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Michigan State vs Michigan: Five things to watch in Big Ten showdown

By Duncan Smith

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Oct 10, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines players run over to the student section after the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Michigan Stadium. Michigan won 38-0. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Final thoughts and prediction

Michigan enters this one as a 7.5 point favorite in what is expected to be a low-scoring slug-fest. The over-under for the game is 41.5 and is expected to be one of the lowest scoring matchups of the weekend in games involving top-25 ranked teams.

Michigan State has played to the level of their opposition so far this year and hasn’t outmatched any of their opponents handily yet. There are a couple possible reasons for that. They could simply not be that much better than some of the weaker teams that they’ve let hang around, or they could have suffered from focus issues.

Perhaps this game against Michigan is what has held their interest these past few weeks when playing teams like Rutgers and Purdue and Central Michigan, and perhaps this game against Michigan is when we will finally see what these Spartans really are.

The Spartans will need to score, and score a bunch if they hope to win this one. Michigan’s offense hasn’t been asked to carry the day since week one against Utah, and Jake Rudock hasn’t shown an ability to put his team on his shoulders and win a game.

If Michigan’s defense is all that it seems that they are, however, this juggernaut destroyer of worlds and offenses alike, the Spartans could be in for a long, painful afternoon.

Prediction

Michigan’s defense is the real deal until proven otherwise, and the Spartans have yet to show that they are more than paper tigers. Expect the Wolverines to give Connor Cook fits, and Michigan’s offense to continue to be given the margin for error they’ve had these past five weeks. It’s almost inevitable that the Spartans break Michigan’s shutout streak, but look for Michigan to cover the 7.5 point spread.

Final score: Michigan 24, Michigan State 10

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