The No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes (-3.5) are paying a visit to their Big 10 foe No. 24 Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. This key daytime matchup is scheduled to commence at 12:00 p.m. ET and FOX will broadcast the action.
Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan State Spartans Betting Preview
Michigan State is a live dog in this one and is currently getting 3.5 points. The Buckeyes are also receiving -175 moneyline odds while the Spartans are +155. Vegas has placed the over/under (O/U) at 54 points. It looks like this match could offer some in-game betting opportunities.
The Buckeyes have lost 2.3 units so far and are 3-5-1 against the spread (ATS). The team has posted an Over-Under record of 4-5. The Spartans have gained 0.1 units this season. The team is 4-5 ATS and also has an O/U record of 4-5.
The Buckeyes have gone 8-1 straight up (SU), including 5-1 SU against Big 10 opponents. The Spartans are 6-3 SU overall and 4-2 SU in conference play.
The Buckeyes just got a 36-31 victory over Nebraska last week. Dwayne Haskins completed only 18 passes on 32 attempts for 252 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. J.K. Dobbins (163 rushing yards on 23 attempts, three TDs) and Mike Weber (91 yards on nine carries) provided the ground attack in the win while Johnnie Dixon (five receptions, 96 yards, one TD) and Parris Campbell (four catches, 31 yards, one TD) shared the receiving duties.
Michigan State takes the field this week following a 24-3 win over Maryland. The team’s defense did its part in the victory, keeping the Terrapins to just 74 passing yards and 26 rushing yards. Tayon Fleet-Davis had a productive showing in the loss, recording zero yards and a score on zero catch for Maryland. For Michigan State, Brian Lewerke completed 11-of-20 passes for 87 yards and one interception. Connor Heyward (157 yards on 15 rush attempts, two TDs) and La’Darius Jefferson (30 yards on 11 carries) spearheaded the ground game in the win as Darrell Stewart Jr. (three receptions, 24 yards) and Cody White (two catches, 20 yards) led the pass-catching corps.
Looking at offensive play-calling, each of these squads has a similar run-pass ratio on the season. Ohio State’s run the ball on 48.6 percent of its offensive possessions while Michigan State has an overall rush percentage of 50.1. The Buckeyes have produced 178 rush yards per game (including 149 per game versus Big Ten opponents) and have 15 touchdowns via handoffs this year. The Spartans are totaling 126 rushing yards per game (124 in conference) and have 13 total rush TDs.
The Buckeyes offensive scheme has logged a superb 369 yards/contest in the air overall (369 per game versus conference opposition) and has 33 passing scores so far. The Spartans have produced 235 pass yards per game (221.2 in the Big 10) and have 11 total pass TDs.
Ohio State has let opponents run for an average of 153 yards and pass for 244 yards per game. The Michigan State defense has allowed 253.4 yards per game to opposing passers and 71.7 yards per game on the ground. The Spartans are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of just 4.89 to opposing QBs, while the Buckeyes have given up a 6.27 ANY/A.
Offensively, Haskins has already put up 2,583 passing yards this season, and has connected on 193-of-274 attempts with 30 passing scores and only five interceptions. He has a 10.29 adjusted net yards per pass attempt overall, although that number is 6.57 over the last two games.
The Buckeyes have tried to maintain the clock by feeding their running backs early and often. J.K. Dobbins (660 rush yards, seven rush TDs, 152 receiving yards, one receiving TD) and Mike Weber (562 rush yards, three rush TDs, 62 receiving yards, one receiving TD) have really been focal points in the offensive scheme for Ohio State.
For the home team, Rocky Lombardi has completed 1-of-4 passes for 9 yards, zero TDs and one INT. Lombardi’s ANY/A sits at a horrendous -8.50 for the season and 6.22 across his past two games.
The Spartans will also try to dictate the game’s pace by turning to their backfield. In addition to Connor Heyward (135 receiving yards), Jalen Nailor (101 rush yards, one rush TD, 42 receiving yards, one receiving TD) and Darrell Stewart Jr. (15 rush yards, 190 receiving yards) have gotten a lot of touches recently.
When these two teams met last year, Ohio State knocked Michigan State off handily 48-3.
RELATED: Week 11 College Football Betting Odds and Predictions
Free Prediction: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan State Spartans
SU Winner – Ohio State, ATS Winner – Ohio State, O/U – Under
Click Here to Start Betting Today!
Notes
Betting Notes
The Ohio State defense has 27 sacks on the year while Michigan State has 22.
Michigan State has lost five fumbles in 2018 while Ohio State has lost four.
The Buckeyes offense has tallied 10 pass plays of 40+ yards, while the Spartans have put up two such plays.
The Ohio State defense has allowed eight pass plays of 40 or more yards, while Michigan State has given up three such plays.
The Ohio State offense has created 11 rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while Michigan State has created seven such runs.
The Buckeyes defense has allowed 14 rushing plays of 20+ yards, while the Spartans have given up four such runs.
The Over/Under for Michigan State’s last outing going into it was 43.5. The under cashed in the team’s 24-3 win over Maryland.
Over its last three matchups, Michigan State is 2-1 ATS and the under cashed in each of those three.
In its last three matchups, Ohio State is 0-3 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
The Over/Under for Ohio State’s previous game was set at 75.5. The under cashed in the team’s 36-31 triumph over Nebraska.
Ohio State has produced 4.1 yards per carry across its last three games and 4.7 over its last two.
Michigan State has averaged 3.6 yards per carry over its last three outings and 4.4 over its past two.
+++++
