COLUMBUS, Ohio — We've reached the last two weeks of the season and Ohio State has some high-stakes games left.
The Buckeyes held on the No. 4 spot in the latest playoff rankings and have games left against two top 10 teams in Michigan State and That Team Up North.
So before we look ahead, let's focus on this week so here are 10 Things To Know.
- Ohio State leads the nation in scoring offense (46.3 points per game), total offense (550.4 yards/game), touchdowns scored (59) and yards per play (8.03).
- The Buckeyes will be playing at a College GameDay site for the 51st time, most of any program in the country. They are 35-15 all-time in “GameDay” games.
- Ohio State and Michigan State will be playing for the 50th time in series history on Saturday. The Buckeyes hold a 34-15 all-time advantage.
- The Buckeyes have won 14 of the last 17 games between the teams since the Spartans won back-to-back games in 1998 and 1999.
- The game Saturday will be the 21st played between the two with both teams nationally ranked. Ohio State leads in these games, 14-6.
- Michigan State has defeated a Top 5 nationally-ranked Ohio State team five times, including defeating a No. 1-ranked team three times: in 1974 (16-13), 1998 (28-24) and 2015 (17-14).
- The Spartans started the season 8-0, including a 37-33 win over Michigan, before rebounding from a loss to Purdue last week by topping Maryland.
- Michigan State’s offense is powered by running back Kenneth Walker III, who leads the nation in rushing yards (1,473), yards per game (147.3) and rushing touchdowns (17).
- Just one yard, on average per game, separates Michigan State’s and Ohio State’s identical rushing attack stats: Spartans – 197.8 ypg; 5.27 ypc; 21 TDs; Buckeyes – 196.8 ypg; 5.96 ypc; 21 TDs.
- The 24 Buckeyes being honored Saturday are the first senior class in Big Ten Conference history to win four consecutive outright Big Ten championships.