The Michigan State Spartans will head to Piscataway to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in Big Ten action this weekend from SHI Stadium on the Big Ten Network. Rutgers and Michigan State have met in each season since the Scarlet Knights' arrival to the conference back in 2014, and the Spartans lead the head-to-head series, 10-4, after winning last year’s meeting in East Lansing by six, 27-21.
Michigan State Preview
Michigan State comes in at 2-3 after losing to Iowa on the road by ten, 26-16. The Spartans nearly pulled off the road upset, but they’d let the Hawkeyes pull away, and they’ll now look to avoid a fourth straight loss this weekend. The MSU offense is scoring 21.6 ppg, while passing for 251.4 ypg, rushing for 120.0 ypg, and converting 36.4% of their third downs.
Michigan State Player Notes
• Noah Kim failed to protect the football versus Iowa, passing for 193 yards with three interceptions. The junior quarterback keep the Spartans in the game, but his untimely turnovers hindered them for a third straight contest. Kim has passed for 1,090 yards, with six touchdowns to six interceptions thru four games.
• UConn transfer Nathan Carter gained 108 yards on the strong Iowa defense, and he leads MSU in rushing (477), with four touchdowns.
• Senior wideout Montorie Foster Jr. has reached the 50-yard mark in three straight games, and he leads the team in receptions (19) and receiving yards (226).
• The MSU defense is allowing 23.8 points per game
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Preview
Rutgers comes in at 4-2 after losing to Wisconsin in Madison, 24-13. The Scarlet Knights were unable to overcome a slow start versus the Badgers, and they’ll look to remain undefeated at home this weekend. The Rutgers offense is scoring 27.8 ppg, while passing for 161.2 ypg, rushing for 173.3 ypg, and converting 39.7% of their third downs.
Rutgers Player Notes
• Gavin Wimsatt had a tough time with the Wisconsin defense, going 16/35 for 181 yards, with a touchdown to an interception. The junior quarterback was forced to rely on his arm last week with a season-high in pass attempts, and RU will likely look to get back to their run-first game plan here at home. Wimsatt has passed for 914 yards, with six touchdowns to two interceptions, and he’s added for 230 yards and four scores on the ground thru six starts.
• Kyle Monangai has been quiet thru three Big Ten games, but he leads the team in rushing with 487 yards and six touchdowns.
• Senior wideout Jaquae Jackson leads Rutgers in receptions (15) and receiving yards (253).
• The Rutgers defense allows 14.6 points per game.
Michigan State vs Rutgers Trends
• MSU is 4-1 against the spread, with a 2-3 O/U record.
• Rutgers is 4-1-1 ATS, with a 2-4 over/under record.
• Michigan State has failed to cover the spread in each of its last five games against conference opponents.
• Rutgers has covered the spread in each of its last six home games against non-AP-ranked teams.
Corey’s Free Pick
At some point, you’d like to think Michigan State’s perennial ability to compete kicks in, as they’ve dominated this series since Rutgers joined the conference, and despite the state of MSU football right now, this is a contest they can win. The Spartans were outmatched by superior QB play against Washington (Penix) and Maryland (Tagovailoa), but they stuck with Iowa on the road before falling apart late, and they’ll be looking to complete the mission this time around. Rutgers has been unspectacular in conference play, so as long as the Spartans clean up the turnovers, they’ll have a shot here. Look for Michigan State to come out of their bye with some life, and spot them the points for safety here in Jersey this weekend.
AUTHOR: Corey Ghee
