Michigan State’s Big Ten opener against Nebraska has the feel of a throwback Saturday night in East Lansing: two teams with Big Ten ties at the helm, both coaches preaching toughness, and an emotional backdrop tied to Sam Foltz and Mike Sadler, who died in a car accident 10 years ago.
That remembrance gives the matchup a heavier edge, but the football part should be plenty compelling on its own. Michigan State and Nebraska are both trying to make a statement, and this one has the ingredients for a hard-nosed, old-school conference fight.
One name to watch is Chrishon McCray. After the Notre Dame loss, Fitzgerald said he wanted to get his playmakers more involved and mentioned McCray specifically.
That sounds like a pretty clear sign of what’s coming next. McCray’s usage has dipped over the last two weeks after he opened the season with eight catches for 69 yards, but Alessio Milivojevic is expected to lean back into the connection he had with McCray a season ago.
The projection here is seven catches for 108 yards, plus a long touchdown that sparks the offense in the first half. After all the preseason buzz, McCray finally gets to 100 yards and does it in a way that changes the rhythm of the game.
The other big swing in this one comes on the defensive side. Anthony Colandrea has been the country’s top-graded quarterback by Pro Football Focus through three weeks, and he has not been held under 200 total yards yet this season.
That changes Saturday, if this plays out the way Michigan State wants. The Spartans are expected to be sharp and locked in after Fitzgerald’s frustration following the Notre Dame game, and the prediction is a sub-200-yard outing for Colandrea - something he has not done since Oct. 4 of last season, when he was still at UNLV.
Michigan State’s defense is supposed to make its presence felt against the veteran quarterback.
And then there’s the result itself.
Nebraska enters with confidence, and plenty of Cornhusker fans are expecting a relatively comfortable trip to East Lansing. But this is where the bold part comes in.
Michigan State is coming off a road game against the No. 3 team in the country where it hung around for three quarters, and the expectation here is that the Spartans finally put together a full four-quarter performance. That means a back-and-forth battle, a fourth-quarter drive, and Liam Boyd finishing it with a game-winning field goal.
The call here: Michigan State doesn’t just cover the +5.5. It pulls the upset, 27-24.
In Other News...
Michigan State Now Faces A Bigger Problem Than The Nebraska Loss
The Nebraska loss itself was ugly enough for Michigan State, but the bigger concern coming out of Lincoln was the damage done to the roster. The Spartans were already thin in key spots, and the injury situation started before kickoff when starting cornerback Tre Bell was hurt in warmups and never made it into the game.
It only got worse from there. Running back Cam Edwards and offensive lineman Connor Moore went down on the same play, and defensive leader Jordan Hall also left with a leg injury after being taken off the field on a cart, leaving Michigan State with plenty to sort through beyond the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Faces A Bigger Offensive Problem Than Fans Feared
Michigan States offense has looked increasingly out of sync over the last few games, and the numbers underline just how much work remains. Through four games, the Spartans have managed only 88 points and nine touchdowns, both among the lowest marks in the Big Ten, while quarterback Alessio Milivojevic has been dealing with plenty of pressure, sacks and interceptions as the unit struggles to find any sort of rhythm.
The bigger concern is that the problems have not been limited to execution. Injuries have already thinned out the group and left the staff trying to patch together answers on the fly, with the offensive line and backfield both taking hits that make every snap feel a little more fragile. Michigan State is still searching for stability, but the margin for error keeps shrinking as the offense tries to get healthy enough to even resemble what it was supposed to be. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Suddenly Faces A Depth Chart Test Against Wisconsin
Michigan State left its trip to Nebraska with more than one injury concern, and the timing could not be worse with Wisconsin next on the schedule. Running back Cam Edwards and linebacker Jordan Hall were among the players hurt in the game, leaving the Spartans to sort through a depth chart that may look different by the time they line up again.
The backfield is especially worth watching because backup Jaziun Patterson handled relief work well after Edwards exited, and the staff is already leaning on him as it prepares for the next matchup. The bigger question now is how Michigan State will piece together its roster across the board if the injury list forces more changes, with the full extent of those setbacks still unclear. [Read more 🡒]