2024-09-29 10:30:04
The Ohio State football team headed to East Lansing, Michigan, to face the Michigan State Spartans, and OSU took an early lead as quarterback Will Howard dinked and dunked on the MSU defense.
In the second quarter, Jeremiah Smith had two touchdowns, including maybe his most impressive catch of the year…which is saying something.
At halftime, the Buckeyes had a 24-7 edge.
OSU’s Howard returned from appearing to have the wind knocked out of him at the end of the half, and threw a TD pass to Emeka Egbuka in the third quarter before rushing for another score.
The Buckeyes had Devin Brown and Julian Sayin handle quarterback duties in the fourth quarter as OSU cruised to a 38-7 win.
The Buckeyes are 4-0. Michigan State is 3-2 overall.
OSU’s next game is Oct. 5 against Iowa. Kickoff at Ohio Stadium and on CBS will be at 3:30 p.m.
When is Ohio State’s next game?
OSU hosts Iowa next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The game will air on CBS.
Ohio State-Michigan State final stats
| STAT | OHIO STATE | MICHIGAN STATE |
| Points | 38 | 7 |
| Total Yds | 483 | 246 |
| Pass Yds | 298 | 199 |
| Rush Yds | 185 | 47 |
| Penalties | 4-40 | 2-19 |
| 1st Downs | 23 | 14 |
| 3rd Downs | 8-17 | 2-9 |
| 4th Downs | 3-4 | 0-1 |
| Total Plays | 75 | 50 |
| Avg Yds/Play | 6.4 | 4.9 |
| Avg Yds/Completion | 11.5 | 12.4 |
| Avg Yds/Rush | 5.3 | 1.9 |
| Sack-Adj Rush Yd(Avg) | 185 (5.3) | 66 (3.1) |
| Red Zone | 5-5 | 1-3 |
| Time of Poss | 35:41 | 24:19 |
| Turnovers (Def Pts Off) | 1 (7) | 3 (7) |
| Fumbles-Lost | 2-0 | 2-2 |
| Sacks (Def Yds) | 4 (19) | 0 (0) |
| TFL (Def Yds) | 7 (27) | 3 (8) |
Ohio State 38, Michigan State 7 – final score
Ohio State will improve to 4-0 on the season, 1-0 in the conference. Michigan State drops to 3-2 and 0-1.
Leading the Buckeyes defensively were Caleb Downs (6 tackles, 1 TFL), Sonny Styles (6 tackles and a sack), and Jack Sawyer (5 tackles, fumble recovery).
TreVeyon Henderson was OSU’s leading rusher with 69 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Ohio State is on its third quarterback
9:19, fourth quarter: After Devin Brown concluded his day 3 for 5 for 36 yards with a touchdown, Julian Sayin has entered the game. It’s unlikely Chad Ray will see a snap tonight, but we wouldn’t rule it out.
Devin Brown enters the game for OSU
14:47, fourth quarter: Ohio State quarterback Will Howard will end his evening with two passing touchdowns, a pick and 244 yards on a 21-for-31 night. He also ran for a score.
Ohio State-Michigan State third-quarter score, stats
| STAT | OHIO STATE | MICHIGAN STATE |
| Points | 38 | 7 |
| Total Yds | 417 | 205 |
| Pass Yds | 261 | 167 |
| Rush Yds | 156 | 38 |
| Penalties | 3-35 | 2-19 |
| 1st Downs | 20 | 11 |
| 3rd Downs | 6-12 | 1-6 |
| 4th Downs | 3-3 | 0-1 |
| Total Plays | 57 | 38 |
| Avg Yds/Play | 7.3 | 5.4 |
| Avg Yds/Completion | 11.9 | 12.8 |
| Avg Yds/Rush | 6.2 | 2 |
| Sack-Adj Rush Yd(Avg) | 156 (6.2) | 55 (3.4) |
| Red Zone | 5-5 | 1-3 |
| Time of Poss | 26:12 | 18:48 |
| Turnovers (Def Pts Off) | 1 (7) | 3 (7) |
| Fumbles-Lost | 2-0 | 2-2 |
| Sacks (Def Yds) | 3 (17) | 0 (0) |
| TFL (Def Yds) | 5 (22) | 2 (6) |
Ohio State 38, Michigan State 7 – Will Howard rushes for a score
2:08, third quarter: Three plays after Denzel Burke got the Buckeyes the ball, OSU was in the end zone. Will Howard scored his third touchdown of the night and his first rushing. It was a 6-yard run.
