Undefeated, unimpressive Ohio State and Michigan State look for answers

It has been a perplexing season for Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, who was presented with a question Tuesday that bewildered him: Does winning create good chemistry … or does good chemistry help you win? “That is deep, man,” he replied. “You’re catching me off guard.” Meyer already has his hands full trying to figure out why the Buckeyes’ offense is struggling in the red zone (six touchdowns in 16 trips) and has been so turnover-prone, losing six fumbles and getting intercepted seven times. The Buckeyes are 5-0, but that’s likely a product of playing zero teams ranked higher than 49th (Virginia Tech) in the Sagarin ratings. Can this offense turn it around? Or does it reflect a lack of motivation after winning the national title? “It’s impossible to live up to expectations,” Meyer said. With Cardale Jones frequently misfiring near the goal line, Meyer acknowledged that he will consider using J.T. Barrett in the red zone, saying: “We’ve had that conversation.” Quarterback is not the issue at Michigan State, where Connor Cook (10 touchdown passes, one interception) leads the Big Ten in quarterback efficiency. That said, Cook wasn’t all that sharp Saturday against Purdue, part of why the Boilermakers rallied from a 21-0 deficit to lose by a just field goal. …

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