Tag: Michigan State Spartans

How Michigan State’s Nick Sanders is related to Lions legend Barry Sanders

There’s a reason Nick Sanders looks a bit familiar.

Hey, are you a sports fan who was born between 1960 and 2000? And you’re currently watching a Michigan State basketball game?

If so, one of the walk-ons at the end of the Spartans’ bench may look pretty familiar to you. Yes, that is Nick Sanders. Yes, the son of Barry Sanders.

The resemblance is striking enough that it should’ve been a dead giveaway.

Nick is one of Sanders’ four children — his older brother Barry James Sanders played college football at Stanford and later Oklahoma State, following his father’s footsteps.

At Michigan State, Sanders walked onto the team as a freshman in 2022 after graduating from Michigan high school athletics powerhouse Detroit Country Day.

He’s appeared in 16 games entering his junior season having shot 1-6 for his career from the field with one turnover and three points. Typically, if Sanders is entering the game, it means a Spartans victory has been clinched.

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Michigan’s Colston Loveland dropped a petty ‘Lil bro’ comment after postgame scuffle with Michigan State

Michigan won the game and kept on attacking.

Michigan may be the reigning national champions, and Michigan State may be in the first year of a rebuild under head coach Jonathan Smith, but absolutely none of that matters when the two in-state rivals met up on Saturday.

Both were out for blood. Both on the scoreboard, and seemingly, on the field after the final whistle. As Michigan knelt out the clock on a 24-17 victory under the lights at the Big House, a scuffle ensued and the teams had to be separated.

No one is really surprised to see the emotions boil over in such a heated rivalry, but it was the way Michigan’s Colston Loveland described the kerfuffle that’s likely to keep raising those tensions.

Yep. That’s Loveland with a call back to Mike Hart’s infamous “little brother” comment. That’s also bound to sting a little bit more on Saturday considering MSU opened the scoring with a 7-0 lead in the first quarter before the Wolverines rattled off 16 straight points to yank the lead away for good.

Suddenly we’re already counting down the days until these two teams meet in East Lansing next year.

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Updated Big Ten football standings after Week 8: Indiana and Oregon in first-place tie

Could we get an Oregon vs. Indiana Big Ten championship game? Updated Big Ten football standings after Week 8.

While Penn State was off this past week, the Nittany Lions remained one of three undefeated teams in Big Ten play this fall. But Penn State is now, technically, looking up in the updated Big Ten conference standings following the results of Week 8. Indiana and Oregon remained undefeated this season and improved to 4-0 in Big Ten play with blowout wins this weekend. Penn State will not face either team in the regular season, so watching what they do is critical if Penn State can continue to take care of its own schedule the rest of the way. Penn State is gearing up for a challenging three-game stretch beginning with this week’s road trip to Wisconsin.

Wisconsin is seemingly surging at a good time too with another dominant performance on the scoreboard against its opponent. Wisconsin has outscored its last three opponents by a combined score of 117-16 (Rutgers, Northwestern, and Purdue). Of course, the Badgers will also be facing their biggest challenge since playing Alabama and USC in back-to-back weeks in September.

Here is a look at the updated Big Ten football standings at the conclusion of Week 8.

B1G W B1G L W L
Indiana 4 0 7 0
Oregon 4 0 7 0
Penn State 3 0 6 0
Illinois 3 1 6 1
Wisconsin 3 1 5 2
Ohio State 2 1 5 1
Iowa 2 2 4 3
Washington 2 2 4 3
Michigan 2 2 4 3
Michigan State 2 2 4 3
Nebraska 2 2 5 2
Minnesota 2 2 4 3
Northwestern 1 3 3 4
Maryland 1 3 4 3
Rutgers 1 3 4 3
USC 1 4 3 4
UCLA 1 4 2 5
Purdue 0 4 1 6

Indiana, Oregon, Penn State, and Illinois are all officially bowl-eligible. No team in the Big Ten is ineligible for postseason play, but Purdue is now sitting on six losses this season, putting them on the brink of being the first Big Ten to be ruled ineligible for a bowl game this season.

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Top photos from Oregon Ducks’ Big Ten home opener vs. Michigan State

Some of the top photos from the Oregon Ducks’ dominant 31-10 win over the Michigan State Spartans on Friday.

Autzen Stadium is almost 60 years old and there aren’t many firsts left for the facility. But on Friday night, Autzen, the Oregon Ducks and the fans were ready to show out for the first Big Ten Conference game against Michigan State.

The weather was perfect after some rain fell in Eugene earlier in the day, but the new visiting fans quickly found out that it never rains in Autzen Stadium.

With all of the off-the-field festivities out of the way, it was time for the Ducks to play football on the field and they didn’t disappoint. The defense was on point the entire night and Oregon defeated Michigan State 31-10 to move to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in conference action.

Nearly 60,000 fans left the stadium happy with their team’s effort. But the real test occurs next week as No. 3 Ohio State comes to town.

