Michigan State Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Purdue in Week 9
Michigan State football has a tough Week 9 matchup looming against the Purdue Boilermakers. Who comes out on top?
It’s been a rough season for the green and white. First, the Spartans nearly lost to Utah State in the season opener, then they fell at the hands of Arizona State. They took down Indiana and Central Michigan after a bye before faltering against Northwestern and upsetting No. 8 Penn State on the road.
Last week’s loss against Michigan at home was a stake in the heart of all Spartan fans as this is the rivalry that Mark Dantonio prides himself on owning yet his team couldn’t do much of anything against the Wolverines.
Purdue (4-3) comes to town on Saturday afternoon fresh off a huge Ohio State upset. The Boilermakers have one of the best offenses in the conference, putting up 49 points on the Buckeyes in a 29-point victory. David Blough and Rondale Moore are a heck of a combo at quarterback and receiver, respectively, while D.J. Knox is a menace in the backfield.
Can the Spartans bounce back to beat a tough Purdue team and get Brian Lewerke his confidence back?
Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s Michigan State vs. Purdue game:
Date: Saturday, Oct. 27
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Venue: Spartan Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN or FuboTV
Keys to Victory
On the offensive side of the ball, the Spartans must find a way to get LJ Scott involved early on and get him some of that confidence back. He’s missed most of the season with injuries but returned against Michigan last week. He looked solid early on against the Wolverines, but then the offense grew stagnant. If the passing attack is going to take a step back with an injured Brian Lewerke, Scott is going to need his best game of the year, topping 100 yards on the ground.
Defensively, the Spartans must shut down the passing attack, namely Rondale Moore. David Blough is a heck of a quarterback but as long as Moore is held in check, the Spartans should be in good shape. Purdue’s offense is as high-powered as they come and the talented freshman receiver has been giving just about everyone fits this season. Shut down Blough and Moore and make the Boilermakers run and this one could be tilted toward the green and white.
Betting Odds
Courtesy of OddsShark
Line: Michigan State -1.5
Over/Under: 50
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Prediction
It’s tough to really place a guess on this one, but with Michigan State playing as poorly as it has been and Purdue riding high after an Ohio State upset, this one could be tricky for the Spartans. Michigan State will keep this one close, but Purdue’s high-powered offense will make just one too many plays for the Spartans to keep up, especially with Lewerke not at 100 percent. The Boilermakers steal one on the road.
Final Score: Purdue 30, Michigan State 27