Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III comments on ankle injury

Michigan State running back and Heisman hopeful Kenneth Walker III suffered an ankle injury Saturday against Maryland, but it didn’t seem to affect him. He stayed in the game and finished with 143 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.

Following the Spartans’ 40-21 victory, Walker provided an update on how he was feeling. Per Detroit Free Press reporter Chris Solari, Walker said it “was just a rolled ankle” and he can play through the pain.

That is certainly good news, as Michigan State has perhaps its most important game of the season upcoming. It will travel to Columbus to take on Ohio State, which currently sits undefeated in the Big Ten and in first place of the East division.

Should the Spartans beat the Buckeyes, they would jump into first place and be and need only one more win to secure their spot in the conference championship game.

Walker has been one of the better running backs in all of college football. He leads all rushers with 1,330 yards and also had 15 rushing touchdowns on the season. The junior burst onto the scene in a Week 9 rivalry game against the Michigan Wolverines, finishing with 197 yards and five touchdowns.

Most of the other Heisman candidates are quarterbacks, including Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young.

The Spartans seriously hurt their College Football Playoff hopes when they lost to Purdue the week after winning against the Wolverines. They are No. 7 in the latest edition of the committee’s rankings. With Ohio State currently at No. 4, it only adds another layer of importance to Saturday’s game.

Kickoff for that game is set for noon ET in Columbus, Ohio. From the sound of it, the ankle injury to Kenneth Walker III isn’t that serious, and he will be ready to make an impact in yet another big time matchup.