When the lines were announced last weekend, Ohio State showing up as two-touchdown favorites over Michigan State drew a lot of attention. After all, the Buckeyes were coming off a humiliating road loss to Iowa while the Spartans were rolling, having just dropped Penn State.
Saturday proved once again that Vegas usually knows what's up as Ohio State rolled to a 48-3 win over Michigan State Saturday in a game that was never in doubt.
Here are 14 GIFs that tell the story of that game. To view the GIFs, hover on desktop or touch on your mobile device.
Ohio State fans may have felt their stomachs drop when Michigan State running back L.J. Scott ripped off a 21-yard run on the second play of the game, but two plays later, linebacker Malik Harrison set the tone for the game, sacking Spartan quarterback Brian Lewerke for an 11-yard loss.
A few plays later, Nick Bosa got in on the action, sacking Lewerke for a 12-yard loss and forcing a Michigan State punt. The Buckeyes would record six sacks and nine TFLs on the afternoon.
It was all Mike Weber on Ohio State's first possession of the game as the running back raced 47 yards on 3rd-and-3 to put the Buckeyes on the board.
Here's another look at Weber's touchdown. Check out center Billy Price doing work on the play.
After exchanging punts, the Buckeyes received the ball again with a little over four minutes remaining in the first quarter. Quarterback J.T. Barrett and running back J.K. Dobbins carried Ohio State 73 yards on 11 plays, capped with a 4-yard Barrett run to make it 14-0, Buckeyes.
After forcing yet another Michigan State punt, Barrett and the Buckeyes went 68 yards in nine plays, capped by another 4-yard run from the quarterback. 21-0, Ohio State.
On Michigan State's ensuing possession, the Ohio State defense forced more havoc when Tyquan Lewis forced a Lewerke fumble that was scooped up by defensive back Damon Arnette. The Buckeyes were back in business at the Spartan 26.
Ohio State would capitalize on the turnover quickly, but first, tight end Marcus Baugh had to leap over a dude. We give it a 6.8.
And here's the finisher: Barrett to Dobbins from eight yards out. 28-0, Ohio State.
The Buckeyes forced yet another Michigan State punt and then it took Weber all of one play to go 82 yards and put Ohio State up 35-0 with six minutes remaining in the first half. The running back would finish with 162 yards on just nine carries – averaging an astounding 18 yards per tote.
Defensive lineman Dre'Mont Jones was hit with targeting on Michigan State's next possession – marking the second week in a row a Buckeye lineman has been ejected from a game. The hit would negate a Damon Arnette interception, but the corner would get it back a few plays later when he picked off Lewerke and it counted.
It wasn't quite Marcus Hall dropping double birds on Michigan Stadium, but Jones did show some spirit on his exit from the field.
Cornerback Kendall Sheffield was himself hit with a penalty at the end of the first half for this hit on Michigan State wide receiver Cody White, but the officiating crew wisely picked up the flag. The Spartans would settle for a field goal and enter the half trailing 35-3.
Ohio State would add another touchdown on its first possession of the second half – this one coming on a 48-yard toss and catch from Barrett to Binjimen Victor. The wideout did a great job of stepping out of the tackle to score.
That was it for the big points in the second half. Ohio State would tack on two field goals for the final margin handing Mark Dantonio his worst defeat ever as head coach of the Spartans.