Jayden Fielding made the extra point (as he did on all his previous attempts this evening), and he handled the subsequent kickoff duties (as he has the rest of the night). It appears he’s getting a second chance after briefly losing the job because he kicked three straight kickoffs out of bounds vs. Marshall.
Denzel Burke intercepts Aidan Chiles to give OSU the ball
3:24, third quarter: Denzel Burke has two tackles tonight and just gave the Buckeyes the ball back with an interception and 31-yard return to the Michigan State 12.
Ohio State 31, Michigan State 7 – Will Howard connects with Emeka Egbuka
4:57, third quarter: OSU capped a 13-play, 76-yard, 7:09 scoring drive with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Will Howard to Emeka Egbuka. The TD came on fourth down, making the Buckeyes 3 for 3 on fourth down tonight.
As Ryan Day said he would be, Ohio State QB Will Howard is back
6:34, third quarter: Ohio State’s second-half quarterback has been Will Howard, who is 2 for 2 for 27 yards since the break.
Caleb Downs having a breakout game for OSU
Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs tonight has six tackles and a TFL.
Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon almost picks off Adian Chiles and is injured on the play
12:20, third quarter: OSU linebacker Cody Simon is holding his back after nearly grabbing a lofted ball that was eventually ruled an incomplete pass.
Ryan Day tells WBNS Radio that Will Howard is ready to return
After being knocked hard and leaving the field late in the first half, Will Howard is ready to return in the second half, according to Buckeyes coach Ryan Day. Day was speaking to the Ohio State Radio Network.
OSU’s Ross Bjork weighs in on UNLV’s Matthew Sluka
During the 97.1 The Fan halftime show, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork talked about UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka announcing he’s redshirting for the rest of the season because he felt the Runnin’ Rebels didn’t follow through on their NIL commitments.
“I hate it for the young man,” Bjork said. “I hate it for the program.”
Bjork said he would like to see federal legislation or see athletes treated like contract employees to prevent such situations in the future.
Ohio State-Michigan State halftime score, stats
| STAT | OHIO STATE | MICHIGAN STATE |
| Points | 24 | 7 |
| Total Yds | 319 | 186 |
| Pass Yds | 199 | 142 |
| Rush Yds | 120 | 44 |
| Penalties | 2-25 | 2-19 |
| 1st Downs | 15 | 8 |
| 3rd Downs | 4-8 | 1-4 |
| 4th Downs | 1-1 | 0-1 |
| Total Plays | 41 | 27 |
| Avg Yds/Play | 7.8 | 6.9 |
| Avg Yds/Completion | 11.1 | 14.2 |
| Avg Yds/Rush | 8 | 3.1 |
| Sack-Adj Rush Yd(Avg) | 120 (8) | 53 (4.4) |
| Red Zone | 4-4 | 1-3 |
| Time of Poss | 17:44 | 12:16 |
| Turnovers (Def Pts Off) | 1 (7) | 2 (0) |
| Fumbles-Lost | 0-0 | 2-2 |
| Sacks (Def Yds) | 2 (9) | 0 (0) |
| TFL (Def Yds) | 3 (10) | 2 (6) |
Ohio State 24, Michigan State 7 – Jeremiah Smith doing Jeremiah Smith things
:29, second quarter: Ohio State’s Devin Brown zipped a pass to Jeremiah Smith, who made his second one-handed grab of the drive to give OSU a 17-yard score.
