Ohio State Football: Interview with a Michigan State Expert

I have a sense of how most Ohio State football fans view tomorrow’s big game so I thought it would be interesting to get the perspective of a Michigan State Expert.

Prior to an important Ohio State football game I like to reach out to someone who follows the opposing team closely and get their thoughts. Fortunately, Connor Muldowney agreed to give his perspective on the Ohio State vs. Michigan State game and the rivalry between the two schools.

Connor is the Expert for Spartan Avenue, one of the top sites in FanSided’s College Division. I doubt anyone follows the Michigan State football program more closely or is more in tune with the Spartans’ fanbase.

I found Connor’s answers to my questions very interesting and I have a feeling you will too.

Q: When Jim Harbaugh took the head coaching job at Michigan it was thought he and Urban Meyer could have a “Ten Year War” like the one Woody and Bo had. I wrote in June of 2015 that Urban may already be in the midst of one with Mark Dantonio, and things have heated up even more since. Is there a sense in Spartan Nation the rivalry has become something along those lines?

Connor: The sense around Spartan Nation is that the rivalry is budding and that Ohio State and Michigan State arguably showcase more intriguing matchups than ’The Game’ — at least in recent years. Mark Dantonio and Urban Meyer have one heck of a rivalry and the respect is mutual. This is the game that’s circled on many MSU fans’ calendars because it’s a true measurement of talent.

Q: What are the things Michigan State will bring to the game that may cause problems for Ohio State?

Connor: Michigan State is one of the most aggressive defenses in the country and it’s getting better by the week. The offense won’t cause many problems for the Buckeyes, especially with an ailing Brian Lewerke and Felton Davis III out for the season, but the defense could cause problems for Dwayne Haskins and that run game.

Q: Are there areas of concern for the Spartans entering the game?

Connor: The offense is a major concern heading into Saturday’s contest. The Spartans are anemic, to say the least.

Q: What fears you most about the Buckeyes?

Connor: Dwayne Haskins has to be the biggest factor for Ohio State so I’d say he’d probably strike the most fear into the Spartans. He isn’t a runner like JT Barrett was, but he is arguably the best passer Urban Meyer has ever coached. This secondary has improved drastically throughout the season, but Haskins could go off.

Q: What scares you the least?

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Connor: I don’t think that there’s anything that would scare this MSU team ’the least’. The Buckeyes are a top-10 team for a reason and everything — even the Buckeyes’ struggling defense — should be considered a major threat to the Spartans.

Q: I have three nieces, a nephew and a sister-in-law who live close to East Lansing and all but one are Spartan fans. Can you give reasons as to why the ones who follow MSU should be confident they will like the outcome of Saturday’s game?

Connor: A reason they should be confident is Mark Dantonio. He constantly gets his players to rise to the occasion — outside of the 2017 matchup — and they usually play the Buckeyes tough. This is the type of game he wins, when no one is really giving him a shot.

Q: How do you see the game playing out and what do you predict the final score will be?

Connor: I’d say that the Buckeyes will escape East Lansing with a slim victory thanks to a big game from Dwayne Haskins, 24-21.

Next. Did Tua Tagovailoa run away with the Heisman?. dark

There you have it Buckeye fans, a Spartan point of view. I want to thank Connor for sharing his thoughts on the big game.

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