PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* NCAAF Game of the Week (Early Saturday!)
(NCAAF) Michigan vs. Michigan State,
10/29/2016 8:00 AM, Score: 32 - 23
Point Spread: 24.50 | -106.00 Michigan State (Home)
Result: Win
Point Spread: 24.50 | -106.00 Michigan State (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The way Michigan lost to Michigan State last season is one of those indelible moments that will never be forgotten by Wolverine or Spartan fans, alike. Michigan was 10 seconds away from winning when punter Blake O'Neill bobbled a snap and inexplicably fumbled the ball into the arms of Michigan State's Jalen Watts-Jackson, who returned the ball 38 yards for the winning score as time expired. The ‘impossible' 27-23 win by Michigan State in Ann Arbor marked its seventh victory in the last eight meetings. The teams meet again Saturday, this time in East Lansing and considering that Michigan opened the season ranked 7th and Michigan State ranked 12th, this "revenge game" for the Wolverines was expected to be a classic. Who'da thunk that when the teams finally got around to playing on the final Saturday of October, that Michigan could possibly be more than a three-TD favorite on the road?
Michigan: Sophomore QB Wilton Speight has thrown 13 TDs and been intercepted only twice, as Michigan has averaged 225.9 YPG through the air. That's balanced by a running game averaging 25.1 YPG on 5.5 YPC, with four backs accounting for 300-plus yards on the season. Overall, Michigan is averaging 48.7 PPG (3rd), which when one considers that the Wolverines lead the nation in five different defensive categories (most notably in scoring at 10.0 PPG and allowing 207.0 YPG), is a deadly combo. The Wolverines cruised past Illinois 41-8 to improve to 7-0 for the first time in 10 years and enter having outscored their last two opponents 119-8, heading into this battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy, while looking (expecting?) to exact a measure of revenge for last year's ‘nightmare.'
Michigan State: The Spartans' season has unraveled quickly and dramatically, with five consecutive losses, four by double digits. MSU sure misses QB Connor Cook. Tyler O'Connor opened as the team's starting QB but he's been replaced the last two games by redshirt freshman Brian Lewerke. He will be making his third career start against arguably the toughest defense in the nation. He completed only 11 of 24 for 156 yards last week without a TD throw and one INT in MSU's 28-17 loss at Maryland. The Spartans have averaged 23.1 PPG (about 3 1/2 TDs per game less than Michigan), while allowing 29.7 PPG, almost three TDs more than the Wolverines.
The pick: Michigan has won 12 of its last 13 games since losing to Michigan State last season and enter this contest having held four straight opponents to 10 points or less. At 2-5, MSU's run of nine consecutive bowl games is clearly in jeopardy and a loss here would make it all but impossible for the Spartans to reach six wins. A quick look at the history book reveals that this line has been adjusted to a degree which one could only describe as a "staggering amount," so I'm taking the YUGE points and making Michigan State a 10* play.
Michigan: Sophomore QB Wilton Speight has thrown 13 TDs and been intercepted only twice, as Michigan has averaged 225.9 YPG through the air. That's balanced by a running game averaging 25.1 YPG on 5.5 YPC, with four backs accounting for 300-plus yards on the season. Overall, Michigan is averaging 48.7 PPG (3rd), which when one considers that the Wolverines lead the nation in five different defensive categories (most notably in scoring at 10.0 PPG and allowing 207.0 YPG), is a deadly combo. The Wolverines cruised past Illinois 41-8 to improve to 7-0 for the first time in 10 years and enter having outscored their last two opponents 119-8, heading into this battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy, while looking (expecting?) to exact a measure of revenge for last year's ‘nightmare.'
Michigan State: The Spartans' season has unraveled quickly and dramatically, with five consecutive losses, four by double digits. MSU sure misses QB Connor Cook. Tyler O'Connor opened as the team's starting QB but he's been replaced the last two games by redshirt freshman Brian Lewerke. He will be making his third career start against arguably the toughest defense in the nation. He completed only 11 of 24 for 156 yards last week without a TD throw and one INT in MSU's 28-17 loss at Maryland. The Spartans have averaged 23.1 PPG (about 3 1/2 TDs per game less than Michigan), while allowing 29.7 PPG, almost three TDs more than the Wolverines.
The pick: Michigan has won 12 of its last 13 games since losing to Michigan State last season and enter this contest having held four straight opponents to 10 points or less. At 2-5, MSU's run of nine consecutive bowl games is clearly in jeopardy and a loss here would make it all but impossible for the Spartans to reach six wins. A quick look at the history book reveals that this line has been adjusted to a degree which one could only describe as a "staggering amount," so I'm taking the YUGE points and making Michigan State a 10* play.
