Ohio State Football: Who are the Top 5 rivals?

2. Michigan State

Nov 8, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Michael Thomas (3) makes a catch during the second quarter against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

This is the most competitive rivalry for OSU in the Big Ten on a yearly bases, and even my favorite one to watch in terms of competitiveness, with last year being a high-scoring affair with the Buckeyes winning 49-37.

What can we say about the rivalry? First lets look at the scores of some of their recent meetings:

• 2014: Ohio State 49, Michigan State 37
• 2013: Michigan State 34, Ohio State 24
• 2012: Ohio State 17, Michigan State 16
• 2011: Michigan State 10, Ohio State 7

These are the results of their last four meetings with each team taking a turn winning the game, so it terms of competitiveness this is proof these two teams not only have the respect for each other, but they know each other well.

Dan Murphy and Brian Bennett of ESPN.com wrote this about the two teams and their rivalry:

"“It’s no real stretch to say the de facto Big Ten championship game will be played on Nov. 21 at the Horseshoe. Michigan State’s outstanding defense vs. Ohio State’s extraordinary offense is worth the price of admission alone, and both sides should be starting star quarterbacks. This may not be The Game, but it is The Game That Really Matters.”"

What will make the 2015 game so great is what will be on the line once the games arrives on Nov. 21 in Columbus. Both teams by then should have really good records, and whomever wins this game will be most likely the representative of the Big Ten East when the Big Ten Championship game rolls around.

This rivalry and the game this year will most likely be the “real” Big Ten Championship game.

Next: No. 1: 'The Game'