No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) vs. No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (9-1, 7-0)
When: Noon Saturday.
Where: Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
TV: ABC.
Radio: WJR-AM (760).
Line: Buckeyes by 19.
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Game notes: Michigan State can really pump up its College Football Playoff résumé Saturday with a win vs. Ohio State. MSU is currently No. 7 in the CFP rankings with OSU at No. 4. Last week, the Spartans beat the Maryland Terrapins, 40-21, at home. The offense will need a similar performance, and maybe more scoring, to keep up with an Ohio State team putting up 46.3 points per game, tops among Football Bowl Subdivision programs.
The Buckeyes score so much because their running game ranks in the top 30 in the nation, at 196.4 yards per game, and their passing game is top 10, at 353.6 yards per game. The defense is solid but not spectacular, statistically (368.8 yards allowed, 20.2 points allowed; both middle of the Big Ten) but has multiple future NFL players, namely linebacker Zach Harrison and lineman Haskell Garrett. Like most Big Ten teams, the Spartans have a lengthy losing steak (five games) vs. the Buckeyes and have trouble picking up wins consistently (three in the past 23 years). The good news is MSU has won two of the past four meetings in Ohio, though those games were under former coach Mark Dantonio.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football score vs. Ohio State: Live updates