Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State Football: 5 bold predictions vs. Michigan

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Oct 17, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back LJ Scott (3) rushes for a touchdown in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Here are five bold predictions for Saturday afternoon’s Michigan State football matchup with No. 2 Michigan.

It has been an unthinkably rough season for Michigan State football. Heading into the biggest rivalry game of the season with a 2-5 record is something no one, not even Michigan fans, were expecting. Michigan State has shown very little sign of life through eight weeks and it’s time to see what the Spartans are truly made of.

Will this team just do what everyone expects it will and crumble under the pressure of facing the No. 2 team in the nation or will the Spartans rise up and pull off an upset? No one is giving this team much of a chance to even keep the game within three scores, but some fans are holding out hope.

Is an upset likely? Not at all. Heck, this might be the one season in which it’s almost a given who is going to win. The Wolverines are 25-point favorites and the Spartans are a young team on a five-game losing streak.

Let’s take a look at five bold predictions, maybe even an upset pick, for Saturday’s big game.

5. Spartans will get pressure on Wilton Speight

This is somewhat shocking since Michigan State hasn’t been able to get pressure on any quarterback all season long. Michigan State has just six sacks through seven games and the only defensive lineman worth mentioning in that time has been Malik McDowell.

However, this is a rivalry game, and you know these guys will be hungry to silence the doubters and take it to the Michigan quarterback. Wilton Speight will expect to have all day to throw the ball to his talented receivers, and tight end Jake Butt, but the Spartan defensive line will shock some people.

Not only that, but the Spartans will call for more blitzes in this one than they have all season long to this point. Mark Dantonio is ready to call some aggressive plays, and why not send some linebackers or defensive backs on blitzes to make Speight uncomfortable and the offensive line rattled?

Added pressure might be the Spartans’ only chance to stop the Wolverines.

Oct 15, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Tyler O

4. We will see multiple MSU quarterbacks

This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise for anyone who has watched Michigan State this season, but I’m willing to bet that whoever starts the game for the Spartans won’t be finishing it. No, it’s not going to be for a lack of production, but rather injuries taking place.

I’d hate to see either Tyler O’Connor or Brian Lewerke suffer any injuries, but with the Spartans’ lackluster offensive line and Michigan’s elite defensive front, with blitzing packages, it’s very possible. Don Brown loves to send the linebackers on constant blitzes, and you know he’s going to get the go-ahead from Jim Harbaugh to up the ante against MSU.

Sending two linebackers on a regular basis or even some cornerback and safety blitzes will cause the Spartan offensive line to struggle even more than normal. This defense is tough to score on and even tougher to handle.

I can see Tyler O’Connor getting the start in this one just because he has played in big games like this before and won’t be rattled. He will give way to Lewerke in the second half and the redshirt freshman will play well despite facing one of the best teams in the country.

Luckily for Michigan State, it has more mobile quarterbacks this year than it has in years past, which could give it hope when the pocket collapses.

Oct 1, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Chris Evans (12) rushes at Wisconsin Badgers linebacker T.J. Edwards (53) in the first quarter at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

3. Michigan will run all over Spartan defense

Let’s face it, Speight is a fairly average quarterback for the Wolverines and he’s not going to wow anyone with his arm. He’s a solid decision-maker and he limits turnovers, but he’s not going to pass for over 300 yards against the Spartans, even though the secondary has struggled mightily.

No, if Michigan is going to rack up the points and offensive yardage, it’s going to be on the ground. The Wolverines boast one of the best rushing offenses in the country which averages over 250 yards per game.

For the past few weeks, Michigan State has struggled to stop the run game after stymying players such as Devine Redding, Josh Adams and Corey Clement to start the year. In fact, BYU’s Jamaal Williams, Northwestern’s Justin Jackson and Maryland’s Lorenzo Harrison and Ty Johnson all rushed for over 100 yards on this defense.

The front-seven has been banged up and unable to plug holes against opposing rushing attacks. That will be the case against the Wolverines on Saturday as well. The run defense will suffer yet another tough game as Michigan eclipses the 250-yard mark on the ground and, potentially, even the 300-yard mark.

Expect big games from freshman Chris Evans, De’Veon Smith and Karan Higdon. Heck, Jabrill Peppers could even get into the action.

Oct 22, 2016; College Park, MD, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back LJ Scott (3) runs the ball defended by Maryland Terrapins linebacker Shane Cockerille (2) at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

2. LJ Scott finishes with 100-plus yards

On the contrary to Michigan’s rushing attack, Michigan State has a solid running back situation of its own, despite the mediocre numbers this season telling a different story. Gerald Holmes, Madre London and LJ Scott could be a dynamic trio, but they are all used so inconsistently.

During the 2016 season, there has been a common theme in the Michigan State run game. In fact, when Scott finishes a game with at least 20 rushes (three games), he averages 5.3 yards per carry and has 331 total yards. When he touches it less than 20 times (four games), he averages just 4.3 yards per touch and has 131 total yards.

Moral of the story: get the sophomore running back the ball early and often.

If Scott gets 20-plus touches in this one, which I suspect he will, the second-year stud will finish with over 100 yards for the third time this season and the second straight game. He needs to get touches to keep Michigan’s defense on its toes.

Michigan State’s quarterbacks aren’t going to be able to pick apart the Wolverines’ strong secondary, so the run game will be crucial to success.

Oct 17, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines safety Jabrill Peppers (5) is tackled by Michigan State Spartans linebacker Chris Frey (23) at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

1. Spartans will keep this one closer than expected

All we’ve been hearing this entire week is how the Wolverines are going to beat Michigan State into oblivion. The Spartans aren’t going to know what hit them when the Wolverines leave town with a 30 or 40-plus point win, just like all the media ‘experts’ and opposing fans are predicting.

Must Read: MSU Football: 5 reasons the Spartans can beat Michigan

Heck, even Michigan State fans are predicting a blowout, which is warranted. This team has shown very little fight this season and it seems like the Spartans disappear in the second halves of each game.

In fact, in their five straight losses, Michigan State has gone into the locker room at halftime with either a lead or one score deficit each time. Wisconsin (down seven at half), Indiana (up seven at half), BYU (up four at half), Northwestern (down two at half) and Maryland (tied at half) have all taken it to the Spartans in the final 30 minutes.

The Spartans have been out-scored 118-47 in the second half of each of the five losses, something that Mark Dantonio is working to fix.

Since this is a rivalry game, I see this playing out differently in the second half. Although I’ve predicted the Wolverines will win 37-17, something tells me that the Spartans will keep it much closer than that.

If you’re taking Michigan and the points, be careful because I think this Michigan State team is tired of people telling them how bad they are. The Spartans are going to come out angry and keep this within one or two scores. Heck, they may even pull off a shocking upset.