That play was enough to earn the praise of NBA great LeBron James, who tweeted: “Jeremiah Smith!!! Man, knock it off!!! My goodness.”
And it wasn’t even his first one-handed grab of the night. His first came earlier in the same drive.
Ohio State’s Will Howard hurt
:34, second quarter: Ohio State’s Will Howard was hit hard in the mid-section and had to be tended to by OSU’s athletic trainers. Devin Brown took over on the subsequent play.
Michigan State takes over, still no Tyleik Williams for OSU
1:53, second quarter: Ohio State went 7 yards before punting and putting their defense back on the field. That defense has yet to see Tyleik Williams appear tonight. The defensive tackle is recovering from an unspecified injury.
Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson nearly fumbles, appears hurt on the play
2:25, second quarter: Officials ruled TreVeyon Henderson’s forearm was down, so Ohio State avoided fumbling away the ball, but after being tackled low by Jordan Turner, Henderson appeared to be a little sore leaving the field.
He was later seen jogging and making cuts on the sideline, though.
Lathan Ransom punches ball loose, OSU’s Jack Sawyer recovers
3:03, second quarter: Ohio State has forced Michigan State into a second turnover. Lathan Ransom knocked the ball out of the arms of Spartans quarterback Aidan Chiles before Jack Sawyer pounced on the ball.
Sawyer tonight has four tackles as does Caleb Downs.
OSU struggling to stop Aidan Chiles
5:10, second quarter: Like Ohio State’s Will Howard, Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles started out 9-for-10 passing, but he had more yards (143) and had a touchdown without having thrown a pick.
Ohio State 17, Michigan – Jeremiah Smith rushes for a 19-yard score
7:22, second quarter: Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has scored his fifth touchdown as an Ohio State freshman. He ran a reverse and Gee Scott made a nice block on the play.
Ohio State 10, Michigan State 7 – Michigan State capitalizes on interception
9:46, second quarter: Michigan State ran a screen play that saw Jaron Glover get outside and go 12 yards for a touchdown. Spartans quarterback Aidan Chiles is 6 for 6 tonight for 98 yards passing.
Ohio State, Michigan State trading turnovers
9:57, second quarter: Will Howard attempted to throw the ball to a well-defended Emeka Egbuka, and one of the Spartans in on double coverage, Jordan Turner, came away with the pick.
Sonny Styles recovers Spartans fumble
11:20, second quarter: Michigan State appeared to be gashing the Buckeyes’ defense a bit, but Sonny Styles picked up a Jack Velling fumble after Jordan Hancock knocked the ball loose. OSU has the ball on their own 19.
Notes on the OSU defense
Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer leads the Buckeyes early with three tackles. Sonny Styles has the game’s only sack. And Tywone Malone started tonight over Tyleik Williams, who is working his way back from an unspecified injury.
Ohio State 10, Michigan State 0
14:04, second quarter: On fourth-and-goal, Will Howard found tight end Gee Scott for a 4-yard touchdown.
Ohio State-Michigan State first-quarter score, stats
| STAT | OHIO STATE | MICHIGAN STATE |
| Score | 3 | 0 |
| Total Yds | 134 | 55 |
| Rush Att-Avg | 7 – 3 | 5 – 5.6 |
| Rush Yds | 21 | 28 |
| Pass (C-A-T-I) | 12-13-0-0 | 2-2-0-0 |
| Pass Yds | 113 | 27 |
| Penalties | 1-15 | 1-15 |
| 1sts (Rsh-Pss) | 8 (0-7) | 2 (1-1) |
| 3rd Downs | 3-4 (75%) | 0-1 (0%) |
| 4th Downs | 0-0 | 0-1 |
| Total Plays | 20 | 7 |
| Avg Yds/Play | 6.7 | 7.9 |
| Time of Poss | 10:57 | 4:03 |
| Field Goals | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Punts-Avg | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Sacks | 1 | 0 |
Will Howard throws first incompletion
3:59, first quarter: Ohio State has been successful this season when getting quarterback Will Howard in rhythm early, and tonight he completed his first nine attempts before he failed to connect with Emeka Egbuka.
