Behind enemy lines: Michigan vs. Michigan State
Michigan football hasn’t defeated Michigan State since 2019 and Jim Harbaugh is 0-2 against Mel Tucker.
The Wolverines are hoping to change that come Saturday night when they host the Spartans at night. This game will be the second time Michigan has played MSU at night in the Big House.
For the second straight year, Michigan is out to a 7-0 start, while Michigan State is looking to get back to .500 after going 3-4 after the first seven games of the season.
Usually, a big key to this game is the run game. In the past 46 out of 52 games, the winner has had more rushing yards than the losing team. Last season, Kenneth Walker ran all over the Wolverines, and on Saturday, Blake Corum is hoping to do the same.
To get to know more about Michigan State, we chatted with Andrew Brewster with Spartans Wire to ask five burning questions about MSU.
How is Michigan State feeling heading into this rivalry game after starting off the season 3-4?
Photo: Isaiah Hole
It really helped the hype for this game that MSU was able to end their losing streak and get the win versus Wisconsin heading into the bye week, without that, it would be pretty bleak heading into this one against a Michigan team that has one of their best offenses under Harbaugh, perhaps their best period. I think the nature of this rivalry leads both teams to feel like they have a good chance, no matter what the records are, but this is definitely a daunting task, and heading into it, reminds me more of 2019 than 2020, but you never know what can happen with this rivalry game.
In the past 46 out of 52 games between Michigan and MSU, the team that had the most rushing yards has won the contest. The Spartans have the 116th-ranked run game. What does Michigan State need to do in order to run the football against this Michigan run defense?
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The Spartans brought in two transfers this year in Jalen Berger and Jarek Broussard who were supposed to be the ‘thunder and lightning’ duo. That hasn’t worked so far, but the Spartans have seen a major resurgence from Elijah Collins, who rushed for just under 1,000 yards in 2019 and was hampered the last few years with some lingering Covid issues. He has looked like the best back for the Spartans and could be the key to saving this season for MSU.
Can you tell Michigan fans who they should watch out for on the MSU offense and defense?
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I named one in Elijah Collins, who Michigan fans should be aware of along with his unique story. He was pretty much a non-entity since 2019 but has been running really well of late and looks healthy. The other offensive player would be Jayden Reed, who is one of their best players and a home-run threat at all times at wide receiver and returning kicks. On defense, this team has been leaning heavily on linebacker Jacoby Windmon, who has been excellent this year. But they also just got two of their defensive leaders back recently in Xavier Henderson and Jacob Slade. Both players looked like they were shaking off rust against Wisconsin, but they are very talented and could be difference-makers. Finally, I have to give a shoutout to Bryce Baringer here. He is the best punter in the country and since I expect the Spartans to be punting quite a bit, Wolverines fans can get a good look at a future NFL punter.
Last season, Michigan State went up against Cade McNamara but this year the Spartans will face a dual-threat quarterback with J.J. McCarthy behind center. How does the Spartans’ defense stack up against someone like McCarthy?
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Based on how they played against Michael Penix Jr., it’s a little scary to face another dual-threat QB. The Spartans often get burned by the ‘death of a thousand cuts’ style offenses, so a QB who can pick up 10-20 yards on the ground is a major threat.
In your opinion, how do you see this game going?
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Based on the way this year has gone, I can’t in good conscience say this will be a competitive game. It definitely feels more like 2019 to me, however, the Spartans just got some key players healthy for the first time this year, and they played their best game of conference play against Wisconsin. With this rivalry, things get crazy, but I’d still expect the Wolverines to protect the Big House and get their first win over Mel Tucker.
