The battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy may be a little gloomier this year than normal. Michigan and Michigan State football have fallen short of preseason expectations through seven games, and both teams’ coaches find themselves on slightly warmer than normal seats.
Michigan fans were fed up with Sherrone Moore before beating Washington 24-7, but they’re ready to give him another chance, especially if he can turn the season back around.
Michigan State fans have seemingly given up on the Jonathan Smith era, especially after that 38-13 home loss to UCLA, but a win over Michigan can fix a lot. It won’t solve the reoccurring issues, but it’ll at least give the lifeless program some juice.
The Spartans are heavy underdogs, per Vegas, but believe it or not, they do hold some advantages.
1. Sense of urgency
Michigan doesn’t quite have the same sense of urgency as Michigan State, and that’s not a knock on Moore and the Wolverines, but rather stating the obvious: Smith needs to win.
If Moore loses this game, he’s probably still around and his job is likely safe, but if Smith loses, he could be out of a job on Sunday. And he knows that. The sense of urgency has to be pulsing through his veins, and if his team realizes that and fights for its head coach, the Spartans will come out more motivated.
I’m not saying Michigan has no sense of urgency, but Michigan State is literally fighting for its head coach’s job. If the players still like him (assuming they do), Michigan State will be fired up.
2. Bryce Underwood struggles away from home
Is this an advantage for Michigan State or just a knock on Bryce Underwood? I’d say the former, especially since Michigan State has the home-field advantage against the freshman quarterback.
Underwood is one of the more purely talented quarterbacks in the Big Ten and has played well in the first seven games of his career, but if there is an area in which he could improve, it’s on the road. He has struggled a bit more away from home, as to be expected, and he’s entering arguably the most hostile environment he’s seen yet (Oklahoma and Nebraska were hostile, but they weren’t rivalry games).
In home games, Underwood is averaging 246.5 passing yards with a 69.4% completion rate, five touchdowns, and an interception. He’s also averaging 6.3 yards per carry at home. On the road, however, he’s averaging just 151.3 yards with a 51.4% completion rate, two touchdowns, and a pick while averaging under four yards per carry.
Michigan State must take advantage here.
3. Passing game weapons
Michigan fans have been complaining about their receiving corps all season outside of Donaven McCulley and Andrew Marsh while Michigan State has had plenty of weapons like Nick Marsh, Omari Kelly, Chrishon McCray, Jack Velling, and Michael Masunas. The weapons are there.
That’s not saying that Michigan has no talent there because McCulley and Marsh could start anywhere, but they’ve had some issues like Semaj Morgan’s drops.
As long as Aidan Chiles gets some time to throw, he can carve up a defense with the weapons he has at his disposal — just look at what he did against an elite Indiana defense last week.