Michigan State football: Dedication to run game will pay off vs. Washington

Michigan State football has been dedicated to the run game through two weeks and that should pay off vs. Washington on Saturday.

One of the most important matchups on Saturday night between Washington and Michigan State football will be the Huskies’ front-seven against Michigan State’s run game.

Michigan State has been dedicated to the run game so far this season which has been a great sign in the post-Kenneth Walker III era. Plus, with Payton Thorne struggling, the Spartans have to make sure the rest of the offense is humming along.

The Spartans are currently averaging 228.5 rushing yards per game which is good for 24th in the country. Jalen Berger and Jarek Broussard have engineered a heck of a run game behind an improved offensive line through two games. If this is a sign of what we can expect moving forward, the Spartans are in good hands.

Conversely, Washington’s defense ranks No. 74 in the nation against the run, allowing about 147 yards per game on the ground. When you consider the opponents, that’s not a great sign for the Huskies’ defense.

Michigan State needs to ground and pound against the Huskies if they want to escape Seattle with a huge road win over a non-conference Power Five team for a second straight year.

To be fair, the Spartans haven’t been running the ball against elite defenses either, but you can tell that the duo of Broussard and Berger have what it takes to fill the Walker-sized void in the backfield.

With Thorne struggling to get on track through two games, Michigan State’s dedication to the run game is going to pay major dividends against a tough Washington team on Saturday night.

It’s time to assert dominance in the trenches and show the nation why MSU is ranked No. 11.

And it starts with Berger, Broussard, and that offensive line.