Three keys to an Ohio State football victory over Michigan State
By Ryan Stano
2. Stop the run and make Aidan Chiles beat you with his arm
Michigan State has a history of good running backs. They love to establish the run and control the clock in East Lansing. They are only averaging 4.6 yards per carry this year though, so they don't pound it on the ground quite as well as they used to.
One player who could give the Buckeyes issues on the ground is quarterback Aidan Chiles. Chiles is not a good thrower of the ball. So far this season, he has just four touchdowns to seven interceptions. He definitely can run the ball, as he has three touchdowns on the ground.
Ohio State is going to want to make Chiles beat them with his arm. They don't believe that he can consistently make throws down the field without making a mistake. With how good the secondary is, it's going to be tough for Chiles to make throws in order to sustain drives.
The Buckeyes will likely crowd the box, unlike what they did agaisnt Marshall. Chiles isn't skilled enough to make them pay by beating them deep or with intermediate routes. I wouldn't be surprised to see seven or eight guys in the box for most of this game.
The final key for the Buckeyes to win is something they failed to do a week ago against Marshall.