Michigan State (4-1) didn't do much to impress, either, but made just enough plays.

COLUMBUS -- Ohio State beat itself again on Saturday, and Michigan State was there to pick up a win, the Spartans stifling the Buckeyes, 10-7, in Ohio Stadium. 

Evan Spencer's 33-yard TD reception with 10 seconds remaining averted the Buckeyes' first shutout loss at home since 1982. Nevertheless, it was a low point for this season even worse than the 24-6 loss at Miami two weeks ago.

Put in a tough situation by suspensions and injuries, Ohio State (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten) made its situation look every bit as bad as it is, struggling to gain 150 yards of total offense. Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller was overwhelmed from the start, looking unready for the starting job, as would be the norm for most true freshmen quarterbacks. But the offensive line was beaten regularly, the run game never got going and no one did much to help Miller in his second career start.

Senior Joe Bauserman, the starter for the first three games of the season, then replaced Miller at quarterback in the fourth quarter and led the Bucks' lone scoring drive, throwing a quarterback question into the midst of everything else going wrong for the Buckeyes.

Michigan State (4-1) didn't do much to impress, either, but made just enough plays. The biggest was fifth-year senior receiver B.J. Cunningham jumping over OSU corner Travis Howard in the back of the end zone to pull in a 33-yard Kirk Cousins pass in the first quarter.

From there, the Buckeyes couldn't mount much of a threat despite gathering a handful of turnovers that could have put them back into the game, as Cousins continued to make some questionable throws.

But it wasn't enough, with Dan Conroy's 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter providing the deciding margin.

With trips to Nebraska and Illinois looming, before a home game with Wisconsin after a bye week, the Buckeyes need to find answers very quickly before this season gets away from them. They should be helped by the return of suspended players next week, including receiver DeVier Posey, running back Dan Herron and tackle Mike Adams.