Ohio State forces turnover on downs
5:14, first quarter: Michigan State averaged 15.3 yards per play on their first three offensive snaps of tonight’s game (rushes of 19 and 8 yards and a 19-yard Aidan Chiles pass). Then the Buckeyes defense buckled down, including making a fourth down stand that gave the Buckeyes the ball back.
Ohio State 3, Michigan State 0 – Penalty stalls OSU drive
9:15, first quarter: An unnecessary roughness penalty on tight end Will Kacmarek forced OSU to attempt a field goal on its opening drive. The Buckeyes looked to be cruising until the flag made it second-and-goal from the Michigan State 21. Jayden Fielding ended up making a 30-yard kick a few plays later.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard has opened today’s game 7-for-7 passing for 66 yards. His longest throw was a 29 yarder to Carnell Tate.
Who are the officials for today’s Ohio State-Michigan State game?
- Referee: Kole Knueppel
- Umpire: Edward Feaster
- Head Linesman: Rod Ammari
- Line Judge: Jeff Meslow
- Back Judge: David Lofton
- Field Judge: Ryan Gannon
- Side Judge: Steve Thielen
- Center Judge: Ron Klay
- Replay Official: Dennis Lipski
Ohio State loses coin toss
Michigan State is deferring to the second half, and Ohio State is receiving the opening kick after today’s coin toss came up heads.
Ohio State brings five quarterbacks to Michigan State
OSU’s travel roster includes Will Howard, Devin Brown, Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholtz. The team’s fifth signal caller tonight is … Chad Ray.
It might be a surprise not to see Air Noland’s name there, but this is almost certainly not a reflection of how Noland is performing in practice. He had his black stripe removed this week, a tradition marking a player’s official induction to the Buckeyes. However, Noland is not listed on the injury report.
So this is most likely a chance to reward Ray, who is in his third year with the program, an invited walk-on in the spring of 2022, and a two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten Conference honoree.
Ohio State is making its way to the stadium
With game time a little over an hour away, the Buckeyes are getting ready for kickoff.
Tale of the tape for Ohio State-Michigan State
Ohio State comes into East Lansing with the No. 3 scoring offense in the country. Michigan State is ranked 92nd in that same category. The Spartans are much stronger on defense and are No. 24 when it comes to allowing the fewest points, an area where the Buckeyes are the No. 4 team nationally.
Ohio State takes field in week of close calls, upsets
Today, Kentucky won in Oxford for the first time since 1978, knocking off No. 6 Ole Miss 20-17. No. 12 Michigan held off an upset bid by Minnesota 27-24. And, of course, on Thursday, the No. 7 Miami Hurricanes avoided being knocked off by Virginia Tech 38-34 with that game coming down to one final, controversial play.
Ohio State football has Tyleik Williams back
It’s been trending this way all week, so it’s no surprise, but still pleasant news for OSU that defensive back Tyleik Williams is healthy today. Without Williams, the Buckeyes – at times – struggled to bottle up Marshall.
Ohio State vs. Michigan State predictions, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Sept. 28.
- Spread: Ohio State -23.5
- Over/under: 48.5 points
Ohio State 48, Michigan State 10: Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch says, “There once was a time not long ago when the Spartans played Ohio State tougher than anyone in the Big Ten. They ruined OSU’s season in 2013 and ’15. But recently, the Buckeyes have dominated Sparty, and that should continue Saturday night. MSU’s defense might keep it close for a bit, but the Buckeyes have too many weapons to contain. On offense, OSU’s defensive front should control a depleted Spartans offensive line.”
