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Michigan State Football: Ranking Spartans’ 2020 opponents by toughness

By Connor Muldowney

Elijah Collins, Michigan State football Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Elijah Collins, Michigan State football Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 16, 2019; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Ronnie Bell (8) is forced out of bounds by Michigan State Spartans safety Xavier Henderson (3) in the first half at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 16, 2019; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Ronnie Bell (8) is forced out of bounds by Michigan State Spartans safety Xavier Henderson (3) in the first half at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

Not having fans in attendance is surely going to benefit Michigan State here. No visitors like playing in Iowa City in front of that Kinnick crowd and Iowa is starting a new quarterback this season. That should make things interesting in this early-November battle.

It’s tough to say this game will be tougher than a matchup with a surging Indiana team, but since it’s on the road, that’s all the reason I need, crowd or not.

Iowa will probably find a solid game-manager at quarterback and the run game is always solid along with the defense. This is not going to be an easy battle, but it’s still on the winnable side of things.

There’s a case to be made for Michigan being in the top two, but the fact that I think Penn State might be just slightly better than the Wolverines makes that game a little tougher.

Michigan still has the talent to give Michigan State a tough time. The Wolverines might have the next big star at quarterback in Joe Milton and if he lives up to the hype, the rest of the Big Ten might be in trouble. If there’s ever a year Michigan can surprise some people and win the conference title, the whacky 2020 season is it.

But Michigan State could also spoil the Wolverines’ season early on.

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