Tag: msu spartans

BetMGM: MSU rising in odds with Michigan game forthcoming

The line has moved in Michigan State’s favor as game day approaches.

[jwplayer gSlNmwGc-XNcErKyb]

It doesn’t look like the final line for the in-state rivalry between Michigan and MSU will be as high as the 2016 contest. In that game, the Wolverines opened at -21, but entered at -25, and didn’t end up covering, winning by just 9 points.

BetMGM opened with Michigan as 25.5-point favorites this week, but that line has fallen, and the maize and blue are now just -21.5, favoring the Wolverines. The money line is -1667 for Michigan and +900 for Michigan State. The over/under is set at 51.5, down two points from the open.

[lawrence-related id=29378,29327,29341]

Kickoff for the two teams will take place on Saturday at noon EDT and will be broadcast nationally on FOX.

Looking for some action on this game or others? Place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM in CO, IN, NJ and WV. Bet now!

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Preview and predictions: Michigan football vs. Michigan State Spartans

Confident, not confident, skeptical: Michigan vs. Michigan State

What we like and what we don’t about Michigan football’s Big Ten Week 2 matchup vs. MSU.

[jwplayer RUcSpGJK-XNcErKyb]

Perhaps a little late, but we return with our new series for 2020, ‘Confident, not confident, skeptical,’ looking at what Michigan should excel at, what it might not and where we’re on the fence heading into Big Ten Week 2.

This week’s matchup brings MSU to town for a rivalry game, and the Spartans are reeling after a 38-24 loss to Rutgers. Will the green and white take care of the football and avenge the past two Michigan wins? It looks unlikely, but in college football, anything can happen.

There’s very little to not be confident about if you’re a Wolverines fan, but we dig deep and try to figure out the biggest mismatches on either side of the ball with the Paul Bunyan Trophy on the line.

LoW (407): Preview: Does MSU stand a chance?

Brandon Justice and Isaiah Hole break down the keys for Michigan football in the annual rivalry game vs. the Michigan State Spartans.

[jwplayer gSlNmwGc-XNcErKyb]

It’s Friday, which means we’re back into full game week preview mode. This week, the Wolverines welcome in the rival Spartans, as two teams heading in different directions face off for the battle of the Paul Bunyan Trophy.

What Michigan needs to do to win, what would allow for MSU to upset the maize and blue and final predictions of the game.

[lawrence-related id=29378,29361,29327]

You can find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts!

Or, you can listen below, right here on WolverinesWire!

Preview and predictions: Michigan football vs. Michigan State Spartans

The WolverinesWire staff previews and predicts what will happen in the Big Ten Week 2 matchup between the Michigan Wolverines vs. MSU Spartans.

[jwplayer RUcSpGJK-XNcErKyb]

A week after Michigan football took its show on the road and eviscerated No. 21 Minnesota in Minneapolis, the Wolverines get to come home and take on in-state rival MSU.

The Spartans — in case you somehow missed it — enter the contest 0-1, after inexplicably losing the season opener to lowly Rutgers. The question remains: did MSU get that much worse in Mel Tucker’s first year, or did Rutgers get that much better?

It’s hard to win a game after turning the ball over seven times as Michigan State did, but new starting QB Rocky Lombardi did throw for 319 yards and 3 TD in the opening foray. His primary target was WR Jayden Reed, the redshirt sophomore transfer from Western Michigan. Reed reeled in 11 catches for 128 yards and 2 TD — including a long reception for 50 yards. Promising wideout Jalen Nailor added 6 catches for 84 yards and a TD. Michigan’s new CB duo in Vincent Gray and Gemon Green did a solid job on Rashod Bateman and Chris Autman-Bell, but they’ll have their work cut out for them in Big Ten Week 2.

[lawrence-related id=29327,29240,29201]

MSU‘s run game was — nonexistent. It managed to accumulate just 50 yards a week ago, with freshman Jordon Simmons leading the charge with 43 yards. Not great, Bob — if you’re a State fan. The Spartans are a mess up front. Former Cass Tech star Jordan Reid opted out of the season, as did Justin Stevens. Devontae Dobbs didn’t dress, nor did fellow OL Mustafa Khaleefah and Luke Campbell. If the status quo holds, Michigan has an opportunity to live in the MSU backfield, as well as stop any potential run game — rendering the Spartans one-dimensional.

