The Series

This will be the 42nd game between these two schools, with Ohio State leading the series 28-13. Ohio State has won eight of the last nine games.

Last Year
Last year in the regular season Ohio State won 17-16. Ohio State scored on the first drive, taking the ball 75 yards in eight plays. During that drive Braxton Miller ran a total of 33 yards, but he had a scary moment when he hit some equipment on the sideline and was replaced by Kenny Guiton. Guiton handled three snaps and handed it to Jordan Hall for the 1-yard touchdown. Michigan State responded in the next drive with a 34-yard field goal. Neither team scored in the second quarter as Miller threw an interception and lost a fumble, while Michigan State missed a 42-yard field goal attempt at the end of the half. Ohio State led 7-3 at halftime.

Both teams made field goals in the third quarter, a 50-yarder for Michigan State's Conroy and 26-yards for OSU's Drew Basil. Penalties came at inopportune times for the Buckeyes and Michigan State had the ball at the Ohio State 29 yard line after a personal foul. Andrew Maxwell threw a short pass to Keith Mumphery and he was able to navigate through the Ohio State defenders who tried to strip the ball, and he dragged them into the endzone to put Michigan State ahead 13-10. In Ohio State's next possession Miller lead a drive, finished off with a 63-yard pass to Devin Smith, who beat single coverage on the sideline and ran in for a touchdown, giving Ohio State the lead 17-13. Early in the fourth quarter Miller fumbled the ball again in Michigan State territory, and went down with an apparent knee injury. The defense held Michigan State, but again a costly penalty gave MSU life and Conroy made a 48-yard field goal, putting the score at 17-16. Ohio State was forced to punt the next possession and Michigan State had to punt in its next possession. With Miller back in Ohio State picked up some critical first downs behind running back Carlos Hyde and the blocking by the offensive line, and the team ran out the clock, winning the game 17-16. The OSU defense held Big Ten leading rusher Le'Veon Bell to 45 yards, while Braxton Miller ran for 136 yards and passed for 179 yards.