The Ohio State Buckeyes hit the road Sunday for a key Big Ten showdown against the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing. With March around the corner and Selection Sunday looming, both teams have plenty at stake.
Ohio State enters at 17-9 overall and 9-6 in conference play, fresh off a home win over Wisconsin. Michigan State sits at 21-5 and is coming off an impressive blowout victory over UCLA.
Ohio State fighting for resume boost
The Buckeyes are tied with Iowa and UCLA for seventh place in the Big Ten standings. After a tough nonconference loss to Virginia in a thriller, Ohio State bounced back and remains squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Every opportunity for a quality win matters at this stage. A road victory over a ranked Michigan State team would significantly strengthen the Buckeyes’ tournament case.
Following Sunday’s game, Ohio State travels to Iowa on Wednesday. Once March begins, the Buckeyes host Purdue, then head to Penn State, before closing the regular season at home against Indiana on March 7.
Michigan State building momentum
The Spartans have won seven of their last 10 games and are tied with Nebraska for fourth in the conference standings, trailing Purdue, Illinois and Michigan in the race for positioning.
In their latest outing, Michigan State dominated UCLA defensively, holding the Bruins to just 59 points. That defensive edge has been a defining trait during this recent stretch.
After Sunday, the Spartans travel to Purdue on Thursday in a major conference clash. They open March at Indiana, host Rutgers, and wrap up the regular season March 8 at Michigan.
Game details
Ohio State vs. Michigan State: When and where
- Date: Sunday, February 22, 2026
- Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Jack Breslin Student Events Center, East Lansing, MI
Ohio State vs. Michigan State: Where to watch or stream
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: FuboTV
Ohio State vs. Michigan State: Betting odds
- Spread: Michigan State -10.5
- Moneyline: Michigan State -429, Ohio State +220
- Total: 148.5
Ohio State vs. Michigan State: Series history
- All-time series: Michigan State leads 32-20
- Last meeting: Michigan State defeated Ohio State 69-62 on January 3, 2025
Projected starting lineups
Ohio State Buckeyes
- #2 Bruce Thornton – 19.9 PPG
- #00 John Mobley Jr. – 15.1 PPG
- #21 Devin Royal – 14.0 PPG
- #13 Christoph Tilly – 11.4 PPG
- #1 Amare Bymum – 9.6 PPG
Michigan State Spartans
- #1 Jeremy Fears – 15.1 PPG
- #00 Jaxon Kohler – 12.4 PPG
- #55 Coen Carr – 11.9 PPG
- #15 Carson Cooper – 10.0 PPG
- #99 Divine Ugochukwu – 5.0 PPG
Big Ten spotlight in East Lansing
With three weeks until Selection Sunday, every possession feels heavier. Ohio State needs resume-building wins to solidify its NCAA Tournament hopes, while Michigan State is looking to sharpen its edge before both the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.
Playing at home makes the Spartans even more difficult to handle. The Breslin Center has long been one of the toughest environments in the league. Still, a desperate Ohio State team with its back against the wall could make this far more competitive than the double-digit spread suggests.