Despite Rutgers winning 38-27, the MSU defense did an adequate job — at least when it came to limiting the Scarlet Knights. Now, Rutgers had short fields all day, so it didn’t need to go crazy offensively, but the Spartans held the Knights to just 276 yards of total offense — but allowed 38 points, all of which came on offense.

Through the air, MSU surrendered just 170 yards, while on the ground, Rutgers eked out 106 yards on 41 carries — an average of 2.6 yards-per. Now, keep in mind, though RU broke in a new QB in Nebraska transfer Noah Vedral, the Knights had the nation’s No. 121 (of 130) passing offense in 2019 and the No. 101 rushing offense. So let’s not go handing MSU any medals for allowing just 276 yards of offense here. Ann Arbor native, LB Antjuan Simmons, legitimately might be the only Spartan at the moment that would see the field for the Wolverines, and he shined with 11 tackles and 3 TFL. CB Kalon Gervin could also make a case, and he managed 4 tackles. Other notable defensemen include DT Naquan Jones, who has been inconsistent in his career, as well as DE and instigator Jacub Panasiuk.

On special teams, Jayden Reed returns kicks while Jalen Nailor returns punts — and both are solid in those roles. Matt Coghlin is back at place kicker, and he drilled 2-for-2, including a 48-yarder on Saturday. Junior punter Bryce Barringer averaged 50.5 yards-per-punt, meaning: don’t expect the same short fields witnessed in Minneapolis.

State is a mess, personnel-wise, so much will be riding on its ability to rise up for this game. But, are the Spartans anywhere near as talented as Minnesota? No, but weirder things have happened. MSU has no business being in this game come Saturday, however, it has its back against the wall, already down 0-1, and, as we know, this game is its Super Bowl on a yearly basis. It will be supremely outmatched, but if Michigan comes in riding its laurels from Week 1 success and MSU manages to take what Michigan gives it, it stands a chance.

A very, very small one, but a chance, nonetheless.

[lawrence-related id=29168,29116,29196]

Predictions

For WolverinesWire, Brandon Knapp, Ted Rydquist, Trent Knoop and Isaiah Hole are breaking down what Michigan needs to do to win, what would amount to a certain loss in Big Ten Week 2, one bold prediction — or hill we’re dying on — and the final score.

How to Watch/Hear/Stream Michigan football vs. MSU

Don’t miss the big in-state rivalry and battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. Here’s all the different ways you can catch the game!

[jwplayer RUcSpGJK-XNcErKyb]

Michigan annihilated Minnesota in Big Ten Week 1 while rival MSU lost to lowly Rutgers. With the Wolverines having dominated the Spartans, 44-10, in 2019, will history repeat itself?

There’s only one way to be sure — by tuning in Saturday and finding out!

[lawrence-related id=29327,29341]

If you plan on watching, but don’t know when or how, we at WolverinesWire have you covered.

Basic info

When: Saturday, Oct. 31 at noon EDT

Where: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)

How to watch/listen:

Broadcast: FOX

Online: FuboTV (try it free) / FOX Sports LIVE

Radio: MGoBlue.com / WWJ 950 AM radio (Detroit market)

List of local radio affiliates available at MGoBlue.com.

LoW (406): Michigan Mailbag is overconfident going up against MSU

With MSU coming up on Saturday, we answered the fans’ biggest questions, with many of them bordering on overconfidence with the Spartans up.

[jwplayer gSlNmwGc-XNcErKyb]

Seems to be the consensus that Michigan will destroy Michigan State on Saturday. I don’t think that’s necessarily the case. While it might be, there’s a lot that has to go right for the Wolverines.

So we take your questions, looking back at the Minnesota game while looking forward to the maize and blue hosting the Spartans on Saturday.

[lawrence-related id=29327,29341,29325]

You can find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts!

Or, you can listen below, right here on WolverinesWire!

LoW (405): What to make of Michigan State?

Was Rutgers significantly improved or were the Spartans that bad? That’s the question we try to answer with the game days away.

