Michigan State Football: 5 reasons Spartans will beat Nebraska in Week 12

Nebraska presents an interesting test for Michigan State football on Saturday but here’s why the Spartans will pass with flying colors.

Michigan State needs this game in order to gain some confidence heading into bowl season. No, the Spartans won’t be playing in the Rose Bowl after all, but they can still earn a higher-tier bowl game with two more wins in the final weeks.

Nebraska stands in the Spartans’ way in Week 12 in Lincoln and even though the Cornhuskers are 3-7 on the year, they’ve won 3-of-4 games and look to be getting on track, at least offensively.

Adrian Martinez is a talented freshman quarterback and Devine Ozigbo is having a breakout season in the backfield to go along with two receivers approaching the 1,000-yard mark. The defense, however, is the weakness — the exact opposite of Michigan State’s situation. Still, things look to be headed in the Spartans’ favor.

Here’s why the Spartans will take care of Nebraska in Week 12.

5. Secondary is starting to hit its stride

The coaching staff has been waiting for this since the beginning of the year. After allowing over 300 yards through the air against Utah State and Arizona State, the Spartan secondary has locked down, holding guys like Shea Patterson (outside of one big throw to Donovan Peoples-Jones), Dwayne Haskins, Trace McSorley and David Blough in check.

Heck, the secondary held Maryland to under 100 yards passing and the defense, as a whole, kept the Terrapins to the century mark on the day.

Justin Layne is starting to pick up some steam, Josiah Scott is healthy, Khari Willis is playing some of the best football of his career and David Dowell is finally in the right places when he needs to be. This team doesn’t often get burned deep anymore and the dink-and-dunk method teams were using doesn’t work as effectively.

The secondary is going to make life difficult for Adrian Martinez and those talented receivers.