Spartan Avenue
Fansided

Michigan State Football: 5 reasons Spartans will beat Minnesota in Week 7

By Connor Muldowney

ANN ARBOR, MI - OCTOBER 07: Madre London #28 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after scoring with teammate Luke Campbell #62 during the second quarter of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - OCTOBER 07: Madre London #28 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after scoring with teammate Luke Campbell #62 during the second quarter of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
EAST LANSING, MI – SEPTEMBER 30: Linebacker Chris Frey #23 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after recovering a fumble by wide receiver Brandon Smith of the Iowa Hawkeyes and returning it 11 yards during the third quarter at Spartan Stadium on September 30, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State defeated Iowa 17-7. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – SEPTEMBER 30: Linebacker Chris Frey #23 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after recovering a fumble by wide receiver Brandon Smith of the Iowa Hawkeyes and returning it 11 yards during the third quarter at Spartan Stadium on September 30, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State defeated Iowa 17-7. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

2. Michigan State defense trumps Minnesota’s offense

Minnesota’s offense hasn’t been very good this year. There’s no sugarcoating it. Sure, the Spartan offense hasn’t been all that great either, but the potential is there. For Minnesota, the quarterback situation is a disaster. P.J. Fleck has been questioned often about starting Conor Rhoda and he admitted that he’s the best quarterback on the roster right now.

That should be alarming for the Golden Gophers as he has a subpar completion rate for 786 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions in five games. He’s not going to beat the Spartans with his arm, and Michigan State has shown that it shuts down poor passing teams.

If the Spartans can just focus on stopping Rodney Smith and the Golden Gophers’ run game, it will be a major advantage. Smith is a strong runner who has just 398 yards and two touchdowns on less than 4.0 yards per carry this season and everyone is just waiting for him to break out. That won’t happen with MSU loading the box.

Joe Bachie, Chris Frey and Andrew Dowell will dominate the middle of the field while the line gets a good push on the Gophers’ front and defensive backs such as Justin Layne, Josiah Scott, Khari Willis and David Dowell create nightmares for Rhoda through the air.

Home/Spartans Football