Ohio State Football: Spartans Stifle Buckeyes

10-1-11     vs. Michigan State     L, 10-7     3-2

     On Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium, 105,306 fans witnessed a display of offensive ineptitude that was both stunning and humiliating.

     Facing a solid Michigan State defensive unit, the Buckeyes were thoroughly overwhelmed.  Ohio State totaled a mere 178 yards of offense while committing 9 penalties.  The offensive line allowed a staggering 9 sacks.  And if not for Joe Bauserman's 33-yard touchdown pass to Evan Spencer with 10 seconds remaining in the game, the Buckeyes would have been held scoreless in the Horseshoe for the 1st time since 1982.

...the offensive line allowed a staggering 9 sacks...

     Kirk Cousins tossed a 33-yard TD to B.J. Cunningham in the 1st quarter, and Dan Conroy added a 50-yard field goal in the 4th to account for the Spartans' offensive production.

     Ohio State's defense, despite a complete lack of support, played admirably as it intercepted Cousins twice in the 4th period.  C.J. Barnett's acrobatic pick in the back of the end zone stalled a MSU drive, and, 10 minutes later, Bradley Roby corralled an erratic pass from Cousins.  Those turnovers could have changed the momentum, but the OSU offense was incapable of mounting a comeback.

     Following Barnett's INT, which occurred at the 14:09 mark of the 4th quarter, Luke Fickell decided it was time to switch quarterbacks.  Playing behind an incompetent O-line, Braxton Miller was running for his life.  Bauserman, though, experienced the same fate as he was sacked 4 times before throwing that aforementioned touchdown strike in the final seconds against a prevent defense.

     The Buckeyes then attempted an onside kick, but Michigan State recovered to seal Ohio State's miserable fate.

...Bauserman...was sacked 4 times...

     The most discouraging aspect of this ugly defeat is that the worst is yet to come.  Ohio State's next 3 opponents, Nebraska, Illinois, and Wisconsin, are nationally ranked.

Player of the Game

Bradley Roby: 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception

     Roby was 1 of the few bright spots for the Buckeyes.  The freshman defensive back from Georgia keyed the OSU defense, which played well enough to win.

Play of the Game

Joe Bauserman's 33-yard touchdown pass to Evan Spencer in the 4th quarter

     This play, even though it did not affect the outcome of the game, did give the Buckeyes a moral victory because it prevented the Spartans from pitching a shutout.

...Spencer...prevented the Spartans from pitching a shutout...