For the fifth straight season, Ohio State Club Football is set to play for a conference title. However, the Buckeyes will have to play a true road game against the No. 1 team in the country to win the Great Lakes Conference crown.
The Buckeyes, ranked No. 3 in the latest NCFA Power Rankings, have hosted each of the last two conference championship games. This year however, they will travel to Ithaca, MI to take on top-ranked Michigan State on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Spartans enter the game undefeated at 8-0 and are coming off of a 31-7 win over Wright State in their regular season finale.
Ohio State and Michigan State have met just three times in series history, with the Buckeyes holding a slim 2-1 advantage. The Spartans won the first meeting in 2015, 45-0, before the Buckeyes defeated Michigan State twice last season by a combined score of 111-38.
This season, the Buckeyes enter the game with a 6-1 record, their lone loss coming at the hands of Wittenberg University. Ohio State finished the year 2-1 against NCAA opponents and 4-0 against NCFA opponents, with one of the NCFA wins coming via forfeit. The Spartans are 6-0 against NCFA opponents, with two victories coming via forfeit. Michigan State also defeated semi-pro opponents Detroit Renegades and Grand Rapids Surge by a combined score of 64-12 to open its season.
The Spartans are led offensively by quarterback Jack Donovan and running back Henry Shaban. Donovan leads the league in completion percentage (among players with 50 pass attempts or more), completing 99-of-134 passes (74%) for 1,553 yards and 15 touchdowns to just one interception. Shaban is the NCFA’s leading rusher with 663 yards on 67 carries and also leads the league in rushing touchdowns with 11. MSU wide receiver Kevin Gorney leads the NCFA in receiving yards with 480 and seven touchdowns.
Defensively, the Spartans claim the best pass rush in the country. Defensive linemen Andrew Campbell and Ahmad Kareem have tallied 11.5 and 8.5 sacks respectively on the season, ranking them No. 1 and No. 2 in the NCFA. Michigan State has not surrendered more than seven points in a game this season, outscoring opponents 243-31.
On the opposite side of the ball, Ohio State has outscored opponents 266-46 this season, including an 83-37 advantage against NCAA JV opponents (Ohio Northern, Denison, Wittenberg). The Buckeyes are coming off of a 66-9 win over Toledo, a game in which Ohio State managed 495 yards of offense and surrendered just four first downs defensively.
Ohio State quarterback Spencer Moore leads the NCFA in touchdown passes with 22 and on the season has completed 100-of-156 passes (64%) for 1,519 yards and just four interceptions. He has also added four scores on the ground, making him the league leader in overall touchdowns.
At receiver, the Buckeyes boast two of the top pass catchers in the league. Freshman Zach Hayes is second in the NCFA in receptions with 33 and is fourth in yards with 432. He is tied with Gorney for the league lead in touchdown catches with seven. Meanwhile 2022 All-American Abdou Keita has battled through injuries and despite playing in just four games, is ranked third in the NCFA in receiving yards with 437 and is just behind Gorney and Hayes in touchdown receptions with six. Keita leads the league in receiving yards per game, averaging 109.3 yards per game.
In the running game, the Buckeyes have used a variety of tailbacks, each bringing a unique skillset to the table. Jack Laing leads Ohio State with 293 yards on 46 carries and two scores, while JR Burton has accumulated 231 yards on 30 carries and four touchdowns. Veteran Johnathan Thiele has still managed 187 yards on 27 carries and a pair of scores despite battling injuries. Ohio State expects all three to be healthy and available against the Spartans.
Ohio State’s defense is led by a number of stellar athletes. Freshman linebacker Tyler Beckman leads the team in tackles with 46, while safety Patrick Parrish is second with 38 stops. Defensive lineman James Smith leads the Buckeyes in sacks with four while Ohio State has collected 18 total sacks on the year. Four different Buckeyes have collected an interception this year, with freshman corner Reagan Little leading the team with two, the last of which was returned for a touchdown against Toledo.
On special teams, both teams boast stellar kickers. Michigan State’s Morgyn Muck has posted the league’s longest made field goal this season, converting a 47-yarder against the Detroit Renegades. He is also perfect on extra points this season. Ohio State’s David Rive has converted on two of his three field goal attempts this season with a long of 35, which he hit against Toledo.
The winner of the Great Lakes Conference title will earn an automatic bid to the 2023 NCFA Playoffs in Toledo, OH at the Glass Bowl on Nov. 18. The loser will await their fate in the power rankings and hope for a wild card spot.
Kickoff between the Buckeyes and Spartans is set for 1 p.m. at Ithaca High School (710 Union St, Ithaca, MI 48847). Admission is $5 at the gate, cash only.
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