[jwplayer gSlNmwGc-XNcErKyb]

Is Rutgers better or is MSU worse? What will happen if the Spartans don’t turn the ball over seven times? Believe it or not, there’s a lot of unknowns heading into Saturday’s rivalry game, and we try to make sense of it.

Then, who really is the Michigan team MVP after Week 1 and reacting to Reggie Bush’s comments on The Game, and why, even though we agree with the content, it’s hard to grasp the context.

[lawrence-related id=29314,29311,29299,29254]

You can find us on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts!

Or, you can listen below, right here on WolverinesWire!

MSU’s Mel Tucker injects phony rivalry fodder days before game

Is the Spartans head coach aware that ‘Michigan’ is in Michigan State’s title, or no?

[jwplayer RUcSpGJK-XNcErKyb]

Hey ‘It’s that school down the road’ fans, are you ready to take on ‘It’s that school down the road’ State on Saturday?

Someone should give new ITSDTRSU head coach Mel Tucker a geography lesson that the name ‘Michigan’ is also in Michigan State’s title.

In his press conference previewing the annual rivalry, Tucker refused to say the word ‘Michigan’ throughout, instead referring to the Wolverines as ‘the school down the road.’ We get it — Urban Meyer did the same thing with Michigan, calling it ‘that team up north,’ harkening back to the days when Woody Hayes was leading the Buckeyes. Brady Hoke called Ohio State ‘Ohio,’ leaving out the ‘state’ portion.

But Michigan State disrespects — sorry, ‘disrespekts’ — itself when it refuses to actually acknowledge that it’s in the state of Michigan. Says Tucker of his choice:

“I don’t think there’s any question who we’re playing this week,” Tucker said. “It’s the school down the road and I think we all know who that is. I think it’s pretty obvious.”

[lawrence-related id=29201,29193,29189]

No, he’s right. It is obvious to anyone who has a schedule in hand.

Listen, you can try to motivate your team however you’d like, as phony as your tactics may be. But hey, it worked for Urban Meyer, could it work for ITSDTRSU on Saturday?

Maybe, but right now, the Spartans are huge underdogs coming off their Big Ten Week 1 loss to Rutgers. However, it is college football and anything can happen.

Just, maybe, do it on your own terms instead of disparaging yourself while taking a page out of someone else’s playbook.

[vertical-gallery id=29051]

Wolverines refuse to overlook reeling MSU: ‘We can’t underestimate them’

Despite the rival Spartans appearing to be in rough shape, the Wolverines aren’t underestimating their next opponent.

[jwplayer RUcSpGJK-XNcErKyb]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — If you’re a Michigan fan, you likely got something of a laugh on Saturday afternoon, when Rutgers broke its 21 game in-conference losing streak, beating Michigan State of all programs.

Yes, it appears to be a difficult season ahead of new head coach Mel Tucker, who came aboard in East Lansing after longtime Michigan antagonist Mark Dantonio abruptly resigned in the untimely month of February. Then, a pandemic kept the Spartans from instituting any of Tucker’s scheme until fall — creating that much more of an uphill battle for the green and white.

And that’s not even mentioning the personnel losses this offseason.

But when it comes to this Saturday’s matchup, if you think No. 13 Michigan is going to take the unranked Spartans lightly, you’ve got another thing coming.

“I didn’t even watch the game live – I think I just watched the game earlier, in my little film session,” Michigan junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said on Monday. “But yeah, we can’t underestimate them, at the end of the day. It is a rivalry game. It doesn’t matter who they lost to or who we beat. At the end of the day, it’s who shows up on Saturday.”

[lawrence-related id=29198,29196,29193]

Hutchinson is certainly well-versed in the rivalry as both a Michigan native and son of a former prolific Wolverine.

In the past three seasons, whoever has had the most rushing yards in the game has won, with that record tilted 2-1 towards Michigan. But, when it comes to Saturday, Hutchinson says he’s not concerned about past trends or stats.

He’s more concerned with doing everything possible to make sure it’s a win for the Wolverines at the end of the day.

“The past two games don’t matter, because this game is a whole different thing,” Hutchinson said. “I don’t care how many rushing yards are allowed, we just gotta go out there and do our job, and as long as everyone is sound in their position and just executes their job, I think we’re gonna be successful.”

