Michigan State Football: Way-too-early 2020 game-by-game predictions

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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 16: Running Back Elijah Collins #24 of the Michigan State Spartans runs from defender Lavert Hill #24 of the Michigan Wolverines during the second half of a college football game at Michigan Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Ann Arbor, MI. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /

The last time these two teams met was back in 2017 when the Spartans knocked off the Hawkeyes in East Lansing to reach four wins and prove to everyone that the 3-9 record from a season before was just an extreme outlier.

This is a different Iowa team, though, as Nate Stanley has moved on and the Hawkeyes’ offense may be in a dark place.

Iowa’s defense, though, will be rock-solid like it always is and Kinnick Stadium is one of the toughest places to play in the Big Ten. For those two reasons alone, I have the advantage in Iowa’s favor to start the month of October.

Final Score: Michigan State 14, Iowa 24 (2-3, 1-1)

I can’t lie here, this is a game that I just don’t see Michigan State winning.

Sure, Mel Tucker has stated that this is not just another game and he’ll surely have his troops fired up in East Lansing, but the talent gap this season is just too vast.

Michigan State will keep things close early on just like the past couple of years, but the Wolverines will score two touchdowns in the third quarter and then tack on a field goal in the fourth for good measure to down the Spartans for a third straight year. Will this light a fire under Tucker moving forward like the 2007 game did to Mark Dantonio? More than likely.

Final Score: Michigan 30, Michigan State 17 (2-4, 1-2)

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