Michigan State vs Ohio State Odds, Predictions and Preview

• Ohio State hosts Michigan State in Week 12 Big 10 action on Saturday, November 20th
• Both teams are 9-1 and battling for a spot in the College Football Playoff
• Read below for the odds, game preview, and betting prediction

One of the biggest matchups in the Big Ten this season sees No.4 Ohio State host No.7 Michigan State in Week 12 on Saturday, November 20th. Kickoff is set for 12:00 PM EST in Columbus. ABC will carry the broadcast.

The Buckeyes are being listed as heavy 19-point home favorites at Ohio Stadium. Both OSU and MSU own 9-1 records, making this Big Ten East showdown a virtual College Football Playoff elimination game.

Let’s take a look at the Michigan State vs Ohio State odds and provide you with our betting prediction.

Michigan State vs Ohio State Odds

Odds as of November 17th at DraftKings

Buckeyes Have Nation’s Top Offense

Ohio State enters Week 12 against Michigan State boasting the top-ranked offense in the country. The Buckeyes are averaging 550 yards per game and 46.3 points per contest. Ryan Day’s team exploded for 624 yards of total offense in a dominant 59-31 victory over Purdue last weekend.

good morning, every touchdown from the dub 😀 pic.twitter.com/tG5o2EsQUE

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 14, 2021

Ohio State’s biggest strength is it’s passing attack led by CJ Stroud. The freshman pivot has thrown for over 3,000 yards and 30 TDs with only five interceptions. He has at least two NFL-ready receivers at his disposal in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. Freshman TreVeyon Henderson, meanwhile, has been a force in the ground game with 1,035 rushing yards.

Ohio State’s offense is dominant, but there are concerns about the defense. The Buckeyes have shown defensive progress since getting torched by Oregon back in Week 2, but some of those issues started to resurface in Week 11. Purdue QB Aidan O’Connell was able to throw for almost 400 yards on OSU’s secondary.

MSU Runs on Walker

Michigan State enters Week 12 against Ohio State boasting the top running back in the country. Wake Forest transfer Kenneth Walker III is the second-favorite in the Heisman odds after rushing for a nation-leading 1,473 yards through 10 games. He had five TDs in the team’s signature Week 9 win over Michigan.

FIVE TOUCHDOWNS.

What a performance by Kenneth Walker III. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/6P4JnEo8Ho

— theScore (@theScore) October 30, 2021

Walker III will likely need a similar performance in Week 11 if the Spartans want to keep pace with OSU’s high-powered offense. The Spartans also have dangerous weapons in the passing game with QB Payton Thorne and WR Jayden Reed. Thorne has thrown for 2,460 yards and 21 TDs with eight picks, while Reed has 45 catches for 829 yards.

Much like with Ohio State, the concerns for Michigan State revolve around defense. The Spartans rank dead-last in the Big Ten in total defense, surrendering 443.8 yards per game. Mel Tucker’s team is coming off a 40-21 win over Maryland in which the Terrapins were able to gash MSU’s defense for 451 total yards of offense.

Betting Prediction

It’s hard to see any team slowing down the Buckeyes offense right now, let alone the worst defensive team statistically in the Big Ten. Stroud and his receivers should feast on an MSU secondary allowing over 300 yards through the air per game. The question is whether Walker and the MSU offense can keep this within the number.

A TOP-10 SHOWDOWN WITH PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS 🔥

Columbus, you're up next! @OhioStateFB @MSU_Football pic.twitter.com/qzh0I6d9m5

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 14, 2021

Michigan State has been a money maker against the spread this season, posting a 7-1-2 record ATS and covering in three games as underdogs. Ohio State is 5-4-1 against the spread in 2021, but have failed to cover in two of their past three games. They’re 3-3 ATS at the Shoe in Columbus.

Recent history favors Ohio State, as the Buckeyes has won the last four meetings against Michigan State. OSU covered as 20-plus-point favorites in both 2019 & 2020. This is Michigan State’s best teams in years, however, and they’ve shown the ability to compete with top teams.

Michigan State may be able to keep this game close by pressuring Stroud with their pass rush that is averaging over three sacks per game. The issue is Ohio State’s pass protection has vastly improved since the early goings of the season, allowing  just 1.1 sacks per game. Purdue wasn’t able to get much pressure on Stroud last weekend.

We’ve seen this MSU secondary get picked apart by Purdue’s O’Connell and Maryland’s Tagovailoa, so Stroud should feast. Walker III, meanwhile, will look to follow in CJ Verdell’s footsteps and exploit the weaknesses in OSU’s run defense. With both teams boasting NFL-caliber offensive weapons, bet on a high-scoring thriller Saturday in Columbus.

• Pick: Over 66.5 (-110)