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Ohio State looks to avoid upset at Michigan State

Oct 10, 2006 - 9:50 PM No. 1 Ohio St (6-0) at Michigan St (3-3), 3:30 pm EDT

EAST LANSING, Michigan (Ticker) - Jim Tressel may not have been Ohio State's coach then, but he certainly will be reminding his team of 1998.

The top-ranked Buckeyes look to extend the nation's longest winning streak to 14 games when they visit reeling but dangerous Michigan State in a Big Ten Conference matchup on Saturday.

In 1998, Michigan State stunned No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus, 28-24, to dash the Buckeyes' hopes of a national title.

The Spartans also posted a 23-7 win over the Buckeyes here the following year, but they have lost the last four meetings since, including a 35-24 setback in Columbus last year in which quarterback Drew Stanton was sacked 12 times. Tressel is 3-0 against the Spartans.

Michigan State (3-3, 0-2 Big Ten) appeared on the verge of a 4-0 start before surrendering 19 unanswered fourth-quarter points in a 40-37 loss to Notre Dame in East Lansing on September 23. The Spartans were stunned by Illinois on a last-second field goal here the following week before falling to Michigan in Ann Arbor last week, 31-13.

Already without leading rusher Javon Ringer, who is out for the year with a knee injury, the Spartans lost 6-6 wideout Matt Trannon to a sprained ankle in the setback to the Wolverines, and he will not play this week.

Ohio State (6-0, 2-0) took a break from Big Ten play with a 35-7 win over Bowling Green last week.

Troy Smith helped his Heisman Trophy candidacy by completing 17-of-20 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns in the romp.

The Buckeyes lead the nation in scoring defense, yielding just 9.3 points per game.