Michigan State football predictions vs. Richmond: How big of a blowout will this be?
Free Press sports writers share their predictions for the Michigan State football game against Richmond on Saturday (3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network):
Carlos Monarrez
It doesn’t bode well for the Spiders that they were knocked out of the preseason FCS rankings after they were upset last week at home by Morgan State, an unranked FCS team. And it especially doesn’t bode well for the Spiders that Morgan State won, 17-10, behind great defensive play — perhaps not unlike the Spartans’ own effort last week against Central Michigan. Then there’s Noah Kim and MSU’s offense, which played better as the game went on and is sure to romp in their final tune-up before things get real next week against future Big Ten archrival Washington. The pick: Michigan State 40, Richmond 14.
MSU VS. RICHMOND: Scouting report, prediction
Rainer Sabin
Richmond’s Week 1 loss to Morgan State, a team that hasn’t had winning season at the FCS level since 2014, all but eliminated any notion that the Spiders could actually give the Spartans trouble Saturday. MSU should finish off this delectable cupcake by the end of the first half in a game that won’t do much to prepare the team for its next test against high-flying Washington. The pick: Michigan State 52, Richmond 3.
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Jeff Seidel
The itsy-bitsy Spiders … are about to get crushed. But hey, at least they will get paid. Richmond is guaranteed $650,000 to be the sacrificial spiders, according to Richmond.com. This will be a chance for MSU quarterback Noah Kim to build on his marvelous second half in Week 1. The pick: Michigan State 45, Richmond 3.
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Chris Solari
Their defense dominates the day against an inferior opponent, but this a game where the Spartans’ offensive line will try to flex its muscle and delivers a pair of 100-yard rushers in Nathan Carter and Jalen Berger against the overmatched Spiders. Kim, a native of northern Virginia, shows less nerves in not being the focal point while building on his second-half rhythm against CMU. That allows Katin Houser and the rest of MSU’s young second- and third-unit guys to gain valuable experience with the game out of hand by halftime. The pick: Michigan State 48, Richmond 10.
Shawn Windsor
Expect more growing pains offensively, though not as many. Noah Kim threw several nice balls against CMU, especially in the second half, and the running game looks more promising than a year ago. Kim will build on his second half against CMU. The pick: Michigan State 27, Richmond 10.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football predictions vs. Richmond: How big of a blowout?
