Know Your Penn State Football Enemy: Michigan State Spartans

The Penn State Nittany Lions round out the regular season with perhaps the hardest game of the year when they travel to East Lansing to take on the mighty Michigan State Spartans. If things fall in place, this game could be huge for a Penn State team that could have just one loss coming in. The game could have huge implications for who plays the following week in the Big Ten Championship.

For the Spartans, the game against Penn State will end a tough stretch of games at Nebraska and Oho State and home against Maryland. Michigan State is projected to be one of the top teams in the conference and is the favorite to contend with Ohio State for the Big Ten East title.

Michigan State returns seven starters on offense, including quarterback Connor Cook. The senior will likely have his name come up in the Heisman conversation and will be a huge part of the offense. Last season, Cook threw for 3,214 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also added two scores on the ground.

The biggest change for Cook this season is that he won’t have the comfort of throwing to his top two receivers from last year. Tony Lippett (1,198 yards, 11 touchdowns) andKeith Mumphery (495 yards, 3 touchdowns) are both gone. Taking over as the top receivers this year will be senior Aaron Burbridge, who had 29 receptions for 358 yards and a score, and Macgarrett Kings, who put up 404 receiving yards and a touchdown.

The leading returning receiver this year is tight end Josiah Price. He finished second on the team with six touchdowns in 2014 and will provide a familiar target for Cook.

While losing the top receivers is tough, the biggest loss for the Spartans on offense this year is running back Jeremy Langford. His 1,565 yards and 22 touchdowns from a year ago will be difficult to replace. Nick Hill and his nine touchdowns is also gone.

Running back was a huge question mark for the Spartans a few months ago whenDelton Williams, the projected starter, was suspended after being jailed for pulling a handgun in public. However, Williams is now back with the team and is expected to be a go for the season.

Redshirt freshman Madre London, and fullback Trevon Pendleton will all be in the mix for carries this season.

Up front, the Spartans boast what will likely be one of the best offensive lines in the nation. Led by center Jake Allen and Brian Allen, Michigan State will be able to open up holes for whoever is running the ball.

For as good as the Spartans have been on offense lately, they are typically known as having a tough defense. That trend will continue this season.

A trio of seniors will lead the way on defense. Defensive end Shilique Calhoun led the team with eight sacks last season. Joining him is linebacker Ed Davis, who recorded seven sacks. Safety RJ Williamson was third on the team last year with 59 total tackles and tied for second with three interceptions.

In all, seven defensive starters return to a defense that should be even better than a year ago.

Michigan State is a legitimate contender for the College Football Playoff. The game in East Lansing will be a tough one for the Nittany Lions and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Spartans put them away early.