Michigan State football: 3 bold predictions vs. No. 16 Illinois in Week 10

On to the next. Michigan State football’s mentality should be just that after losing to Michigan last weekend at the Big House and then the ugly incident that ensued in the tunnel.

We won’t spend any more time talking about that because I feel like we’ve beat that horse into the ground, so now let’s talk Illinois.

The Fighting Illini come into this game ranked No. 16 and have the best defense in the country. They are allowing under 10 points per game and teams have not been able to move the ball on the 7-1 Illini whose only loss came to Indiana early in the season.

Let’s get bold ahead of this Week 10 battle in Champaign.

3. Michigan State football wins the turnover battle

Illinois has been really good at turning teams over this season. In fact, the Illini have the 11th-best average turnover margin in the country this year, sitting at +8 in eight games played

While the Illini have turned opponents over 21 times this year, they have also coughed the ball up 13 times which is the third-most turnovers lost in the nation. Michigan State will take advantage of this and win the ever-important turnover battle against the nation’s 16th-best team.

Payton Thorne will stay clean and avoid any interceptions and Michigan State will force a fumble or two to get the ball back with good field position.

Winning the turnover battle would be huge.