We're mere hours away from a gigantic clash as No. 4 Ohio State welcomes No. 7 Michigan State for a high noon kickoff in the Shoe.
WAKE UP! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/pu2Yux9S1X
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 20, 2021
With Big Ten conference title and College Football Playoff hopes on the line, both teams are staring down the barrel of a must-win game.
Looks like Sparty is shaking up the uniform look for the big game, rocking the all green helmet alongside the typical all white jersey and pants. Okay, cool.
Slight change of plans pic.twitter.com/1OHJuKJd0k
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) November 19, 2021
Meanwhile, Ryan Day's crew will look to send the outgoing seniors and a handful of other fourth-year players out with a bang.
How do you have this one playing out and what kind of day do you expect from the two Heisman candidates in Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III?
Here's a rundown of predictions from some of your favorite 11W staffers:
Eleven Warriors Staff Score Predictions
Dan Hope: Ohio State 45, Michigan State 31: "Both teams have better offenses than defenses, but Ohio State’s No. 1-ranked offense vs. Michigan State’s 130th-ranked pass defense will give the Buckeyes the edge."
Kyle Jones: Ohio State 49, Michigan State 21. “The Buckeyes amass an early lead through the air, forcing the ball out of Kenneth Walker III’s hands in a game that never feels close.”
Garrick Hodge: Ohio State 41, Michigan State 31. "Ohio State will pull away in the end, but KW3 is too talented not to keep Sparty in the game for a while."
“The Buckeyes amass an early lead through the air, forcing the ball out of Kenneth Walker III’s hands in a game that never feels close.”
Jason Priestas: Ohio State 45, Michigan State 27. "I think Sparty keeps this one close for a bit, but C.J. Stroud and his wideouts going against that awful pass defense is going to be too much for Michigan State, even if Kenneth Walker does some early damage.”
Jared Naughton: Ohio State 38, Michigan State 17. "With Michigan State running the ball, Ohio State's time of possession will be cut short but the passing attack should dominate."
Ramzy Nasrallah: Ohio State 48, Michigan State 20. "Going to be an absolute dogfight, except that big plays by the home team will make the score look like it was a laugher."
Johnny Ginter: Ohio State 42, Michigan State 24. "Ohio State wants a track meet and Sparty absolutely wants to avoid one, but I don't think Michigan State has the players to prevent the Buckeyes from breaking off big plays."
George Eisner: Ohio State 48, Michigan State 24. "Earlier this month, Purdue provided a nice blueprint for navigating MSU's defense through the air. Stroud will make Sparty pay for poor pass rushing on 3rd down."
Will Ohio State Cover?
The all-knowers in Vegas installed the Buckeyes as 18-point favorites last Sunday and that's grown just one point to -19 as we approach kickoff.
With the current odds, 57 percent (8 of 14) of our staff predictions have Ohio State covering while the other 43 percent (6 of 14) have the Buckeyes winning, but not covering.
While no staffers have Sparty pulling the upset, Griffin Strom and Garrick Hodge have the Buckeyes winning by just 10 points while Ramzy Nasrallah, Kevin Harrish and Kyle Jones have Ohio State advancing to the winner's circle by 28 points.
What About the Over?
The game scoring total opened at 72.5 points but dropped significantly to 68.5.
Nine of our 14 predictions favor the over with Griffin's 45-35 projection of 80 points serving as the highest. Jared Naughton's 38-17 score, totaling 55 points, serves as the lowest point total.
Eleven Warriors House Prop Bets
Let's make the game a little more interesting with a few prop lines set right here by Eleven Warriors. Make your predictions in the comments and compete for bragging rights.
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How many passing yards will C.J. Stroud have?
- Over 335 yards (-120)
- Under 335 yards (+110)
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How many rushing yards with Kenneth Walker III have?
- Over 149 yards (+110)
- Under 149 yards (-110)
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How many total tackles for Ronnie Hickman?
- Over 10 tackles (+120)
- Under 10 tackles (-110)
Before the Buckeyes and Spartans settle things on the field, don't forget to make your official Eleven Warriors Prognostication before kickoff for a chance to win a free shirt from Eleven Warriors Dry Goods.
