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Buckeyes overcome turnover
By ED PUSKAS Tribune Chronicle Sports Editor
EAST LANSING, Mich. ? Michigan State coach John L. Smith couldn?t have envisioned a better way to start Saturday?s game against unbeaten and top-ranked Ohio State.
Senior linebacker David Herron Jr. forced a Chris Wells fumble and cornerback Greg Cooper fell on it at the Buckeyes? 31.
But Ohio State pushed back Michigan State, forcing a punt and that early opportunity was wasted.
??You get that opportunity ? and you?re not going to get many opportunities with that good of a football team ? you need something positive to happen to you,?? Smith said.
??We got something positive with the fumble, but we needed to capitalize on it.?
There haven?t been many positive moments for the Spartans since their 3-0 start.
On Sept. 23, they blew a 37-21 second-half lead and lost to Notre, 40-37, on On Sept. 30, Big Ten Conference doormat Illinois beat Michigan State, 23-20, in overtme.
Last week, the Spartans visited nearby Ann Arbor, where archrival Michigan won, 31-13.
??We?ve got five teams left and we?re only going to talk about one of them,?? Smith said. ??That?s Northwestern.?
The Spartans and Wildcats play at noon Saturday in Evanston, Ill. Ohio State hosts Indiana at noon, Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
? HIT HARD: Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton had one of his worst games this season in the Spartans? 38-7 loss to the Buckeyes Saturday. He was just 8-of-16 for 51 yards and was sacked three times.
Stanton hurt his back in the first half and was knocked out of the game when Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman knocked him out of bounds midway through the third quarter.
Freeman?s hit sent Stanton sprawling on the Ohio State sideline, where he spun helmet-first into a Gatorade cooler. The quarterback was on the ground for a while, and later walked gingerly across the field.
He did not return.
??I didn?t really get a clean shot on him,?? said Freeman, who early intercepted a Stanton screen pass. ??They said he slid into the cooler or something like that, so I hope he?s getting better.?
? MORE INJURIES: Michigan State lost Herron and Cooper to injuries Saturday.
Herron, a Warren native and Warren G. Harding High School graduate, sustained a stinger in the area of his shoulder and neck.
Herron, a co-captain, made seven tackles against the Buckeyes before he was injured.
Cooper left the game after trying to make a tackle against Ohio State?s Antonio Pittman in the third quarter. Michigan State spokesman John Lewandowski said Cooper lost consciousness on the play.
The senior cornerback was motionless on the field for several minutes before his neck and head were immobilized and he was placed on a stretcher.
Cooper was then loaded onto a cart and driven off the field. Smith said Cooper was taken to a hospital and will stay overnight there.
??Coop should be fine,?? Smith said. ??He?s moving and he?s talking.?
? ON THE DEFENSIVE: Freeman and linebacker James Laurinaitis felt good about Ohio State?s defensive play, despite a late Michigan State touchdown that ruined the Buckeyes? bid for a shutout.
??We felt like we were in control the whole game,?? said Laurinaitis, who had a game-high nine tackles and a sack.
It was Laurinaitis who sacked Stanton for a 16-yard loss to take the Spartans out of field-goal range after the Buckeyes? early fumble.
Ohio State (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten Conference) now has 22 sacks and 13 interceptions in seven games. The Buckeyes have picked off a pass in every game this season.
Freeman?s pick, his second of the season, came with 2:22 left in the first half and set up an Ohio State touchdown.
??Just going out there and getting quick three-and-outs on a great offense like that was a great confidence builder,?? Freeman said.
Michigan State (3-4, 0-3) averaged 31 points in its first six games.
? HE SAID, HE SAID: Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith and wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez are a mutual admiration society.
Smith was 15-of-22 for 234 yards and two touchdowns Saturday, including a 12-yard strike to Gonzalez late in the first half.
??I think the big thing with that is that it was such a great throw,?? Gonzalez said. ??It was one of those things where it was in a spot that only I could get it. That?s what is rewarding about playing with the best player in the country.?
Smith marveled at Gonzalez?s lunging catch in the back of the end zone.
??That?s why we call him ?The Wizard,? ?? Smith said. ??If you give him a chance, he is going to do things that will just mesmerize you.?
? QUICK HITTERS: Ohio State extended the nation?s longest current winning streak to 14 games. The Buckeyes have gone more than a full year since their last defeat, which came on Oct. 8, 2005 at Penn State. ... Ohio State is 25-12 all-time against Michigan State. The Buckeyes haven?t lost to the Spartans since 1999. ... Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is 4-0 against Michigan State, 57-13 overall with the Buckeyes and 192-70-2. ... Indiana (4-3, 2-1) will take a two-game winning streak into Columbus next Saturday. The Hoosiers beat Illinois, 34-32, last week and upset Iowa, 31-28, Saturday.
