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MSU football scouting report vs. Maryland: Spartans must take advantage of early edge

Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press
·6 min read

Free Press sports writer Chris Solari breaks down Michigan State football's game Saturday against Maryland in East Lansing.

Fast facts

Matchup: Michigan State (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. Maryland (3-0, 0-0), Big Ten opener.

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m., Saturday; Spartan Stadium, East Lansing.

TV/radio: NBC, WJR-AM (760).

Line: Terrapins by 7½.

Injury report

MSU: Out: DT Alex VanSumeren (undisclosed), TE Tyneil Hopper (lower right leg), OL Stanton Ramil (right knee), OL Gavin Broscious (left knee), DB Khary Crump (suspension). Questionable: RB Jalen Berger (lower right leg), RB Jaren Mangham (lower-body), RB Joseph Martinez (undisclosed), OL Cole Dellinger (undisclosed), CB Charles Brantley (upper-body), DB Semar Melvin (undisclosed), LB Ma’a Gaoteote (undisclosed), DT Jarrett Jackson (undisclosed), CB Caleb Coley (undisclosed), LB Quavian Carter (undisclosed), LB Harold Joiner III (undisclosed), DE James Schott (undisclosed), DE Ken Talley (undisclosed), DE Tunmise Adeleye (undisclosed). Probable: RB Nathan Carter (lower body), OL Geno VanDeMark (undisclosed), OL Keyshawn Blackstock (left arm), DT Dre Butler (right shoulder).

Maryland: Out: WR Sean Williams (undisclosed), TE Leron Husbands (undisclosed). Questionable: RB Ramon Brown (undisclosed), RB Noal Ray (undisclosed), WR Josh Richards (undisclosed), TE Joshua Jennings (undisclosed), OL Deandre Duffus (undisclosed), LB Neeo Avery (undisclosed), LB Dylan Gooden (undisclosed), S Beau Brade (undisclosed), DB Gavin Gibson (undisclosed). Probable: RB Dillon Johnson (undisclosed), S Asa Turner (hand).

Scouting report

Michigan State Spartans quarterback Noah Kim looks to pass against the Washington Huskies in the first quarter at Spartan Stadium, Sept. 16, 2023.
Michigan State Spartans quarterback Noah Kim looks to pass against the Washington Huskies in the first quarter at Spartan Stadium, Sept. 16, 2023.

When MSU has the ball: The slow starts the Spartans got off to in their first two games against Central Michigan and Richmond snowballed into a near-shutout against Washington. MSU went scoreless and gained just 162 yards through its first 11 possessions before backup QB Katin Houser scored to cap an 11-play, 99-yard drive in 5:25. Houser took over in the fourth quarter for starter Noah Kim, who completed 12 of 31 passes for 136 yards with an interception. Running back Nathan Carter finished with a season-low 48 rushing yards on 17 carries. MSU sits 115th in the 130-team Football Bowl Subdivision at 26:44 of possession time and 107th in rushing (114 yards per game). It ranks 78th in total offense (377.3 yards) and 76th in scoring (27.7 points). The Terrapins allow 13.3 points and are coming off a 42-14 victory over Virginia, but all three of their games have been at home. Maryland ranks 49th in total defense (314.7 yards) — 121.3 on the ground to rank 60th and 193.3 through the air to rank 39th – and 15th in turnover margin (plus-1.3).

When Maryland has the ball: The 713 yards MSU allowed against Washington are a program worst, with the 536 passing yards tied for the second-highest total by an opponent in school history. The Spartans pass defense allowed four TDs and 375 yards in the first half to QB Michael Penix Jr., and the Huskies’ offensive line bullied their way in the second half to 143 of their 177 rushing yards. Jaden Mangham’s fourth-quarter interception was the Spartans’ first by a defensive back in 34 quarters, since Charles Brantley’s pick-6 against Ohio State on Oct. 8, 2022. Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa is a third-year starter running an offense which leads the Big Ten and ranks 22nd in the nation at 480 yards per game. The Terps rank first in the conference with a 53.7% third-down conversion rate, and their 39.3 points rank third in the Big Ten and 26th in the country. Running back Roman Hemby averages 81 yards a game and has scored four TDs, and the Terps get another 81-plus yards between Colby McDonald and Antwain Littleton II in averaging 176 on the ground.

Know the foe

Michigan State's Kyle King pressures Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
Michigan State's Kyle King pressures Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

Lock-ed in: Coach Mike Locksley, now in his fifth season, has begun to build a more consistent winner. Maryland went 8-5 last season and won consecutive bowl games for the first time in nearly 20 years. Locksley got his first win in four tries against the Spartans last season in College Park, 27-13.

The 53-year-old has yet to win in three visits to Spartan Stadium, including a 24-7 loss in 2015 while serving as interim head coach after the firing of Randy Edsall. Locksley’s teams also lost in East Lansing in 2019 (19-16) and 2021 (40-21).

T time: MSU has had problems stopping Tagovailoa’s passing. The fifth-year senior is among the Big Ten’s top QBs, completing 66 of 99 passes (66.7%) for a conference-leading 889 yards, five TDs and two INTs. He ranks third in efficiency behind Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Ohio State’s Kyle McCord. Tagovailoa is 1-1 in two previous starts against MSU, throwing for 350 yards in the 2021 loss and 314 yards in last year's win.

Big-time targets: Maryland has had exceptional receivers in recent years, and this group is no exception. Six Terps have seven or more catches, led by 6-2, 215-pound TE Corey Dyches’ 16 grabs for 195 yards and a TD. Jeshuan Jones, a 6-1, 188-pounder, leads Maryland with 198 yards and two scores among 13 grabs. The Terps added Kaden Prather as a transfer from West Virginia in the offseason, and the 6-4, 212-pound WR has shown big-play ability with a 20.5-yard average and two TDs among eight catches for 164 yards.

Chris Solari's two cents

Opening salvo: MSU has three first-half touchdowns this season. Maryland has given up 28 points in the first quarter of its first three games while also scoring 28. They yielded a 14-0 lead to Charlotte in the first quarter of Maryland’s eventual 38-20 win on Sept. 9, and Virginia scored two first-quarter TDs last week. The Terrapins have outscored opponents 90-12 combined after the opening period.

Seeing yellow: The Spartans and Terrapins are among the most penalized teams in college football. MSU is tied for 15th-most penalties per game (eight) and is 26th with 64.7 penalty yards per game. Maryland has been flagged 17 times, an average of 5.7 per game, and the Terps' 61.3 penalty yards assessed is the 37th-highest average.

Prediction

While the Spartans show resiliency to bounce back and stay in the game until the fourth quarter, Tagovailoa and the Terps’ passing attack again proves too much to stop for a young secondary. Maryland pulls away late, while MSU’s offense shows improvement before its defense fades. The pick: Maryland 27, MSU 17

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football vs. Maryland: Scouting report, prediction