Recap: Michigan State takes 52-12 beating by No. 4 Ohio State

Game summary

No. 4 Ohio State avoided a repeat of the showing that undefeated Northwestern had against Michigan State a week ago, as the Buckeyes demolished the Spartans in East Lansing, 52-12.

Final leaders

Passing

MSU - Payton Thorne: 16/25, 147 yds., Int.

OSU - Justin Fields: 17/24, 199 yds., 2 TD

Rushing

MSU - Payton Thorne: 9 att., 42 yds., TD

OSU - Trey Sermon: 10 att., 112 yds., TD

Receiving

MSU - Jayden Reed: 5 rec., 79 yds.

OSU - Chris Olave: 10 rec., 139 yds., TD

Michigan State punts on final drive of game, adds safety

Michigan State takes over at the 45.

Elijah Collins rushes for 4 yards. Payton Thorne throws incomplete to Cade McDonald. Thorne hits Tyler Hunt for a gain of 7. First down at the Ohio State 44. 

Thorne rushes for a yard, throws incomplete, and is sacked.

Michigan State punts.

Ohio State 52, Michigan State 10 (1:42 4th)

Ohio State takes a safety on an errant snap that lands in the end zone.

Ohio State 52, Michigan State 12 (1:02 4th)

Michigan State fumbles the free kick, and now it's Ohio State's ball.

They take a knee to end the game.

FINAL: OHIO STATE 52, MICHIGAN STATE 12

Ohio State second-stringers score on Michigan State in a hurry

C.J. Stroud is now in at quarterback for Ohio State.

Miyan Williams rushes for 6 yards on first down and second down. First-and-10 at the 36.

Williams gets 5 and 11 on his next two carries. Stroud rushes for a 48-yard touchdown.

Ohio State 52, Michigan State 10 (4:21 4th)

Michigan State goes three-and-out in pursuit of moral victories

Michigan State takes over at the 25 with 8:16 to go. The Spartans trail by a lot.

Payton Thorne throws complete to Jayden Reed on first down, but it's a loss of 4. Thorne hits Matt Dotson for a gain of 9 on second down, then misses to Tre Mosley on third down.

Bryce Baringer's punt is fair caught at the Ohio State 24.

Ohio State 45, Michigan State 10 (7:10 4th)

Ohio State adds touchdown on first play of drive

Ohio State takes over at the Spartan 41 after the punt. Justin Fields throws a 41-yard touchdown pass to Chris Olave. The drive is over.

Ohio State 45, Michigan State 10 (8:16 4th)

Michigan State gets the clamps while backed up near own end zone

Michigan State takes over at its own 2 after a really nice punt by Drue Chrisman.

Payton Thorne's first-down throw is incomplete. Elijah Collins picks up a yard on second down. The third-down pass is knocked away from the intended receiver, Tre Mosley.

Bryce Baringer's punt is returned to the Michigan State 41.

Ohio State 38, Michigan State 10 (8:22 4th)

Michigan State forces three-and-out

Ohio State takes over at the 25.

Justin Fields is sacked for a loss of 4 on first down, but it's second-and-9 after an offsides penalty on the next play. Miyan Williams is dropped for no gain on second down, and Ohio State gets backed up again by a false start.

Master Teague rushes for 3 yards, and Ohio State will punt.

Ohio State 38, Michigan State 10 (9:31 4th)

Michigan State adds field goal, trails Ohio State 38-10

Michigan State takes over at the 30.

Payton Thorne and Connor Heyward each rush for 1 yard to close the third quarter.

END 3RD: Ohio State 38, Michigan State 7 

Thorne takes off for 7 yards and then picks up a first down on fourth-and-1 with a 3-yard completion to Jalen Nailor.

Nailor then hauls in a 10-yard reception to the Ohio State 48.

Heyward rushes for 2 yards, and Thorne takes over again with a 31-yard scramble to the Ohio State 15.

Thorne's rushed into an incompletion on first down and has a second-down throw to the end zone broken up. It's fourth-and-10 after Thorne's forced to throw it away.

