Michigan State vs Penn State: Preview, predictions, betting odds and more
Saturday’s Michigan State vs Penn State game will have huge implications for the postseason.
Michigan State‘s football season comes down to one game. OK, maybe that’s a little dramatic because even if the Spartans lose to Penn State on Saturday afternoon, they’ll still be headed to a decent bowl game.
Must Read: Michigan State Football: Watch the locker room celebration after OSU win
However, Saturday’s game has big-time implications of where the Spartans may eventually end up. A win against the Nittany Lions would ensure a trip to the Big Ten Championship next weekend and play No. 4 Iowa for a chance to make the College Football Playoff. Head coach Mark Dantonio has been preaching the “Reach Higher” mantra all season long, and it’s coming into play.
Can the Spartans take care of business and down the Nittany Lions at home Saturday?
Details for Saturday’s Michigan State vs Penn State game are below:
Date: Saturday, Nov. 28
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: East Lansing, MI
Stadium: Spartan Stadium
TV Info: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: For Michigan State radio affiliates, click here.
Ticket Info: For ticket info, click here.
Three Key Players
Nov 21, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterbacks Tyler O
- Tyler O’Connor/Damion Terry: If Connor Cook isn’t able to go, which is what it’s starting to look like again, the Spartans will need to rely on backup quarterbacks Tyler O’Connor — who would get the start — and Damion Terry. Both played great last week against Ohio State and will need to be on their ‘A’ games to face one of the best defenses in the conference.
- Josiah Price: I’ve been saying this for weeks, Josiah Price needs to step up in order for the offense to finally take off. The junior tight end hasn’t played like he’s capable of all season long and he would be the ideal guy, along with Aaron Burbridge, to take the pressure off a QB under pressure.
- Montae Nicholson: The sophomore safety had his best game of the season and is starting to look like the guy who everyone was expecting throughout the year. He had a bit of a slump in the middle of the season, but after a nine-tackle performance in which he made some huge stops, it will be interesting to see if he can repeat that against Christian Hackenberg.
Three Things to Watch
Nov 21, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Johnnie Dixon (5) runs with the ball as Michigan State Spartans cornerback Darian Hicks (2) chases in the first quarter at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
- The secondary. Can the Spartans’ secondary do to Christian Hackenberg what most opposing defensive backs have all year? That means that Michigan State’s secondary will need to stymy these receivers and allow the MSU defensive line to get to Hackenberg, forcing a sack or even a poor, underthrown ball.
- Run game/offensive line success. Last week, the offensive line absolutely dominated Ohio State’s defensive front. The Spartans ran the ball with a ton of success, racking up over 200 yards thanks to an unreal performance by the running backs finding the huge holes created by these guys up front. Can they do it against a tough Penn State defense?
- Hangover? Mark Dantonio is great at keeping his players focused, but after arguably the biggest win in recent program history, will the Spartans keep in mind that Penn State is no easy victory? Hopefully these guys can put the Ohio State game in the rearview mirror and realize that a loss against the Nittany Lions would mean no conference title and definitely no national title.
Betting Odds
Point Spread: Michigan State -10.5
Moneyline: Michigan State -420, Penn State +350
Over/Under: 46
Prediction
Michigan State is going to have to come out strong in order to get the hangover out of the system. It has to seem like this whole week has been an absolute blur of celebrations, but Mark Dantonio always has his team ready and focused at the task at hand. Connor Cook won’t start and Tyler O’Connor will do his best “handing the ball off” formation. The run game will get off to a slow start, but the Penn State defense will eventually wear down and O’Connor/Terry will open up the pass game when need be.
Final Score: Penn State 21, Michigan State 31