Michigan State Football: What do we know about Northwestern?

Northwestern limps into East Lansing after a tough loss at home against Michigan while Michigan State football is struggling to find its identity.

Northwestern has had a rough start to its 2018 season. Much was expected of the Wildcats as they, like the Spartans, were coming off a 10-win season. However, they got tripped up by Akron, allowing the Zips to mount a comeback in the third and fourth quarters after they blew a 21-3 advantage. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s Wildcats are 1-3 heading into the Week 6 matchup.

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Michigan State is 3-1 and like Northwestern, the Spartans have struggled. Many believe that it was Fitzgerald who has provided the blueprint on how to beat MSU. The Wildcats used a dink-and-dunk system of passing last year to come back and beat Michigan State in overtime. Utah State and Arizona State burned MSU in the short passing already this season.

Northwestern’s Clayton Thorson returns this year and he is highly accurate in the short passing game — he almost helped knock off No. 14 Michigan. However, the Wolverines were able to create pressure on Thorson and thwart any attempt at a comeback.

Also, Thorson has not been as mobile as last year due to injury although he was able to scamper for a first down against Michigan. Northwestern’s backup is TJ Green, son of former NFL quarterback Trent Green. He is not much of a passer but does run the RPOs well and they do more running the option with him in there.

Fitzgerald may turn to Green to help get the run game going.

Northwestern running back Jeremy Larkin retired last week due to medical concerns. The Wildcats used junior John Moten IV with 13 carries but he only mustered 36 yards.

Northwestern passes to set up the run, however, MSU specializes in stopping the ground game. The questions of this game are will the MSU pass rush be able to create enough push to make Thorson uncomfortable and misfire? Also, will the Spartans be able to generate any type of offense against a decent defensive unit in the Wildcats?

If the Spartans can do both of those things then they will win this game easily. However, if they lift their foot off the gas pedal defensively, the Wildcats will make them pay.