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TOC Staff Picks: Ohio State

Will the Spartans knock off Ohio State? See what our writers think.

NCAA Football: Indiana at Michigan State Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Do the Spartans have enough to knock off Ohio State? See what our writers think. Also, follow along with our weekly Big Ten predictions.

Matt Sheehan (26-7)

OSU 31, MSU 20

OSU has not faced an actual defense with 11 competent players on the other side of the ball yet this year. That’s what’s giving me a sliver and a half of hope -- MSU’s defense does have the power to muck this game up and make it close. With that being said...OSU still looks like a death machine and has left a trail of blood behind them. Oh, and Chase Young against our fourth left tackle doesn’t necessarily tickle me.

Iowa vs. Michigan

Kent State vs. Wisconsin

Purdue vs. Penn State

Maryland vs. Rutgers

Illinois vs. Minnesota

Northwestern vs. Nebraska

Ryan O’Bleness (30-13)

Ohio State 30, Michigan State 17

The MSU defense gets back on track and holds Ohio State to its lowest point total of the year, but the offensive struggles return against a menacing defense that is only allowing 8.6 points per game, 3.54 yards per play and 223.8 yards per game. This should be Ohio State’s first real test of the season, and head coach Mark Dantonio has had success in Columbus, but at the end of the day, the Buckeyes are going to be too much for the Spartans.

Iowa vs. Michigan

Kent State vs. Wisconsin

Purdue vs. Penn State

Maryland vs. Rutgers

Illinois vs. Minnesota

Northwestern vs. Nebraska

Matt Hoeppner (34-9)

Ohio State 32, MSU 10

The Buckeyes have been a dominant team this year, and they may be the best team in the country. They have a legit dual threat QB who has carved up every defense he has seen, and the best pass rusher in the nation in Chase Young. While they haven’t faced a defense as good as MSU’s, the Spartans also haven’t faced an offense even close to as talented as Ohio State’s.

The Spartans hang in their for a half, but ultimately the defense gets worn down, the Buckeyes pop some big runs and pull away as MSU’s offense just can’t get enough going consistently against a stout OSU defense.

Iowa vs. Michigan

Kent State vs. Wisconsin

Purdue vs. Penn State

Maryland vs. Rutgers

Illinois vs. Minnesota

Northwestern vs. Nebraska

David Harns (36-7)

Ohio State 30, Michigan State 24

Iowa vs. Michigan

Kent State vs. Wisconsin

Purdue vs. Penn State

Maryland vs. Rutgers

Illinois vs. Minnesota

Northwestern vs. Nebraska

Zach Manning (35-8)

Ohio State 38, MSU 10

Ohio State has been arguably the best team in the country, and it’s a home game for the Buckeyes. I think the MSU defense will do its best to keep the Spartans in the game, but OSU just has too much firepower.

Iowa vs. Michigan

Kent State vs. Wisconsin

Purdue vs. Penn State

Maryland vs. Rutgers

Illinois vs. Minnesota

Northwestern vs. Nebraska

Paul Fanson (37-6)

OSU 41, MSU 13

My predictive algorithm has been pretty positive towards MSU so far this year, but this week? Not so much. My math has MSU as a 27.5 point underdog and the computer likes a score of 41-13. I even tried rebooting it a couple of times, but it keeps give me the same result. It is still running WIndows 7, though...

Iowa vs. Michigan

Kent State vs. Wisconsin

Purdue vs. Penn State

Maryland vs. Rutgers

Illinois vs. Minnesota

Northwestern vs. Nebraska

My computer does like Iowa by 11 points over Michigan, which if that comes to pass they will officially reach DEFCON 1 in Ann Arbor and we might finally get that “John L. Smith” press conference moment from Harbaugh that I have been waiting for for 5 years. SMILE! Michigan fans! Also, watch out for Illinois to potentially upset Minnesota. I didn’t officially take the Illinois, but my math says the margin will only be 1.5 points.

Kyle Thele (22-9)

Ohio State 34, Michigan State 17

This is going to be the toughest test MSU has faced all year, obviously. The offense needs to be perfect and the defense needs to play at the elite level they have shown. If they can stop the run and force Justin Fields to beat them, there is a chance. Unfortunately, I don’t trust the offense to be perfect. Things will stay close until the fourth, but the ending isn’t going to be fun.

Iowa vs. Michigan

Kent State vs. Wisconsin

Purdue vs. Penn State

Maryland vs. Rutgers

Illinois vs. Minnesota

Northwestern vs. Nebraska