Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio worked under Ohio State coach Jim Tressel for five years at Youngstown State.

The protégé will try to top the mentor when No. 20 Michigan State (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) hosts No. 12 Ohio State (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) in a 3:30 p.m. kickoff Saturday.

ABC will televise the game.

Dantonio was an assistant at Youngstown State when Tressel was transforming the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) team into a national power, then followed Tressel to Ohio State.

Dantonio was also a defensive coordinator on Ohio State's 2002 national championship team.

"I don't enjoy playing against close friends," Dantonio said. "But I enjoy coaching against football teams from where I grew up or football teams I used to coach."

Michigan State has built a chunk of its team from Ohio's fertile recruiting grounds. Running back Javon Ringer, who leads the country in carries per game, is one of 24 Spartans from Ohio.

The Spartans' reliance on the running game and disciplined approach have also modeled some of Tressel's squads.

"Coach Dantonio has done a tremendous job at both Cincinnati and Michigan State," Tressel said. "He went in with a plan, didn't waver from his plan, demanded excellence on and off the field, demanded toughness and assignment to detail and assignment on the field."

A win against the Buckeyes could legitimize Michigan State within the conference landscape and validate Bowl Championship Series aspirations, but recent Michigan State teams have faltered after showing similar promise.

Dantonio is hoping the discipline he learned from Tressel helps Michigan State avoids another swoon.

"I think as a coaching staff, the first thing we want to impress upon players is ... we're playing for a certain amount of respect that was lost for one reason or another," Dantonio said.

QB Lewis questionable

Indiana starting quarterback Kellen Lewis is questionable for Saturday's game against Illinois after spraining his ankle against Iowa, coach Bill Lynch said.

Lewis missed practice Monday and Tuesday, and Lynch is hopeful Lewis can practice today.

The start would go to Ben Chappell if Lewis is sidelined. Chappell, a sophomore, dueled Lewis for the starting quarterback position in the preseason after Lewis was suspended from spring practice.

"He's an outstanding athlete," Lynch said of Lewis. "Sometimes, those guys can really bounce back."

Evridge to bench?

Wisconsin quarterback Allan Evridge, who was pulled from last week's game against Penn State after going 2 of 10 with two turnovers, could be benched this weekend when the Badgers play Iowa.

He is listed as the co-starter along with Dustin Sherer, who replaced Evridge against the Nittany Lions and went 9 of 17 for 115 yards.

"How they handle this week will determine how they handle Saturday," coach Bret Bielema said.