Hutchinson certainly sees an opportunity on Saturday, given Michigan’s aggressive brand of defense — one that forced two turnovers on Saturday — while the reeling Spartans coughed up the ball an astounding seven times vs. the Scarlet Knights.

And while it very likely will be Rocky Lombardi under center on Saturday, there is a chance that Hutchinson could find himself matched up against one of his former high school teammates at Dearborn (MI) Divine Child in MSU QB Theo Day — someone that Hutchinson is still quite close with.

“Theo is one of my good friends,” Hutchinson said. “When I went home for the quarantine, he threw to me. I was pretty much his tight end, like the good ole days. But we worked out a lot, and actually, we just got off the phone – I think yesterday, we were talking about the game. We’ve been texting a little bit. But yeah, it’s gonna be a nice, fun matchup.”

Regardless of friendships, it is still a rivalry, however.

At the moment, Hutchinson has the ultimate bragging rights, having never lost to the Spartans. And while he’s hoping to keep it that way, hope isn’t what allows for such things to happen — it’s all about hard work and preparation.

“Obviously, when you enter any program and there’s any rivalry, you don’t want to lose any of those games,” Hutchinson said. “I think I’m 2-0 against them so far and I’m just really grateful to have that record against them. We worked really hard for that and we’re just hoping to get the win on Saturday.”

[vertical-gallery id=29051]

What Jim Harbaugh said about Michigan-MSU matchup

With MSU coming to Ann Arbor on Saturday, here’s what Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh had to say about the Spartans rivalry.

[jwplayer RUcSpGJK-XNcErKyb]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — What’s your prize for dominating Minnesota in Week One if you’re Michigan football? Making sure you don’t slip up in Week Two.

With in-state rival MSU coming to town on Saturday, the 0-1 Spartans are still seeking their first win in the Mel Tucker era. Las Vegas doesn’t think that Michigan State stands much of a chance, however, given that Michigan has opened up as giant favorites for Saturday’s game.

As far as what MSU did in Big Ten Week One, it lost to Rutgers after turning the ball over an astounding seven times. While Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh has yet to put on the film, he’s sure that the maize and blue won’t be quite as fortunate here in Big Ten Week Two, as the Spartans won’t likely self-implode to that degree again.

“Just really watching it, studying it hard,” Harbaugh said. “Didn’t have a chance to see the first game. Haven’t seen them – obviously new staff – until this week. Wouldn’t expect there to be that many turnovers the next time they play. That obviously hurt them very badly in this game, in the pass game.”

[lawrence-related id=29193,29191,29168]

Going into this renewed rivalry of 2020, both teams will be starting new quarterbacks in Joe Milton and Rocky Lombardi.

Milton shined in his debut, but, despite the loss, Lombardi was no slouch in his first go-round, completing 31-of-43 passes for 319 yards and 3 TD — but he also had 2 INT in the game, as well.

As far as understanding the rivalry, Harbaugh doesn’t anticipate that either will have trouble understanding it come Saturday.

“”They’ve both seen it up close,” Harbaugh said. “I think they both have a really good understanding of it, the magnitude of it. Then you just get consumed with your preparation, understanding as much as you can about the game plan and opposing defense. I’m pretty sure both have an understanding of the magnitude of the game.”

Ultimately, regardless of what Las Vegas says or what the expectations are now of Michigan after the primetime drubbing of the Gophers, Michigan has to do everything in its power to not have a letdown in Big Ten Week Two — especially with ranked Indiana on deck.

As Harbaugh says, to get a win on Saturday is to win a championship of sorts — a state championship.

“So yeah, it’s different – didn’t get a chance to see (MSU’s game) it’s different, but it’s still a game,”  Harbaugh said. “The red blood is pumping and it will be pumping for both sides in this game. I have no question about that.

“It’s for the state championship, that’s kinda what we call it. A chance to win the state championship. I think a lot of players can relate to that. Might have been playing for a state championship when you were in high school, so it’s a big deal.”

In his Michigan head coaching tenure, Jim Harbaugh is 3-2 against MSU, having won three of the last four, and two in a row.

Kickoff for the battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy is at noon EDT on Saturday, with the game airing nationally on FOX.

[vertical-gallery id=29051]