COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — They feign indifference and say that they don’t care.Still, make no mistake about it, the Ohio State Buckeyes hear all of that stuff about not playing good teams and failing when they do. And it makes them angry.It also makes them particularly cognizant of the importance of Saturday’s game at No. 8 Michigan State.”We understand it’s a pretty pivotal game in our season,” defensive lineman Michael Bennett said. ”They’re the highest-ranked opponent we’ve had all year. It kind of is a deciding factor of how this season’s going to go.”After three years of slogging through mostly overmatched non-conference teams and a weakened Big Ten, No. 13 Ohio State finally is presented with a quality opponent.The Buckeyes – who just like the Spartans have won six in a row and are 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten – know what a rare opportunity it is for them to impress the rest of the country for a change. In the wake of a 35-21 Sept. 6 home loss to Virginia Tech, they know there won’t be a second chance. They know that if they lose, their claims of being a top team will be hollow.”With that loss to Virginia Tech, we lost a lot of respect,” Bennett continued. ”But it’s not about making sure that everybody loves us in the country or respects us in the country. It’s about winning games and making sure we have a chance to go where we want to go in the postseason.”After beating them, the Hokies have gone on to lose five times…
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