Michigan State adds a field goal.

Ohio State 38, Michigan State 10 (11:58 4th)

Ohio State adds field goal after back-to-back giveaways

Ohio State takes over at its own 26.

Justin Fields is sacked on first down. Chris Olave fumbles on second down, and the Spartans get it right back and in opposing territory.

Ohio State 35, Michigan State 7 (4:48 3rd)

Payton Thorne throws an interception on his first pass of the drive. That's Thorne's first incompletion of the day.

Ohio State 35, Michigan State 7 (4:43 3rd)

Alright, so Ohio State has it at its own 13, now.

Trey Sermon rushes for 5 on first down and 1 on second down, and Michigan State's Mel Tucker is flagged for throwing his headset. First-and-10 at the 49.

Fields rushes for 11 and then 25, as the Buckeyes are at Michigan State's 9.

Sermon loses a yard, Fields misses a throw, and Michigan State holds the Buckeyes to a field goal after a third-down incompletion.

Ohio State 38, Michigan State 7 (1:01 3rd)

Michigan State gets on board with two-play, 75-yard drive

Michigan State takes over at the 25, trailing by 35.

Payton Thorne lets a deep throw go to Jayden Reed, and he takes off down the sideline for a gain of 55 yards to the Ohio State 20, as the Spartans are in the red zone for the first time today.

Thorne takes off on first down and scores on a 20-yard rushing touchdown. That was quick.

Ohio State 35, Michigan State 7 (5:30 3rd)

Ohio State extends lead on 64-yard rushing touchdown

Ohio State takes over at the 13, leading 28-0 with 8:20 to go in the third.

Trey Sermon rushes for 6 yards on first down. Justin Fields hits Chris Olave for 8 yards to move the chains.

Sermon rushes for 2, then Olave gets 7. It's third-and-1. Sermon breaks free up the middle and gets all the way to the end zone for a 64-yard Ohio State rushing touchdown.

Ohio State 35, Michigan State 0 (6:14 3rd)

Michigan State finally moves into Ohio State territory, punts

Michigan State takes over at the 16, trailing 28-0. 

Payton Thorne completes a 4-yard pass to Connor Heyward. Heyward rushes for a yard on second down. Jayden Reed hauls in a 6-yard completion on third down to move the chains.

Thorne connects with Reed again on the next play for a pickup of 19, and it'll be first-and-10 at the Michigan State 43.

Heyward and Thorne each rush for 4 to bring up third-and-2, where Thorne completes a 3-yard pass to Reed.

Heyward gets 2 on first down to the Ohio State 44. Elijah Collins makes it third-and-4 with a 4-yard run on second down. Thorne is sacked for a loss of 2 on third down, and that's where the drive will end.

Ohio State 28, Michigan State 0 (8:20 3rd)

Michigan State defense forces three-and-out to start second half

Ohio State takes over at its own 25, leading 28-0, to start the second half.

Master Teague rushes for 1 on first down. An 8-yard completion to Chris Olave won't matter much as the third-down throw to Olave falls incomplete, and the Buckeyes go three-and-out.

Ohio State 28, Michigan State 0 (13:59 3rd)

Michigan State gives up fumble to end first half

Michigan State takes over at the 26, trailing 28-0, with 2:31 to go in the half.

Payton Thorne, in at quarterback for the injured Rocky Lombardi, throws complete to Jalen Nailor for a pickup of 6. Thorne moves the chains with a 9-yard pass to Tyler Hunt.

Then it's Tre Mosley getting involved, hauling in a 12-yard completion to set up the Spartans with first-and-10 at the Ohio State 47.

A pass to Connor Heyward on first down is complete for a loss of 7. Yikes. Back to Mosley on second down for a gain of 10, bringing up third-and-7. Thorne completes a 5-yard pass to Hunt, and Michigan State will rush up to the line on fourth-and-2.

Thorne gets the first down, but has the ball stripped while fighting for extra yards. Ohio State recovers and will run out the clock to end the half.

