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Ohio State overwhelms MSU for 35-3 halftime lead

Posted at 1:55 PM, Nov 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-11 13:55:42-05

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Michigan State Spartans fell behind early en route to trailing 35-3 at halftime against Detroit product Mike Weber Jr. and the Ohio State Buckeyes in a battle of 7-2 nationally ranked combatants at Ohio Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The game is being broadcast live on FOX 17.

Eleventh-rated Ohio State entered the game as a 17.5-point favorite, even though the Buckeyes were coming off a one-sided 55-24 setback at Iowa a week ago.

Meanwhile, the 12th-ranked Spartans came into the contest fresh off a 27-24 triumph over Penn State last Saturday, in a game won on a 34-yard field goal by freshman Matt Coghlin on the final play of the day.

Weber, a sophomore who hails from Cass Tech in Detroit, had two touchdowns on runs of 47 and 82 yards to go along with 161 yards rushing in the first half.

On Saturday, MSU fell behind midway through the first quarter when Weber galloped straight up the middle for a 47-yard touchdown run to give Ohio State a 7-0 lead with 8:14 to go in the opener.

With time running out in the first frame, senior quarterback J.T. Barrett scampered over the goal line from 4 yards out for a 14-0 advantage with just 0:17 showing on the clock.

The Buckeyes went up 21-0 with 11:35 left in the first half when Barrett spurted up the middle from the 3-yard line for another TD.

After Spartan sophomore quarterback Brian Lewerke fumbled the ball away, Ohio State quickly upped the bulge to 28-0 on a 13-yard pass from Barrett to J.K. Dobbins at the 9:21 juncture of the second stanza.

Weber then roared up the middle for an 82-yard touchdown run and a 35-0 Buckeye lead with 6:16 remaining until intermission.

First Lewerke and then Barrett traded interceptions before Coghlin booted a 37-yard field goal to close out the first half at 35-3.