Ohio State 38, Michigan State 13: Joey Kaufman of The Columbus Dispatch says, “The Buckeyes are one of only five teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision averaging at least 50 points, but the scoring barrage should slow a little bit against the Spartans, who are much improved on the defensive side of the ball after ranking as one of the worst units in the Big Ten last season. Michigan State has limited explosive plays, allowing only one from scrimmage longer than 40 yards, and gotten pressure on quarterbacks with 15 sacks in four games. That’ll keep things a little competitive, but it’s too early in Jonathan Smith’s rebuild for Ohio State to be truly threatened.”
Ohio State 38, Michigan State 10: Rob Oller of The Columbus Dispatch says, “After cutting through the “preseason” schedule like a chainsaw through balsa wood, the Buckeyes finally take on some bigger boys. The Spartans won’t present a monstrous challenge on either side of the ball, but presumably their Big Ten talent is an upgrade over what OSU has faced in Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall. If nothing else, Sparty will make the tailback tandem of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson work for their yards. And we get a first look at how quarterback Will Howard fares against Power Four competition.”
Ohio State 38, Michigan State 13: Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press says, “The Spartans give the Buckeyes a more competitive first half than they have in recent years. However, the physical toll from OSU’s front seven and the frustration of missed opportunity wear on their already-thin and fragile offense. MSU’s defense wilts in the second half, as Will Howard picks apart an untested secondary and the Quinshon Judkins-TreVeyon Henderson dual battering ram grinds out the road victory.”
Ohio State football news
Here’s what you need to know before Ohio State-Michigan State:
What channel is Ohio State vs Michigan State on today? Time, TV schedule to watch Week 5 game
How can Ohio State football beat Michigan State? Three keys for its Big Ten opener
Ohio State football lists defensive tackle Tyleik Williams as available at Michigan State
What is Peacock? Ohio State vs Michigan State to air only on NBC streaming platform
Hamstring injury forced Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson to learn patience
What Woody Hayes-inspired formation gives to Ohio State football offense
Ohio State has owned Michigan State football lately; the MSU defense wants to end that
Ohio State vs. Michigan State weather update
Spartan Stadium should be warm Saturday for Ohio State vs. Michigan State. Saturday’s low is expected to be 62degrees, with clear skies predicted.
More:Does Ohio State have best college sports tradition? Vote now!
Ohio State vs. Michigan State history
Series record: 37-15 Ohio State
Ohio State’s last win: 38-3 in 2023.
Michigan State’s last win: 17-14 in 2015
Ohio State vs. Michigan State time today
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 28
- Time: 7:30 p.m.
- Location: Spartan Stadium; East Lansing, Mich.
What channel is Ohio State vs. Michigan State game on today?
Ohio State vs. Michigan State will broadcast nationally on Peacock in Week 5 of the 2024 college football season. Andrew Siciliano and Colt McCoy will call the game from the booth at Spartan Stadium with Lewis Johnson reporting from the sideline. Streaming options for the game include the FOX Sports app and Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
More:Is Ohio State the best college for sports fans? Vote now!
Listen to Ohio State vs. Michigan State on the radio
Ohio State football is broadcasted live on WBNS-FM/AM (97.1/1460).
Here are the announcers for the Ohio State-Western Michigan game:
- Paul Keels (play-by-play)
- Jim Lachey (analysis)
- Clay Hall (sideline)
Ohio State Football schedule 2024
- Aug. 31: Ohio State 52, Akron 6
- Sept. 7: Ohio State 56, Western Michigan 0
- Sept. 21: Ohio State 49, Marshall 14
- Sept. 28: Ohio State at Michigan State; Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan
- Oct. 5: Ohio State vs. Iowa; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Oct. 12: Ohio State at Oregon; Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
- Oct. 26: Ohio State vs. Nebraska; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Nov. 2: Ohio State at Penn State; Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Nov. 9: Ohio State vs. Purdue; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Nov. 16: Ohio State at Northwestern; Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Nov. 23: Ohio State vs. Indiana; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Nov. 30: Ohio State vs. Michigan; Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Record: 3-0
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