Ohio State quarterback Will Howard grew up in Pennsylvania watching Big Ten football on television and Saturday he will finally get his first conference test when the third-ranked Buckeyes visit Michigan State.
"Man, I'm excited," said Howard, who transferred to Ohio State earlier this year after four seasons at Kansas State. "It's going to be a night game. It's going to be fun. It's going to be popping. I'm looking forward to it. I think it's a cool opportunity. The non-conference games were fun, but we know it gets real."
Howard expects the Buckeyes (3-0) to face their sternest test of the season against the Spartans (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) after scoring an average of 52.3 points in victories over Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall.
"We got some things to try and get them confused, get them out of gaps," Howard said. "And I got all my faith in the O-line. And I think they're up for the challenge. I know it'll be probably the best (defensive) front that we've seen so far. But we go against the best front in the country every single day, and that helps our offensive line, and it helps all of us to just be ready for anything."
Among Bowl Subdivision teams, the Buckeyes are ranked fifth in total offense with 552 yards per game, third in scoring offense and 14th in both rushing and passing offense. Ohio State is ranked third in total defense.
"I think through three games, we've done some good things offensively, defensively, special teams," said Howard who has completed 51 of 74 passes for 795 yards six touchdowns and one interception this season. "There's obviously way more to clean up, and that's the exciting thing. We have so much more to get better at."
After losing their first game — in the final 88 seconds to Boston College — and now facing a four-game gauntlet of Ohio State, Oregon, Iowa and Michigan, Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith said his players are staying calm.
"There's definitely not panic, at least in our building," Smith said. "At the same time, there's a sense of urgency. We want to be playing our best football at the end. We got to keep on improving. We had opportunity to win a game, but we also had opportunity to be sitting here at one and three. We've been able to finish on a field. The last game we didn't."
Ohio State coach Ryan Day insists his players should not become too comfortable or overconfident despite their early season dominance.
"I don't feel good about anything," Day said. "That's just my mindset. Yeah, I don't. And that has to be everybody's mindset. You start to feel good about something and complacency can sneak up on you fast. So, no, nobody feels good about anything."
Even though his seven interceptions in the first four games are tied for the second-most in FBS, including three against Boston College, Aidan Chiles has not become frustrated as Michigan State's starting quarterback.
"This team keeps me level-headed," Chiles said. "I feel I'm a level-headed guy. I really don't have much to be angry with. There's nothing I should get out of my emotions with. I know what I can be. I know what I can do and so does my team. So that's the biggest thing here.
"We just have to put it together as I said before. We're getting close to doing something big."
