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Michigan State Football: Way-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2022

By Connor Muldowney

Oct 30, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Payton Thorne (10) celebrates with teammates during the fourth quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Payton Thorne (10) celebrates with teammates during the fourth quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 30, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Members of the Michigan State Spartans hold up the Paul Bunyan trophy in celebration after the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Members of the Michigan State Spartans hold up the Paul Bunyan trophy in celebration after the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

There is a lot of hype surrounding Wisconsin entering the 2022 season and while I see that they turned things around in the second half of 2021, I’m not buying the Badgers as a top-10 team.

Graham Mertz struggled last season and had more interceptions than touchdown passes, but he can’t get much worse in 2022. I think he’ll be solid, but Michigan State’s pass rush will be swarming by this point of the season and the Spartans will have him running for his life.

Michigan State has struggled against Wisconsin over the past couple of meetings, but this game will be different. Not looking too far ahead thanks to a bye week, the Spartans will take care of the Badgers in a potential top-10 matchup in East Lansing.

Final Score: Wisconsin 20, Michigan State 27 (6-1, 3-1)

Here we are at the game that’s circled on everyone’s schedule. Michigan State will travel down the road to face Michigan in Ann Arbor after a bye week for both teams which will undoubtedly lead to the longest two weeks in the rivalry’s history.

Both sides will be arguing for weeks about who has the best quarterback or running back or receivers and that’ll all come to a head on Oct. 29 for a huge Halloween weekend brawl.

We’re going to see a close battle between the two hated rivals and I think Michigan will get the last laugh — unless Jim Harbaugh bolts for the NFL (which I don’t see happening). If Harbaugh is still there, I think he finally finds a way to beat Mel Tucker.

Final Score: Michigan State 23, Michigan 28 (6-2, 3-2)

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