Here are the best photos from the three-touchdown victory over the Spartans.

Jordan James earns Ducks Wire Player of the Game with stunning rushing performance

Jordan James was masterful against Michigan State on Friday night, with a career-high in rushing yards.

The Oregon Ducks picked a spectacular 31-10 win against the Michigan State Spartans on Friday night, but it certainly wasn’t mistake-free. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw two goalline interceptions, and the Ducks secondary got beat deep a few times — although they weren’t punished.

But in a game where Oregon’s passing offense and over-the-top coverage were shaky, running back Jordan James stepped up and played a perfect game, leading the offensive unit for 60 minutes. James’s spectacular performance earns him the Ducks Wire Player of the Game.

James, a true junior from Tennessee, got going early against Michigan State, rushing for 41 yards on the first play of Oregon’s second drive of the game. It was Oregon’s longest rush of the season, but it was the first of many for James on Friday night. He finished the night with 24 carries, for 166 yards and a TD.

What makes James so good is his efficiency in running the ball. Last season, as the Ducks’ frequently-used backup RB, James averaged 7.1 yards per carry — the most in the Pac-12. This season, with much more volume, James is averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Tonight, he averaged 6.9.

James’ Week 6 performance brought some national attention to his talent, and he threw himself into the Doak Walker Award (given to the nation’s best RB) conversation. If not for Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, James may be at the top.

If James hadn’t played an inhuman game, the Player of the Game award certainly would’ve gone to Jordan Burch. The senior defensive end played by far his best game as a Duck, with 4 tackles and 2.5 sacks. And with the way he clogged up the run game, plus the constant pressure he put on MSU QB Aidan Chiles, Burch’s presence was felt plenty on the plays where he didn’t make the tackle.

The Oregon Ducks were glad to have the Jordans.

Betting line shifts towards Michigan State ahead of Oregon Ducks matchup

The betting line has shifted slightly in favor of the Spartans vs. the Duck on Friday night.

The Oregon Ducks went into Week 5 against the UCLA Bruins with hopes of asserting dominance early and hitting the ground running after a bye week.

Mission accomplished.

Oregon’s 34-13 victory was more dominant than the numbers would suggest, and now Dan Lanning’s squad heads into a short week with an undefeated record, looking to welcome the Michigan State Spartans to Eugene.

While there are some good players on the Spartans roster, the overall balance of talent in this matchup may be lopsided as Michigan State continues to rebuild after hiring a new coaching staff this offseason. The Spartans are 3-2 with losses in their last two games, including a blowout loss to Ohio State this past week.

Here’s a look at the odds for this Friday matchup, courtesy of BetMGM:

[gambcom-standard rankid=“4141” ]

Oregon Ducks vs. Michigan State Spartans odds

  • Point Spread: Oregon Ducks -23.5
  • Moneyline: Oregon -3000 // Michigan State +1200
  • Over/Under: 52.5

Our Analysis

Oregon closed as 25.5-point favorites over the UCLA Bruins last week, so it appears that Las Vegas sportsbooks think this one will play out similarly.

The fact of the matter is that when the Ducks are clicking, they are capable of competing with just about any team in the nation. However, they’ve shown a bit of inconsistency so far this year, so it’s not always easy to project which team you’re going to get.

On paper, though, this is a lopsided matchup that Oregon should be able to dominate at home.

Betting Advice

I feel confident that Oregon will click offensively in this game. They’ve had a couple of lapses in that area so far this year, but in a primetime spot on Friday night, my bet is that the Ducks show what they can do with the ball and put up some points.

Will the defense be able to contain Aidan Chiles? For the most part, I think so. There will likely be a lot of points in this game, though, with the Ducks driving the over almost by themselves.

Score Prediction: Oregon 45, Michigan State 13

My Pick: Oregon -23.5 and Over 52.5.

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Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire

Kirk Cousins wears Ohio State gear after losing bet with former Buckeye

Cousins looks good in Scarlet and Gray #GoBucks

Loyalties run deep when it comes to college football. Especially if you were fortunate enough to wear the uniform. Even when former players get to the pros, the pride is easy to see. But sometimes, our school-colored glasses cause us temporary blindness.

Such was the case with former Michigan State and current Atlanta Falcons quarterback, Kirk Cousins. A friendly wager was made between Cousins and former Ohio State long-snapper, Liam McCullough, on who would win the matchup between the Spartans and Buckeyes this past Saturday evening. With OSU being a 24.5-point favorite, McCullough definitely had the advantage.

We all know the game’s outcome, and Cousins kept his word, wearing an Ohio State hoodie at the Falcons’ weekly press conference. It was said that McCullough originally gave Cousins his Buckeye jersey to wear, but the former Spartan chose to forgo the garment which certainly would’ve been oversized.

Good on Cousins for being brave enough to take the bet and for following through on paying up.

