Michigan State Football: 5 bold predictions vs. Penn State in Week 7
3. Trace McSorley, Miles Sanders held under 100 rushing yards
Trace McSorley might be the best running quarterback in college football, though Khalil Tate, Kyler Murray and Nick Fitzgerald may have something to say about that.
The senior quarterback has rushed for 410 yards and six touchdowns on an impressive 6.2 yards per touch this season, nearly surpassing his rushing totals from all of 2017 in half the time.
And while losing Saquon Barkley was expected to hurt the run game, Miles Sanders has stepped up big-time to assume the No. 1 role. He’s rushed for 538 yards and six touchdowns and already has a 200-yard game under his belt. He’s not the receiver Barkley was, but he can still use his strong frame to dominate opposing defensive fronts.
However, the Nittany Lions haven’t faced a run defense like Michigan State’s yet. The Spartans have the best run defense in the country, allowing 33.8 yards per game on the ground. This will play into Michigan State’s favor against the formidable duo.
The Spartans will hold the duo to under 100 combined yards on the ground — McSorley’s sack numbers will aid this statistic.