Buckeyes overcome turnover
By ED PUSKAS Tribune Chronicle Sports Editor
EAST LANSING, Mich. ? Michigan State coach John L. Smith couldn?t have envisioned a better way to start Saturday?s game against unbeaten and top-ranked Ohio State.
Senior linebacker David Herron Jr. forced a Chris Wells fumble and cornerback Greg Cooper fell on it at the Buckeyes? 31.
But Ohio State pushed back Michigan State, forcing a punt and that early opportunity was wasted.
??You get that opportunity ? and you?re not going to get many opportunities with that good of a football team ? you need something positive to happen to you,?? Smith said.
??We got something positive with the fumble, but we needed to capitalize on it.?
There haven?t been many positive moments for the Spartans since their 3-0 start.
On Sept. 23, they blew a 37-21 second-half lead and lost to Notre, 40-37, on On Sept. 30, Big Ten Conference doormat Illinois beat Michigan State, 23-20, in overtme.
Last week, the Spartans visited nearby Ann Arbor, where archrival Michigan won, 31-13.
??We?ve got five teams left and we?re only going to talk about one of them,?? Smith said. ??That?s Northwestern.?
The Spartans and Wildcats play at noon Saturday in Evanston, Ill. Ohio State hosts Indiana at noon, Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
? HIT HARD: Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton had one of his worst games this season in the Spartans? 38-7 loss to the Buckeyes Saturday. He was just 8-of-16 for 51 yards and was sacked three times.
Stanton hurt his back in the first half and was knocked out of the game when Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman knocked him out of bounds midway through the third quarter.
Freeman?s hit sent Stanton sprawling on the Ohio State sideline, where he spun helmet-first into a Gatorade cooler. The quarterback was on the ground for a while, and later walked gingerly across the field.
He did not return.
??I didn?t really get a clean shot on him,?? said Freeman, who early intercepted a Stanton screen pass. ??They said he slid into the cooler or something like that, so I hope he?s getting better.?
? MORE INJURIES: Michigan State lost Herron and Cooper to injuries Saturday.
Herron, a Warren native and Warren G. Harding High School graduate, sustained a stinger in the area of his shoulder and neck.
Herron, a co-captain, made seven tackles against the Buckeyes before he was injured.
Cooper left the game after trying to make a tackle against Ohio State?s Antonio Pittman in the third quarter. Michigan State spokesman John Lewandowski said Cooper lost consciousness on the play.
The senior cornerback was motionless on the field for several minutes before his neck and head were immobilized and he was placed on a stretcher.
Cooper was then loaded onto a cart and driven off the field. Smith said Cooper was taken to a hospital and will stay overnight there.
??Coop should be fine,?? Smith said. ??He?s moving and he?s talking.?
? ON THE DEFENSIVE: Freeman and linebacker James Laurinaitis felt good about Ohio State?s defensive play, despite a late Michigan State touchdown that ruined the Buckeyes? bid for a shutout.
??We felt like we were in control the whole game,?? said Laurinaitis, who had a game-high nine tackles and a sack.
It was Laurinaitis who sacked Stanton for a 16-yard loss to take the Spartans out of field-goal range after the Buckeyes? early fumble.
Ohio State (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten Conference) now has 22 sacks and 13 interceptions in seven games. The Buckeyes have picked off a pass in every game this season.
Freeman?s pick, his second of the season, came with 2:22 left in the first half and set up an Ohio State touchdown.
??Just going out there and getting quick three-and-outs on a great offense like that was a great confidence builder,?? Freeman said.
Michigan State (3-4, 0-3) averaged 31 points in its first six games.
? HE SAID, HE SAID: Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith and wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez are a mutual admiration society.
Smith was 15-of-22 for 234 yards and two touchdowns Saturday, including a 12-yard strike to Gonzalez late in the first half.
??I think the big thing with that is that it was such a great throw,?? Gonzalez said. ??It was one of those things where it was in a spot that only I could get it. That?s what is rewarding about playing with the best player in the country.?
Smith marveled at Gonzalez?s lunging catch in the back of the end zone.
??That?s why we call him ?The Wizard,? ?? Smith said. ??If you give him a chance, he is going to do things that will just mesmerize you.?
? QUICK HITTERS: Ohio State extended the nation?s longest current winning streak to 14 games. The Buckeyes have gone more than a full year since their last defeat, which came on Oct. 8, 2005 at Penn State. ... Ohio State is 25-12 all-time against Michigan State. The Buckeyes haven?t lost to the Spartans since 1999. ... Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is 4-0 against Michigan State, 57-13 overall with the Buckeyes and 192-70-2. ... Indiana (4-3, 2-1) will take a two-game winning streak into Columbus next Saturday. The Hoosiers beat Illinois, 34-32, last week and upset Iowa, 31-28, Saturday.
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