No. 3 Ohio State has finally reached the toughest part of its schedule with a matchup against No. 9 Michigan State in Columbus on Saturday. A berth to the Big Ten championship game and potential playoff spot are both at stake for the winner between these marquee programs.
The defending champion Buckeyes lead the East Division with their perfect 6-0 record and currently owns 30-game conference win streak. Meanwhile, the Spartans, who suffered their first loss to Nebraska two weeks ago, remain tied for second in the division with Michigan.
Take a look at the keys to this matchup and the other games on slate for Week 12:
Other stories to follow in Week 12:
Can LSU snap its current skid? Two weeks ago, LSU was considered to be one of the front runners for the College Football Playoff. But the Tigers haven't looked as dominant in their back-to-back losses against Alabama and Arkansas and face a tough Ole Miss squad on Saturday. The Rebels are another team that has fizzled in recent weeks but they aren't mathematically out of the SEC West race yet, which should give them a chip on their shoulders against LSU. For the Tigers, their defense will need to contain Chad Kelly and his receivers if they want to avoid their first three-game losing streak under Les Miles.
Will Baylor hand Oklahoma State its first loss? Baylor fell from the undefeated ranks with a loss to Oklahoma in Week 11, leaving this week's opponent Oklahoma State as the lone undefeated team in the Big 12. Both teams struggled against stiff competition last week, but Oklahoma State managed to put together a comeback against Iowa State while Baylor fell flat. Two years ago, Baylor entered its game in Stillwater against the Cowboys with a perfect record and a chance at the national championship before Oklahoma State pounded Baylor 49-17. So you can bet that the Bears would love to return the favor and put themselves back into contention for the Big 12 title.
