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Michigan State Football: 5 bold predictions vs. Ohio State

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Nov 12, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio stands on the sidelines during the second half of a game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Here are five bold predictions for Michigan State football against No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday afternoon.

Hosting No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday presents a favorable opportunity for Michigan State football. A win could mean that bowl hopes are still alive and that would give this MSU team major momentum heading into Penn State week. A loss would essentially put a cherry on top of an otherwise forgettable season.

Beating Ohio State is something that Mark Dantonio is no stranger of since he became Michigan State’s head coach back in 2007. Heck, out of all the teams in the Big Ten, Michigan State has given Ohio State the most trouble over the past few years.

In fact, the Buckeyes have lost three Big Ten games since Urban Meyer took over and two of those have been to the Spartans.

Saturday’s matchup could be an interesting one even though the Spartans are huge underdogs. Here are our five bold predictions for the big game.

5. Defensive line finally records a sack

It’s been far too long since this Michigan State defense recorded a sack. Last week against, Rutgers? Zero sacks. The week before against Illinois? You guessed it, sack-less. The Spartans really need to bring it against J.T. Barrett and the Buckeyes this week as that offensive line coupled with the dual-threat ability of the QB can be a handful.

If the Spartans couldn’t record a sack against Illinois or Rutgers, what makes me think it’s going to happen against the Buckeyes? Well, Michigan State seems to rise to the occasion against elite foes and these players won’t have a hard time getting up for this game.

Raequan Williams is improving by the week and he could be a force on the defensive line for Michigan State to go along with the other two freshmen starting with him — Josh King and Mike Panasiuk.

The Spartans may be without Malik McDowell this week, which would be a big blow, but I can see a freshman giving glimpses of the future with a big sack and it might be King, Williams or Panasiuk, but also don’t count out Auston Robertson.

Either way, a sack will be had by the Spartans.

Oct 29, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Mike Weber (25) scores against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second quarter at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

4. Spartans struggle to stop the run

Ezekiel Elliott had his worst game against the Michigan State defense last season. The defense is almost the same minus the line and Darien Harris is gone from the linebacking corps, so can’t the same thing happen even with the elite running back gone? In my opinion, no.

Michigan State has struggled against the run in recent weeks and the defense has allowed far too many 100-yard rushers this season. If I had told you at the beginning of the season that the secondary would be getting better and the run defense was deteriorating at this point in the season, I would have called you crazy.

However, that’s the case as teams like Maryland, Illinois, Northwestern and BYU have been able to put up big numbers in the ground game against this defense. Ohio State will be the latest team to join that group.

Curtis Samuel might be one of the most unique talents in the conference as he’s the team’s second-leading rusher and also the leading receiver. Containing him will not be an easy task.

As for Mike Weber, the Detroit-native has filled in nicely as the leading rusher and I can see him and Samuel both recording over 100 total yards on the day.

Nov 12, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back LJ Scott (3) runs the ball during the first quarter of a game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

3. LJ Scott breaks 100 yards again

The sophomore running back from Hubbard, Ohio, picked the Spartans over Ohio State two years ago and it was quite the shock around the recruiting world. He was one of the top-100 prospects in the country and he believed he fit better with Michigan State than he did with the Buckeyes.

Through nearly two seasons, he has probably made the right choice seeing as he may have split carries with Mike Weber in Columbus. However, the Spartans are on the wrong side of this lopsided matchup, on paper, and Scott is going to prove himself in front of an opposing head coach who wanted him to be a Buckeye.

LJ got off to a red-hot start this year, recording over 200 yards combined in the first two games and it looked like he was going to break the 1,000-yard mark with ease. He tapered off over the following four contests only to get back into the swing of things against Maryland.

Since then, he has recorded three 100-yard games in four weeks and he even did so against the best run defense in the Big Ten (Michigan). I expect him to have an equally as impressive game against the Buckeyes as he will put up impressive numbers with 134 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.

Oct 29, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Tyler O

2. Tyler O’Connor has his best game of 2016

It has been a tough year for the senior quarterback who was named a captain before the season began. Tyler O’Connor suffered through a seven-game losing streak in his final season in the green and white and is the subject of most of the blame even though it’s a team effort.

People tend to look toward the quarterback when a team is struggling and even though he hasn’t played particularly well, it’s not on him. It’s a combination of the offensive line, defense and special teams as well.

Last year gave the then-junior confidence around this time of the season, though. Connor Cook injured his shoulder and was ruled out against Ohio State and O’Connor and Damion Terry took over to get the big win on the road. It was the first win of his career but it has been all downhill since.

With another chance to shock the country, O’Connor is going to have his best performance of the year. A senior leader should perform his best under a pressure scenario like this and that’s exactly what he’s going to do. He gained some confidence against Rutgers last week and it’s going to carry over into this one.

No, he’s not going to put up his best stat line of the year, but he will be mistake-free and make some of the best throws he’s had all year. We are finally going to see a consistent, confident Tyler O’Connor.

Oct 29, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver R.J. Shelton (12) leads his teammates onto the field before a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

1. Game decided by single digits

The line is upwards of 24 points in favor of Ohio State on Saturday. Not many people are giving the Spartans much of a chance to take down the Buckeyes, but this could be the ultimate trap game for Ohio State.

Must Read: MSU Football: 5 breakout candidates vs. Ohio State

Look at the facts. First, the Buckeyes need to beat Michigan next week in order to remain in the College Football Playoff talks and Big Ten title race. Second, Michigan State is a lowly 3-7 this year and has yet to really put a full game together outside of Rutgers. And third, Ohio State is one of the most talented teams out there.

This should be a sure win for the Buckeyes by a few touchdowns, right? Wrong.

Playing in East Lansing favors the Spartans big-time. The crowd will likely be bigger than expected and filled with green. It’s the last home game of the year and Senior Day is a big deal for these kids who want to leave on a high note. Couple that with the fact that it’s easier to get up for an Ohio State game than it is for Rutgers and the Spartans will be playing with nothing to lose and you have a close game.

Oh yeah, and the weather is supposed to be cold and rainy with a possibility of snow. That helped the Spartans last year in Columbus and could help them again this year. I say the final score will be within a touchdown and either team could win.

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