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Previewing the Michigan State defense ahead of Friday night’s game

Michigan State’s defense has had trouble lately with getting off the field after third downs

The less the defense is on the field, the better.

Michigan State obviously hasn’t learned that lesson yet as the Spartans have had a lot of trouble on third downs and getting off the field and getting the ball to the offense.

Especially lately.

The Spartans are losers of two straight and while the offense is young and inexperienced, the defense hasn’t given them the chance for an extra possession here and there.

In the last two games, a 24-19 loss to Boston College and a 38-7 setback to Ohio State, the opponents are 13-of-30 on third down and own the time of possession. The Buckeyes held the ball for nearly 36 minutes.

As with most typical Jonathan Smith teams, the Spartan defense is fundamentally sound, according to Oregon head coach Dan Lanning.

“Defensively (they’re) a little bit different than what they were last year at Oregon State, but still really, really sound and do some things that challenge you as well,” he said.

Michigan State’s defense might be a little more aggressive and takes some chances. They’re led by linebacker Jordan Turner and his 31 tackles, 6.5 for loss, and three sacks.

Defensive end Khris Bogle is tied with the team lead with Turner in sacks with three a piece. He has 20 tackles to his credit. Second of the team in that tackle category is Cal Haladay with 24.

Charles Brantley, a redshirt junior, leads the Spartan defense with two interceptions.

According to Michigan State defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, the Spartans are catching the Ducks at the wrong time.

“They’re protecting the quarterback better and I think the run game has come together,” he said. “They have a lot of skill at receiver and they’ve made a lot of explosive plays. They have the ability to take something short and go all the way with it.”

Previewing the Michigan State Spartans offense ahead of Week 6 game vs. Oregon Ducks

The Michigan State offense is a work in progress with an inexperienced quarterback and line as they head into a hostile Autzen Stadium.

Everyone is smiles and laughs until somebody gets poked in the eye.

Isn’t that how that saying goes? Well however it goes, it fits in with the Michigan State offense as they got on a roll until faced with tough competition and it hasn’t gone well.

The Spartans are rebuilding with a new coach in Jonathan Smith and a new quarterback in Aidan Chiles, both coming to East Lansing from Corvallis and the Oregon State Beavers.

This is Chiles’ first real opportunity to show he can be a success as a starter as he sat on the bench for much of 2023, watching DJ Uiagalelei do his thing. It worked out for the most part as Chiles was put in for a series per game to get his feet wet.

Now he’s the man at Michigan State and after a strong start, tough times have followed Chiles. Overall, he has a 56.7 completion percentage and has five touchdowns. But he has eight interceptions and that has killed his progress.

Against Ohio State, Chiles was 13of-19 passing, but for just 167 yards, a touchdown and a pick. But it was against the No. 3 Buckeyes and the mistakes that were made can be largely excused because it was against the top team in the conference.

Chiles was also sacked three times last week as the offensive line hasn’t really helped out. They’ve allowed nine sacks for the year. It’s a young group as they play freshmen Rakeem Johnson and Rustin Young along that line that is just gelling as a group.

Injuries have played a part in the success, or the lack of it, recently. Leading receiver Nick March, also a freshman, has been banged up but returned for the Ohio State game and will be 100 percent for the Oregon contest. Marsh has 13 catches for 262 yards ((20.2 ypc) and a touchdown.

Michigan State’s rushing attack is also a work in progress because of that inexperienced line. But Kay’ron Lynch-Adams does lead the team with 61 yards a game and as scored once.

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The short and sweet history of Oregon vs. Michigan State series

A look back at the history of the Oregon Ducks and Michigan State Spartans football matchup.

The Oregon Ducks fully embarked into their new conference last week, playing their first Big Ten conference game against UCLA. But this week, they’ll cement their shift by playing their first conference game against a legacy Big Ten team: the Michigan State Spartans.

The Ducks Friday night matchup with the Spartans won’t be the first in the history of the two schools, but this matchup is far from being a storied rivalry. This will be the eighth meeting between Oregon and Michigan State and the first since 2018.

The first of the previous seven matchups in this series came in 1979 as the first leg of a home-and-home series (a two-year series featuring a home game for each team). The Ducks and the Spartans then played two more home-and-homes, first in 1998-99 and then in 2014-15. The seventh game between these two programs was a matchup in the 2018 Redbox Bowl.

An interesting anecdote about this series is that the Ducks are undefeated in Autzen Stadium against the Spartans, and Michigan State is undefeated in Spartan Stadium against Oregon. In the Redbox Bowl, the series’ only game played at a neutral site, the Ducks were victorious 7-6.

Some fantastic and classic coaches have taken part in this series, including Rich Brooks, Mike Belloti, Nick Saban, and Mark Dantonio. This week, Dan Lanning and Jonathan Smith — two great coaches who have gone toe-to-toe before — will add their names to that list, as Lanning will try to extend Oregon’s home win streak against the Spartans.