Michigan State Football: 5 things that must happen for Penn State upset

Michigan State football faces the tall task of pulling off an upset in Happy Valley against Penn State but these five things must happen.

Rough doesn’t even begin to describe the start to the season Michigan State has gotten off to. The Spartans have been fighting critics, media members and even their own fans, trying to shake off the broad generalization that they are a disappointment.

There are still seven games to be played and plenty of time to turn things around, but things don’t get much easier as the Spartans travel to Happy Valley to take on No. 8 Penn State, looking for a mammoth upset.

If Michigan State is to be able to pull off this upset, there need to be massive fixes on both sides of the ball.

Let’s take a look at what needs to take place in order for Michigan State to pull off the upset of Penn State for a second straight season.

5. Offensive line must create space for backs

The offensive line must open some running lanes for the Spartan backs. It’s been tough sledding for the line as well as the backfield this season as the Spartans struggle to get 2-3 yard runs on a regular basis.

Paving the way for consistent running lanes doesn’t exactly mean dominating up front. While that would be nice, this line just doesn’t have the capability to do just that. Getting Kevin Jarvis and Cole Chewins back could help as well as moving Tyler Higby back to his natural guard position, so there’s already a trend in the right direction.

The line must create space between the tackles for these backs to run through or it’s going to be a long day in Happy Valley.

The Spartans aren’t going to win the game if Brian Lewerke is forced to throw the ball 50 times. Heck, even utilizing Lewerke’s legs in the run game could help matters with some options and RPOs.