Michigan State Football: 5 bold predictions vs. Penn State in Week 7

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EAST LANSING, MI – SEPTEMBER 29: Raequan Williams #99 of the Michigan State Spartans rushes the quarterback while playing the Central Michigan Chippewas at Spartan Stadium on September 29, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 31-20. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

4. Spartans sack Trace McSorley five times

Defensive bold predictions are always the toughest. It’s easy to predict a breakout game for some rising stars on the offensive side of the ball, but defenses are so up and down, it’s hard to judge.

The Spartan defense falls into that category of ‘hard to judge’ as well.

Through five games, the Spartans have 14 sacks and the pass rush is coming off one of its worst performances numbers-wise with just one against Clayton Thorson and Northwestern. What hurt the sack numbers against the Wildcats was the quick routes Northwestern ran which didn’t give the Spartans’ front-seven much time to really barrel down on the quarterback.

That’ll be different come Saturday afternoon.

Penn State’s offensive line has given up just eight sacks all season long, but that’s because Trace McSorley has been a magician when tucking and running with the ball. He evades pressure as good as anyone in the country. Michigan State will get to him five times, hindering his ability to run.

The defense will have a spy on him and it’ll collapse the pocket to make him uncomfortable. Instead of making poor throws, he’ll take the sacks. That doesn’t mean he’ll have a bad day throwing the ball, however.

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