Michigan State is heading into Big Ten play with another serious challenge on deck, and this one comes with a quarterback who has put up eye-catching numbers through three games.
Nebraska is one of the league’s remaining 3-0 teams, and the Cornhuskers are being powered by Anthony Colandrea, who transferred in from UNLV after Dylan Raiola left for Oregon. The move has worked out well for Nebraska so far. Raiola may have arrived with plenty of talent as a former five-star, but Colandrea has emerged as one of the country’s best dual-threat quarterbacks and, according to Pro Football Focus, the highest-graded QB in college football.
The numbers explain why he’s drawing that kind of attention. Through three games, Colandrea has thrown for 692 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 75 rushing yards and two more scores.
All 10 of those touchdowns have come against Ohio, Bowling Green and North Dakota, so the grading may feel a little generous, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s been playing at a high level. He’s one of the Big Ten’s best quarterbacks right now, and he’s rolling into this matchup with Michigan State as his toughest test yet.
That’s saying something, because the Spartans’ defense has steadily improved and should be ready to make this uncomfortable. Even without Brady Pretzlaff, Michigan State has become more disruptive each week. The defensive line has taken steps forward, the linebackers have held up, and the secondary has been doing enough to bend without snapping.
Max Bullough and Joe Rossi have been central to that turnaround, and their group kept Michigan State in the Notre Dame game while the offense struggled to sustain drives. Ben Roberts has been strong on the interior, Eli Coenen has helped inside as well, and Kenny Soares Jr. has been a problem off the edge.
Jordan Hall continues to look like one of the Big Ten’s better linebackers, while Pretzlaff, when healthy, belongs in that conversation too. Tre Bell has also been one of the bigger surprises on the roster, and he’s been backed up by veterans Nikai Martinez, Michael Richard, Devin Vaught and Charles Brantley in the secondary.
The result is a defense that looks like it’s forming into something real. It has an identity, which is more than could be said for the units Michigan State has rolled out during the Jonathan Smith era and much of the Mel Tucker era.
Colandrea brings another major test, but Michigan State will make sure he’s earning every bit of it. Something has to give.
In Other News...
Michigan State Pulled Out A Huge Late Big Ten Escape
Michigan State found a way to escape Nebraska with a 3-2 win at DeMartin Stadium, leaning on a late surge to keep its Big Ten hopes moving in the right direction. Kennedy Bell and Shelby Vaughn both scored for the Spartans, while Bella Najera set up two of the teams goals to give Michigan State enough attacking punch to stay in front of a stubborn opponent.
Emerson Sargeant provided the decisive moment in the 87th minute after Nebraska had clawed back level on Ella Guyotts penalty kick. With the game hanging in the balance late, Michigan State still had the answer it needed, turning a tense conference matchup into a result that could matter a great deal down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Defense Faces A Big Ten Test After Notre Dame
After the loss to Notre Dame, Michigan State defensive coordinator Joe Rossi turned the focus to the next Big Ten challenge, with Nebraska coming into view and the Spartans still trying to tighten up the details on defense. Rossi used his media availability to talk through where the unit stands, stressing player development, the need for more consistent fundamentals and the kind of clean execution that tends to separate a solid defense from one that spends too much time chasing mistakes.
Much of the conversation centered on how individual players are progressing, with Rossi pointing to Jordan Hall and Derrick Simmons as examples of that ongoing work. He also touched on the coaching staff and the availability of Nebraska players, another reminder that this week is about more than just scheme. For Michigan State, the next step is figuring out whether the lessons from South Bend can show up in a more complete performance on Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Faces A Brutal Test Against Nebraskas Hot Offense
Nebraskas conference opener arrives with a lot of attention on the line of scrimmage, and Michigan State is the first team asked to sort out just how real the Cornhuskers early momentum is. Pat Fitzgerald is still in the opening stretch of his tenure as Spartans head coach, and his group gets a tough first Big Ten measuring stick against an offense that has looked comfortable early, especially on the ground.
For Michigan State, the concern is whether its own rushing game can find traction after some recent struggles, with Cam Cook carrying much of the load. The Spartans were also forced to deal with pressure up front last week against Notre Dame, and now they face a Nebraska front that wants to dictate terms from the start, making this less about style points and more about which team can control the trenches long enough to settle in. [Read more 🡒]