Michigan’s surge pushes stakes even higher for MSU matchup

“Sometimes you get your little brother excited when you’re playing basketball and you let him get the lead”. In many ways, Harbaugh has had a bigger, quicker impact than most would have expected. They have so much to play for. That’s too many for me. The five-year rebuilding plan is as archaic as the rotary-dial phone.

It usually does when you get the kids all together in one place.

While the rest of his team struggled again, Michigan State’s Connor Cook led the Spartans to a win at Rutgers last weekend with perhaps his best performance of the season.

MASSACHUSETTS (-7) over Kent State; Florida (+8) over LOUISIANA STATE; Michigan State (+7½) over MICHIGAN; Louisville (+7½) over FLORIDA STATE; Southern California (+6½) over NOTRE DAME; NEW MEXICO (-5) over Hawaii; WASHINGTON (-2½) over Oregon. You get the picture.

Michigan State has found ways to win but have failed their backers. That’s what you know, halfway through. “They shouldn’t be here”, Tim Worley said. Our sample size is just 6 games.

I think, and basically feel like I know, this will not end well for MSU.

I’m already a believer – anyone who saw them take apart Northwestern last week probably is by now – but there are plenty who aren’t. And, most importantly, there’s more than just pride on the line now – for both teams.

They’ve had narrow, unimpressive wins against Air Force and Purdue of late, and barely escaped last week against a Rutgers squad who were playing without their suspended coach. I’m hopeful in this regard. Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock is a graduate transfer from Iowa with ordinary numbers in his past.

The classic stoppable force versus the movable object. After dropping a heartbreaking season opener in Salt Lake City to Utah, 24-17, Michigan has allowed a total of just 14 points in their last five games. They left E. Lansing with a 23-7 victory.

The post College football: Picks of the Week as we inch closer to a Stanford-Michigan collision appeared first on College Hotline. MSU comes into the game with the 50th ranked offense, but the group has play makers.

My biggest concern of the game. Check out my guide to the possibilities here. Concerned students stood guard at the Spartan statue this week to make sure a defacing wouldn’t occur. RM likes to play a 4-2-5 base, with Jabrill Peppers as a STAR-ish sort of player. Furthermore, 15 players have made a start in the 2015 campaign. Christian Hackenberg has been sacked 19 times through six games.

I expect a few interesting playcalling with regards to running the football. Although it’s surprising that Michigan is such a heavy favorite in this game, it is understandable.

Last week: 5-1 straight-up, 3-3 vs. the spread. That would be something of an accomplishment.

“The players realize the caliber of this game, what it means going forward”, Chris Wormley, Michigan’s senior defensive end said. Cornerback Jourdan Lewis returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown against Northwestern. Despite the awe-inspiring power of Michigan’s secondary, Connor Cook will find a way.

When one is up, the other’s done.

I’d also like to point out that RM gave up a 72.7 completion percentage to Utah’s Travis Wilson. Two of these shutouts came against BYU and Northwestern, quality opponents who were ranked coming into the game. Instead, Laviano went with the bold strategy of spiking on fourth down (though in his defense, it did stop the clock). Michigan State’s offensive line, which Dantonio said in preseason might be his best ever, is a shell of itself because of injuries.

As good as Michigan’s defense looks, Michigan State’s looks bad. The issues are myriad and pervasive. My bold prediction is that there are no special teams gaffes for MSU in this game, and they could be a real positive.

Michigan football falls from the ranks of the unbeaten in Big Ten play. But it was not until the final 84 seconds ticked off the clock that his antipathy for Michigan grew.

Former Michigan great Jim Harbaugh returns home from the NFL to save his alma mater, while the never happy, always scowling, Mark Dantonio, has pushed Michigan State into the national forefront. But 7.5 points is insane.