Enlarge Image

KYLE ROBERTSON | DISPATCH

Linebacker Chris Norman registers one of Michigan State's nine sacks. Braxton Miller is the victim here.

Three-point losses don’t come any more lopsided than this.

For anyone who thought that the Miami loss was an aberration and a rout of Colorado last week represented a righting of the ship, a 10-7 loss to Michigan State today in Ohio Stadium was a humbling signal that Ohio State’s run as king of the Big Ten is looking like history.

Ohio State’s offense remained stuck in neutral — or worse — for more than 59 minutes. Only a 33-yard touchdown pass from Joe Bauserman to Evan Spencer with 10 seconds left averted Ohio State’s first shutout at home since 1982.

Yes, that was Bauserman in at the end instead of Braxton Miller, who was put through the wringer by Michigan State.

“Welcome to the Big Ten,” was Miller’s assessment of his day. “Michigan State is one of the best defenses around.”

The Spartans (4-1, 1-0) did enter the game with the nation’s top-ranked defense. But that ranking was accomplished against the likes of Youngstown State and Florida Atlantic. Ohio State (3-2, 0-1) was supposed to provide a sterner test.

The Buckeyes failed miserably. Midway through the fourth quarter, they had gained fewer than 90 yards.

The Spartans crowded the line of scrimmage and blitzed often, daring Ohio State’s nascent passing game to burn them. Ohio State’s linemen were outnumbered or just plain beaten, sometimes both. With so many defenders in the box, Jordan Hall and Miller had little running room.

“They did stack the box with quite a few guys and were blitzing quite a bit, which makes it hard,” center Michael Brewster said. “But we have to play better, too.”

Miller and Bauserman were sacked a combined nine times.

“It’s a tough stat to hear as an offensive lineman,” left guard Jack Mewhort said of the nine sacks. “You don’t want your quarterback to get hit that much.”

Ohio State seriously threatened to score only once in the first three quarters. Miller completed a 33-yard pass to a wide open Chris Fields early in the second quarter, and a Michigan State penalty moved the ball to the Spartans’ 34-yard line.

For an instant, it appeared Miller had completed a pass to Devin Smith at the Michigan State 6, but Spartans cornerback Darqueze Dennard ripped the ball away from Smith for an interception.

Other than that, Ohio State’s offense did virtually nothing until its last-ditch touchdown drive. Miller threw for only 56 yards and ran (or was sacked) for a net of minus-27 yards.

Seeking a spark, coach Luke Fickell turned to Bauserman.

“We thought our best option was to go with a guy that probably could see the field a little bit better and maybe throw the football a little bit better in some of the formations we needed to get into,” Fickell explained.

Michigan State’s offense moved the ball better, but couldn’t break the game open. Its touchdown came on a broken play on the Spartans’ second possession when Westerville South graduate B.J. Cunningham leaped over Travis Howard for a 33-yard catch in the back of the end zone.

“He wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near where he caught it,” Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins said. “He was supposed to be basically standing on the sidelines, and he caught it underneath the field-goal post. That was improvising, and it shows why he’s a great player.”

Despite their offensive ineptitude, the Buckeyes remained within reach with help from some inexplicable Spartans play calls.

Michigan State had the ball at the Ohio State 6 at the start of the fourth quarter. But instead of playing conservatively and making sure they could kick a chip-shot field goal for a two-score lead, the Spartans passed. Cousins’ fade was tipped by cornerback Bradley Roby to C.J. Barnett for an interception.

Michigan State did pad their lead on its next possession on a 50-yard field goal but again gave Ohio State some life when Roby intercepted another ill-advised Cousins pass with 4:24 left.

The Buckeyes couldn’t capitalize on that turnover. They did finally break through with a 62-yard drive against Michigan State’s prevent defense.

Ohio State then attempted an onside kick. For a moment, it appeared the Buckeyes recovered it, but an official quickly signaled that Michigan State had instead.

With Nebraska up next week in a brutal October schedule, it doesn’t get easier, though the Buckeyes do get suspended players Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas back.

As for quarterback, it still appears to be Miller’s job. Fickell said coaches “would take a hard look at” the quarterback situation, and indicated he might even give Kenny Guiton and Taylor Graham a shot in practice.

But when Fickell was asked later whether Miller was still the starting quarterback, he replied, “Yeah.”

“The blame falls a lot of times on the quarterback and the head coach, and we understand that,” Fickell said. “But we all know that we’ve all got to get better.”

brabinowitz@dispatch.com