Michigan State Football: Staff predictions for season opener vs. Rutgers

Michigan State football will host a perennial bottom-dweller in Rutgers to begin the 2020 season. Will the Spartans win? Our staff weighs in.

We’re here. We finally made it. Big Ten football is back and that means Michigan State fans can feel that sense of anxiety again that they missed so much every Saturday.

The Spartans open up their 2020 season on Oct. 24 with a battle against Rutgers in what could be one of the ugliest games of the weekend. Both teams have new coaching staffs, questions at quarterback and rosters with plenty to prove.

How does our staff see Saturday’s battle shaking out?

Connor Muldowney: Michigan State should probably run away with a win to start the season and it very well could, but I just see this turning into a drag-it-out, ugly Big Ten battle. Rocky Lombardi will get the start, but I think Theo Day will look the best out of the quarterbacks and Elijah Collins will have a career day to lead the Spartans past the new-look Scarlet Knights. The game will be tight late, but a 27-yard touchdown run by Collins sews up the victory.

Final Score: Rutgers 13, Michigan State 27

Jack Williams: MSU will struggle in the first quarter before exploding offensively in the second and third. The defense will struggle to work together after a shortened offseason, but the offense will improve drastically from last season on the back of Elijah Collins. It’ll be a sloppy game, but MSU will come away with a relatively comfortable win against their “rivals” in Rutgers.

Final Score: Rutgers 20, Michigan State 42

Carter Landis: There is really no talent on this Rutgers team. I can’t name a single player on either side of the ball. I see Michigan State winning this one easily on a huge day from Elijah Collins.

Final Score: Rutgers 7, Michigan State 31

Stephen Robb: MSU gets it done. However it won’t be a pretty. A win is a win. The Spartans will see several quarterbacks with two emerging in the quarterback battle. I do believe that the Michigan game will decide who is QB1 for 2020.

Final Score: Rutgers 21, Michigan State 27

How do you see this one playing out for Michigan State to start 2020?