EAST LANSING – Michigan State will take a win any way it can get it in its top-10 showdown with Ohio State on Saturday.
But, if he can help it, there’s one way Spartans’ coach Mel Tucker would prefer to avoid.
“I’m not in the shootout business,” Tucker, a longtime defensive assistant before becoming a head coach, said this week. “If it ends up being that, then it’s that, but that’s not the goal.”
There’s reason to believe, though, that Spartans-Buckeyes will indeed be a high-scoring affair.
Ohio State is No. 1 in the country in scoring offense at 46.3 points per game behind a Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback C.J. Stroud. Michigan State is vastly improved at 34.6 points per game thanks to its own Heisman candidate in Kenneth Walker III.
On defense, meanwhile, both teams are ranked outside of the top 50 in total defense.
The signs are pointing toward an Ohio Stadium shootout on Saturday, much to Tucker’s chagrin.
“When I hear something like that, it makes me want to vomit,” Tucker said.
Spartans quarterback Payton Thorne said it’s hard to not be aware of the type of offense the opposing team has on Saturday, even if his study has been focused on the Buckeyes’ defense. But that also doesn’t necessarily change how Michigan State approaches the game. The Spartans are still aiming to score on every possession, just like every week.
“Obviously their offense is very good and they’re very talented,” Thorne said. “They’ve put up a lot of points so far this season. We’re aware of that, but every week of preparation you’re putting it together to score on every drive. You’re not going out there to not score.”
While Michigan State’s defense has had its shaky moments in the past several weeks, particularly on its trip to Purdue, the offense has continued through a few key injuries to post more than 35 points per game in its last three weeks.
While Walker has maintained his steady 140 yards per game on the ground, Thorne’s play has been perhaps the biggest difference in the Spartans offense in the last several weeks. His 73.3 completion percentage on Saturday against Maryland was his highest mark of the season and he has thrown six touchdown passes in the last two weeks.
Thorne and his coaches chalk that improvement up to experience, with nearly a full season as a starter now under his belt.
“Payton’s really been playing well,” Spartans offensive coordinator Jay Johnson said. “I think you can see that as he continues to travel on this journey this season, like any quarterback, the more time you get, the more reps you get in that setting, it can propel you. I think he’s done a great job of that.”
Thorne has done that without his second-leading receiver, Jalen Nailor, who has been out due to injury since the first half of the Michigan game.
Nailor’s role has been filled by committee. Montorie Foster recorded his first career touchdown catch on Saturday, Tre Mosley has had seven catches in the last two weeks and tight ends like Maliq Carr have played a larger role in the passing game.
“We’ve had guys that have filled in in that role,” Thorne said. “Coach talks about all the time ‘If you’re in the game, you’re a starter. It really doesn’t matter who’s named the starters throughout the week, if you’re in the game, you’re a starter. And you’d better be preparing like one.”
Last week brought a new challenge for the Spartans’ offense. Maryland, more than other recent Spartans opponents, keyed in early on limiting Walker in the run game by packing defenders into the box. Thorne responded by airing it out early and eventually forcing the defense to pay more heed to the pass game and give Walker more room to operate.
That balance has been valued by Spartans players and coaches. And it will be needed on Saturday as the Spartans prepare for what could be a high-scoring affair.
“I would definitely say that our confidence as a whole, offensively, it goes up as time goes on,” Thorne said. “You start to go against different guys, and when you’re playing and doing good things, that helps, and I think that’s what we’ve been doing lately.”
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Michigan State-Ohio State has shootout potential, much to Mel Tucker’s chagrin - mlive.com
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