END 2ND: Ohio State 28, Michigan State 0 

Michigan State gets stop before halftime

Justin fields throws incomplete on first down, hits Wyatt Davis but loses 2 on second down, and rushes for 5 yards on third down. 

The Buckeyes will punt it right back.

Timeout #2 Michigan State (2:39 2nd)

Thorne in at QB for Michigan State as Lombardi goes out with injury

Michigan State takes over at its own 25 after the pick-6.

Elijah Collins rushes for 2 yards on first down. Lombardi is hit hard on a sack that loses 9 yards, and is injured. He appeared to suffer a head injury on the play and will leave the game. 

Elijah Collins rushes for 8 yards, and the Spartans will punt.

Ohio State 28, Michigan State 0 (5:15 2nd)

Rocky Lombardi throws pick-6 in own end zone

Michigan State takes over at the 1, trailing 21-0. Not ideal, but we'll see if they can make something happen here.

Rocky Lombardi picks up a yard with the QB sneak to give the Spartans some breathing room. Connor Heyward is dropped at the line for no gain. Lombardi's third-down pass is knocked into the hands of an Ohio State defensive lineman, who's standing in the end zone.

That's a touchdown.

Ohio State 28, Michigan State 0 (5:15 2nd)

Michigan State forces Buckeyes to punt in second quarter

Ohio State starts at the 20, up 21-0 with 9:25 to go in the first half.

Justin Fields completes to Chris Olave for a 19-yard gain, then goes back to Olave on the next play for 13.

It's first-and-10 at the Michigan State 48.

Master Teague rushes for 3 yards on first down. Michigan State is flagged for roughing the passer on the next play, making it first-and-10 at the 30.

Teague rushes for 3 yards and Olave is stopped for no gain. Fields throws it away on third down, and is flagged for intentional ground.

Drue Chrisman's punt lands at the 1.

Ohio State 21, Michigan State 0 (6:22 2nd)

Michigan State offense gets first down, promptly punts

Michigan State takes over at its own 25, trailing 21-0.

Rocky Lombardi completes a 17-yard pass to Jalen Nailor to start the drive. That's the first Spartan first down of the game.

Lombardi then misses to Nailor twice and completes to Connor Heyward for a 2-yard gain on third down.

Punt time.

Ohio State 21, Michigan State 0 (9:25 2nd)

Ohio State takes 21-0 lead in second quarter

Ohio State takes over at the 25.

Master Teague rushes for 2 on first down, bringing the first quarter to a close.

END 1ST: Ohio State 14, Michigan State 0 

Justin Fields completes a 2-yard pass to Julian Fleming, then a 7-yard pass to Garrett Wilson. Teague rushes for a yard on third-and-1 to move the chains.

Fields connects with Wilson for a long touchdown pass, but it's called back for holding. The Buckeyes still pick up 14 on the play, as the hold occurred downfield.

It's first-and-10 at the Michigan State 49.

Trey Sermons loses 3 yards on first down. Fields hits Chris Olave for a gain of 8 on second down, then scrambles for 7 to move the chains to the 37, which is given a 10-yard boost by defensive holding. It's first-and-10 at the 27.

Sermons rushes for 25 yards to the Michigan State 2.

Timeout #1 Michigan State (10:53 2nd)

Fields pump fakes to his left, scrambles right, is swallowed for a loss of 2. But Michigan State had 12 men on the field — after a timeout — and it's a new first down. Fields gets into the end zone on the next play.

Ohio State 21, Michigan State 0 (10:25 2nd)

Michigan State still on lookout for first points of game

Michigan State takes over at the 37 after a nice return. Rocky Lombardi misses on first down as Elijah Collins rushes for 2 yards on second down. Lombardi throws complete to Connor Heyward for a gain of 3. 

The Spartans will punt.

Ohio State 14, Michigan State 0 (0:22 1st)

Ohio State goes 72 yards in 3 plays, leads 14-0 

Ohio State takes over at the Michigan State 28.

Justin Fields rushes for 44 yards on the first play of the drive. 

Fields' next throw is incomplete, but he gets it to Garrett Wilson on second down for a 28-yard touchdown pass.

