Michigan State Football: 3 reasons to feel optimistic ahead of Michigan game

1. MSU’s receivers should eat vs. Michigan’s secondary

I know what you’re thinking: Michigan’s defense is ranked No. 20 in the country in terms of yards allowed per game, so how will the Spartan receivers eat?

My answer? Just look at what happened last year.

Michigan’s secondary hasn’t changed all that much but Mike Macdonald has been a game-changer as a defensive coordinator. But can we really say that the Wolverines’ pass defense is elite without having faced a solid passing offense?

You have to take into account who the Wolverines have faced this year and where they rank in passing offense.

• Western Michigan (No. 51)
• Washington (No. 57)
• Northern Illinois (No. 120)
• Rutgers (No. 95)
• Wisconsin (No. 123)
• Nebraska (No. 36)
• Northwestern (No. 102)

Not a single passing offense ranked in the top 30. Only one in the top 50. Four ranked in the bottom third of college football. So is this secondary better than last year? Probably, but maybe not by as much as everyone thinks.

Plus, none of the teams mentioned above have a three-headed monster at receiver like Michigan State does. Jayden Reed, Jalen Nailor, and Tre Mosley are three of the best receivers in the Big Ten and this secondary hasn’t faced anything like this yet, along with one of the best quarterbacks in the conference.

Michigan State’s receivers should eat against Michigan’s secondary. Not as much as they did last year, but enough to make the Wolverines’ defense sweat a bit.