Michigan State Preview

WXYZ

Time: 12:00
Location: Big House
Weather: 28 No Rain
TV: Fox
Stream: Foxsports.com
Line: Michigan -13.5

This is the type of game that I love to hate.  MSU is imploding and Michigan has played its best football lately.   It seems the story of this game has already been written, think again because this is the Spartans Super Bowl and Michigan is proven to be "sleepy" coming off a bye week.

Tale of the Tape

Health = Michigan
Defense = Push
Offense = Michigan
Intangibles = Push
Doing anything to win = MSU
Coaching = Michigan

Michigan is better than State at pretty much every position, the issue is that MSU doesn't have anything to lose and will do anything to win.  Expect them to go for it on 4th down, fake punts, and play past the whistle.   Dantonio knows the only way to salvage this season is to win this game.   It's going to be cold and a very hard hitting game.

Michigan should be prepared for this game as they had 2 weeks to get ready.  I just wonder how they are going to react coming off a bye week.  The last bye week they played awful at Wisconsin.

Wish Mark good luck at his new job as MSU AD if...………..

• Michigan isn't bye week sleepy
• The offense dominates and scores TD's
• No Turnovers 
• Michigan can run the ball against MSU's Dline 
• The defense dominates MSU offense 
• The WR's have a highlight reel worth of catches and TD's

Wonder out loud what the hell Mark tells his team this week if...……….

• Michigan keeps Sparty in the game via turnovers 
• Michigan can't solve Sparty's defense 
• Short fields give Sparty enough points to win 
• Non-concussed Brian Lewerke plays like Drew Brees 
• Michigan gets fooled on a trick play 

It's strange that this game could be a 50-7 outcome or a 21-20 game.  Vegas isn't sure either as they list Michigan almost a 2 TD favorite.  MSU's program is coming off some devastating loses with their best LB on suspension and a huge Illinois comeback win.   They are also injured everywhere and will be playing guys with little to no experience.  They could come into the Big House and just lay down and take their beating.   I don't believe that for a minute, MSU has had a couple bad teams over the years and Michigan hasn't blown them out.  

The keys are Michigan's running game and if Don Brown's unit can dominate MSU's downtrodden offense.  The team that has the most rushing yards usually wins this game.  Shea must play smart and be a game manger by hitting the WR's on slants and let HH and Charbonnet win the game on the ground.  A good stat line would be 250 passing and 200 on the ground.   Michigan will need to hit them early and often and stay focused.   

Michigan 31 MSU 20