Ohio State 14, Michigan State 0 (2:01 1st)

Spartans fail to pick up first down in first quarter

Michigan State takes over at the 20.

The Spartans catch a holding foul on first down, and it's first-and-20. I think we all know where this is going.

Elijah Collins for 2, Rocky Lombardi to Tyler Hunt for 3. Collins gets 14 on third-and-15, as the Spartans will be forced to punt again.

Ohio State 7, Michigan State 0 (2:42 1st)

Michigan State 'D' pushes Buckeyes backward, gets stop

Ohio State takes over at the 18 after getting the stop.

Master Teague rushes for 5 yards on first down, gets wrapped up for a loss of 2 on second down. Justin Fields takes off on third-and-7 for a scramble of 13 yards, and gets a new set of downs at the 34.

Ohio State holds on first down. It's first-and-20.

Trey Sermon is swallowed whole on the next play and loses 5 yards. Sermon gets 9 back on second down. Fields throws it away on third down, as the Spartans get the stop.

Ohio State 7, Michigan State 0 (4:50 1st)

Michigan State looks to answer Ohio State touchdown

Michigan State takes over at the 25. The Spartans trail 7-0 with 8:46 to go in the first quarter.

Rocky Lombardi's first down pass is to Tyler Hunt on a slant, which falls incomplete but draws a pass interference penalty. 

It's first-and-10 at the 33.

Connor Heyward rushes for 2 yards. Lombardi throws into coverage on second down and it's almost intercepted, but falls incomplete. Lombardi misses his receiver completely on third down, and that'll be a second straight three-and-out (kinda). 

Ohio State 7, Michigan State 0 (8:46 1st)

Ohio State takes 7-0 lead on first offensive series

Justin Fields starts the game with a 16-yard completion to Chris Olave. 

Olave drops the next target. Master Teague rushes for 3 yards. Michigan State forces a stop on third down, but takes a personal foul penalty to make it first-and-10 at the Michigan State 49.

Justin Fields rushes for 4 yards, then scrambles for 8 to move the chains.

Teague gets 5 on first down and 3 on second down. Ohio State converts with a 7-yard pass to Chris Olave, and then Ohio State picks up 21 yards on a broken play that was initially ruled a touchdown, but overturned to make it first-and-goal at the half-yard line.

Teague is stuffed for no gain on first down. Teague is dropped for a loss of 1 on second down, and the Spartans all of a sudden have the chance to make a stop. Fields dances in the pocket all day before eventually taking off toward the end zone for an Ohio State touchdown.

Ohio State 7, Michigan State 0 (8:46 1st)

Michigan State starts with ball, goes three-and-out

Michigan State takes over at the 25. Rocky Lombardi loses a yard on first down, gets an 8-yard pass to Connor Heyward on second down. Heyward gets wrapped up for a loss of 1 on third-and-3, and the Spartans will punt.

Michigan State 0, Ohio State 0 (13:23 1st)

Pregame

Michigan State is coming off a huge victory against a top 10 opponent. For Ohio State, just getting to play should be considered a victory.

Two of the third-ranked Buckeyes' last three games have been canceled over COVID-19 concerns — first with Maryland, as the Terrapins addressed issues with the virus on their team, and then last week's game at Illinois, as Ohio State had issues of its own.

With just four games under its belt, Ohio State is teetering on not qualifying for the Big Ten title game, though the conference could look to change that. Ohio State and Michigan State appear to be on track to meet Saturday, with the kickoff scheduled for noon.

Michigan State (2-3) carries momentum into the game, having knocked off then-No. 8 Northwestern, the favorite to represent the West in the Big Ten title game.

Like everyone else in the Big Ten, the Spartans have had trouble beating the Buckeyes, having lost four straight in the series, though their last victory was certainly memorable in a season that saw Michigan State reach the College Football Playoff.

Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Nolan Bianchi.

Ohio State at Michigan State

► Kickoff: Noon Saturday, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing

► TV/Radio: ABC/760 AM

► Records: Ohio State 4-0, MSU 2-3

► Line: Ohio State by 23½