Michigan State Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Northwestern in opener

Excitement surrounding the start of Michigan State football’s 2021 season has been growing rapidly over the past month and on Friday night, fans will finally get to unleash all of their emotions as the Spartans travel to Evanston to face Northwestern.

Last year’s matchup with Northwestern was a chance for Mel Tucker to record one of his first “signature wins” against a top-10 team and he did just that. The Spartans pulled off the upset in East Lansing, his second ranked win of the season as the new head coach.

Northwestern isn’t exactly the same team as it was a season ago and there are plenty of question marks for the Wildcats on both sides of the ball.

Will an improved, on paper, Michigan State team take down Northwestern for a second straight season under Tucker?

It’s time to get bold.

3. Payton Thorne starts, throws two touchdown passes

Is this really a bold prediction? Payton Thorne starting isn’t that bold, but throwing a couple of touchdown passes in Week 1 after starting just one game last season is a little gutsier.

Thorne is going to take the field as the starter for Michigan State on Friday night and he’s going to complete about 60 percent of his throws for around 200 yards and a couple of touchdowns. That’s not a bad full-time starting debut for the sophomore quarterback from nearby Naperville.

Coming back home to get a start just about 40 miles from where he grew up to have a big game is going to be a huge confidence boost for the sophomore. He’ll connect with Jayden Reed, who also grew up in Naperville and was a high school teammate of Thorne’s, six times for 90 yards and a touchdown.

Unlike Brian Lewerke’s homecoming against Arizona State a few years ago, this trip back home will treat Thorne well.