Michigan State Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Maryland in Week 10
Michigan State football travels to College Park to take on a suddenly-distracted Maryland team on Saturday afternoon. Who’ll come out on top?
For some reason, we just can’t get a grasp on this Michigan State team. One week, the Spartans are on top of the world after an impressive win and the next they look lifeless against a team they should be far more competitive against.
Following a 10-point home win over a red-hot Purdue team, the Spartans will travel to College Park to take on a 5-3 Maryland team that is fighting the headlines of late.
In fact, the Terrapins were looking like an upset-worthy opponent for the Spartans, but with the recent DJ Durkin drama, things are looking grim. The Spartans must find a way to remain focused ahead of an Ohio State matchup against a clearly-distracted Maryland team.
Winning on the road in the Big Ten isn’t easy, especially with a backup quarterback at the helm. Brian Lewerke is still on the mend and depending on how practice goes this week, he’ll likely be sitting out another game in favor of redshirt freshman Rocky Lombardi.
Maryland, on the other hand, hasn’t had the best passing attack this season, led by Kasim Hill, but the run game is averaging near 250 yards per game. The Spartans must slow that ground attack in order to come away with their sixth win, earning bowl eligibility with three games remaining.
Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s game between the Spartans and Terrapins:
Date: Saturday, Nov. 3
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: College Park, Md.
Venue: Maryland Stadium
TV: ESPN2
Live Stream: WatchESPN or FuboTV
Keys to Victory
If Michigan State wants to go on the road and steal one from the Terrapins, it must find a way to exploit Maryland’s passing defense. The Spartans’ run game has been non-existent all season and there’s no reason to believe that’s going to change on Saturday. Whoever starts on Saturday under center — Brian Lewerke or Rocky Lombardi — must find weaknesses in a decent secondary. It won’t be easy, but getting Cody White back (potentially) should help matters. Win the aerial battle — as well as turnover battle — and win the game.
Defensively, the Spartans must slow down the Terrapins’ run game. Kasim Hill and the passing attack aren’t exactly elite, averaging just 131 yards per game through the air, but the run game has given opponents trouble. If the Spartans can continue dominating on the ground, they will be able to shut down the entire offense. Basically, keep the same game plan that was used to dominate Purdue.
Betting Odds
Courtesy of OddsShark
Line: Michigan State -2.5
Over/Under: 46
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Prediction
Maryland is a hot mess right now, to say the least. The Terrapins just reinstated and then fired head coach DJ Durkin within a 24-hour span and there are rumors of turmoil in the locker room. That doesn’t mean Maryland will be any easier to take down. Sure, they’ll be distracted, but the Terrapins are also one win away from bowl eligibility. They’ll put up a good fight, but Rocky Lombardi has his second strong performance and LJ Scott reaches that elusive 100-yard mark. Don’t look now, but the Spartans are bowl eligible after a tumultuous start.
Final Score: Michigan State 31, Maryland 20