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Michigan State Football: Preview, prediction vs. Indiana in Week 8

By Connor Muldowney

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 14: Brian Lewerke #14 of the Michigan State Spartans hands off the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the game on October 14, 2017 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Spartans defeated the Gophers 30-27. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 14: Brian Lewerke #14 of the Michigan State Spartans hands off the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the game on October 14, 2017 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Spartans defeated the Gophers 30-27. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State football will be taking on Indiana in Week 8 and here’s everything you need to know for the Big Ten battle.

With Indiana coming to town for a big homecoming battle, Michigan State football is going to need to be on top of its game to avoid an upset. Just last week, the Hoosiers took Michigan to overtime before losing on their first possession.

Must Read: MSU Recruiting: 5 bold predictions for October

Michigan State is coming off a victory over Minnesota on the road in which the Spartans looked to be running away with an easy win, but the Gophers fought back to make it interesting. Mark Dantonio and Co. weren’t happy with the way they finished that game, so it’ll be interesting to see what this team can do with a lead at home.

The Hoosiers are led by fiery first-year head coach Tom Allen who took over for Kevin Wilson, now Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, and he brings more of a defensive mind to the helm. The Hoosiers rank 36th in total defense, trumping the offensive output which is rare for an Indiana team. They are 0-3 in Big Ten play after play big dogs Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State to start conference action.

Michigan State will be the fourth ranked Big Ten team the Hoosiers will play to start conference action, which shows they have an absolute gauntlet of schedule. They also play Wisconsin in two weeks. Will the Spartans be able to take care of business Saturday afternoon?

Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s Michigan State vs. Indiana game:

Date: Saturday, Oct. 21
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Venue: Spartan Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

For Michigan State to come away with a nice homecoming victory, the Spartans have to control the line of scrimmage. It starts on offense. Running the ball effectively is key because that just sets up the passing game. In order for the offense to move the ball like it did against Minnesota, the Spartans need to continue feeding the hot hand (presumably LJ Scott) and let him go off. While the defense is biting on the run, set up some play-action passes to burn the Hoosiers.

Defensively, getting to Peyton Ramsey and making him think twice about dropping back will be crucial. He’s still relatively new to the starting quarterback scene and Michigan State’s defensive line is hungry. The Hoosiers allow about two sacks per game, but the Spartans need to double that and make him uncomfortable. He can run with the ball, so contain in the name of the game.

Betting Odds

Spread: Michigan State -7
Over/Under: 48

Next: MSU Football: 10 bold predictions for 2017 Big Ten play

Prediction

In the end, this one is going to come down to whether Michigan State can play to win instead of not to lose. The Spartans need to hold on to leads while extending on them. Too often, this offense, namely Dave Warner, gets far too content with leads and takes the foot off the gas. Michigan State will win this one thanks to a late touchdown run by LJ Scott to give them a comfortable lead. Brian Lewerke will bounce back with a strong game through the air as well.

Final Score: Indiana 23, Michigan State 35

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