Miller, Ohio State edge Michigan State

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Braxton Miller threw for 179 yards and ran for 136, and No. 14 Ohio State held off No. 20 Michigan State, 17-16, yesterday, giving Urban Meyer a win in his first Big Ten game as Buckeyes coach.

Miller put Ohio State (5-0, 1-0) ahead 17-13 with a 63-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith in the third quarter, and the Buckeyes' maligned defense held Le'Veon Bell and the Michigan State running game in check. Meyer becomes the third coach to start 5-0 in his first season at Ohio State. Carol Widdoes and Earle Bruce also did it in 1944 and 1979.

Michigan State (3-2, 0-1) has lost four home games in a row against Ohio State.

Michigan State took a 13-10 advantage in the third on a terrific individual effort by Keith Mumphery. With the ball on the Ohio State 29 after a personal foul call on the Buckeyes, Mumphery took Andrew Maxwell's short pass and eluded four tacklers before dragging a couple of more Buckeyes into the end zone.

The lead didn't last long. Miller barely picked up a first down with a run on third-and-1, then lofted a deep pass on the next play to Smith, who beat Johnny Adams along the right sideline to put Ohio State ahead to stay.

Miller turned the ball over three times in Michigan State territory, including a fumble early in the fourth -- but the Buckeyes actually caught a break on that play. The ball bounced right to Kurtis Drummond of the Spartans, who began running down the right sideline before the play was blown dead and Miller was ruled down.

The call was reversed after a review, giving Michigan State the ball at its own 32 -- but the Buckeyes were saved from a big return that would have almost surely have followed if the call had been correct to begin with.

Dan Conroy's 48-yard field goal pulled Michigan State within a point with 7:07 left.

Miller remained down holding his left knee after his fumble but was able to come back.

-- AP