There’s a saying in Ohio that goes something like, “Ohio has five seasons: Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall, and Ohio State University Football.”

That’s how big it is, especially in Columbus, where Ohio State’s main campus is located. So when running back Carlos Hyde was arrested in July as a person of interest in an assault case and eventually suspended for the season’s first three games, Buckeye fans were worried and concerned.

Hyde, a senior from Naples, Florida, was a key runner on last year’s Ohio State team that went 12-0 but did not play in a bowl game due to a postseason ban set in by a scandal involving former coach Jim Tressel and five players. Would his suspension jeopardize the Buckeyes’ national title aspirations? Hyde was expected to have an even bigger impact this year, teaming with quarterback Braxton Miller to form a formidable running duo.

Not only have Hyde and Miller been lights-out as of late, but Hyde has become one of the nation’s top runners.

Despite missing Ohio State’s blowout wins over University of Buffalo, San Diego State University, and University of California, Berkeley, Hyde has rarely missed a beat in helping the Buckeyes to another 12-0 mark and into the Big Ten Championship game on Dec. 7.

Over the last four games, Hyde has been nearly unstoppable. He’s rushed for 700 yards and seven touchdowns on 77 carries. Hyde averaged more than ten yards per carry in two of those games, and helped Ohio State to a win over archrival University of Michigan on Nov. 30 with 226 yards and a touchdown.

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His numbers haven’t been enough for him to get much attention in the debate over the Heisman Trophy, much of that thanks to him missing those first three games and seeing sparse action against Florida A&M University. Overall, he has 1,290 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in addition to 107 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions. If he wouldn’t have had to serve a suspension, Hyde would most definitely be a Heisman candidate. But, the combination of him and Miller has shown unprecedented results.

Ohio State is second in the nation with an average of 321.3 yards per game, more than 230 of those coming from Hyde or Miller. The Buckeyes also rank first nationally in yards per carry (7.1), and have accounted for 130 rushes that have gone for ten yards or more. Miller himself has ran for 481 yards and six touchdowns in the last three games.

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The Buckeyes have blown through nearly all of their competition, with their only single-digit wins being a 31-24 decision over then No. 23 University of Wisconsin and the 42-41 nail-biter over Michigan. Through it all, Ohio State is posting an average of 48.2 points per game.

Hyde has felt his way into a groove in the last several weeks, one that continually keeps the opponent’s defense on its toes. He weighs in at exactly six-feet all, 242 pounds, and runs like a truck at times. His physical, downhill running style has been difficult for anyone to stop.

While Ohio State is 12-0 and one of only two unbeaten teams in all of college football, there is still much debate about whether or not the Buckeyes should play in next month’s BCS National Championship game. Voters cite the weak schedule strength as one of their biggest issues with Ohio State, as it plays a schedule that was ranked 67th overall entering the season. The other unbeaten, Florida State University, was only ranked 64th, though.

Ohio State will battle the Spartans of Michigan State University on Dec. 7 in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship. With a win, the Buckeyes seemingly should hold their No. 2 ranking in the BCS Standings, or with a Florida State loss to Duke University move up to No. 1, and advance to the National Championship. A loss would surely eliminate them, though.

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But, if Auburn University beats University of Missouri in the SEC Championship, there’s a possibility that Auburn leaps Ohio State, and maybe even Florida State, into the National Title game.

The matchup with Michigan State may be the toughest one that coach Urban Meyer and Ohio State has faced all year. The Spartans have only allowed five rushing touchdowns all year, and no one is better at containing the run game than MSU.

But Mark Dantonio and Michigan State have a daunting task in front of them as well – limiting one of the nation’s best power running backs in the biggest game he’s played in all year.