also the leader amongst returnees in 2015 receiving yards. The Buckeyes will deploy basically an entirely new group of receivers and three new starters on the offensive line, including replacing current Detroit Lion and first-round pick Taylor Decker. However, almost all of these new starters in Columbus were four-star recruits who bring a lot of talent to the table. If they are as good as they can be, Ohio State’s offense won’t be rebuilding so much as reloading.

Greg Schiano is the new defensive coordinator and he will run a defense loaded with talent, despite several departures. Junior Raekwon McMillan, who led the team in tackles a year ago, is a very underrated middle linebacker despite being a five-star recruit. Like the offense, this defense is extremely youthful, but they have a ton of potential.

Forecast:

A year after the Spartans handed the Buckeyes their first loss in Ohio since the Toledo War, the Buckeyes make the trek north for a late November matchup between two potentially undefeated teams with the Big Ten East on the line.

If this game were happening in September, I think a Michigan State team with less turnover wins this game. But by the time this game rolls around, Ohio State will have established their new stars and will have developed the necessary chemistry to overwhelm the Spartans with their talent. It will be a great game, but the Buckeyes pull away in the end and get their revenge while the Spartans watch for a potential New Year’s Six bid.

Final Prediction:

Michigan State: 24

Ohio State: 31

Should I Watch It?: Primetime, national TV with the Big Ten East on the line? Yes, you should watch this game.

Season Record: 10-1

Next: Week Twelve: @ Penn State

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