Tag: Rutgers

Big Ten Quick Thoughts, Takes On Every Game: Week 13. Ohio State Wins Big Ten East

Quick thoughts and takes on every Week 13 Big Ten game. @PeteFiutak Michigan State 27, Rutgers 0 It was only a win over Rutgers, but Michigan State really, really, really, really needed that. It wasn’t perfect, the running game was stuffed a bit too …

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Quick thoughts and takes on every Week 13 Big Ten game.

@PeteFiutak

Michigan State 27, Rutgers 0

It was only a win over Rutgers, but Michigan State really, really, really, really needed that. It wasn’t perfect, the running game was stuffed a bit too much and the offense stalled a bit, but Cody White went off for 11 catches for 136 yards and three scores, and it was a shutout over a team that was supposed to be shutout. The program can exhale for a moment – it hit the putt.

 

Rutgers just doesn’t have the offensive talent. Johnny Langan completed 8-of-20 passes for 57 yards with a pick, led the team with 49 rushing yards, and Isaiah Pacheco was held to 36 yards. It didn’t help that the Scarlet Knights were playing a team that cared.

The Spartans owned this game by more than the final score. They didn’t allow a third down conversion and held the ball for almost 38 minutes. There wasn’t any drama whatsoever.

Michigan State did what it needed to do, and now it closes out with Maryland for a shot at a sixth win and bowl eligibility. Rutgers’ season will come to a brutal but merciful end at Penn State.

Iowa 19, Illinois 10

Iowa played a typical Iowa game. It battled hard, played good run defense, and did enough to keep things moving through the air. It wasn’t easy, and it was a grind to do anything on the ground, but it was the eighth win of the season with just Nebraska to go. A shot at a ten-win campaign is still there.

The Hawkeyes couldn’t get any push up front – the Illinois D line did a nice job. Iowa ended up with just 79 rushing yards, and Nate Stanley wasn’t all that sharp, but he connected on a few bit pass plays with Ihmir Smith-Marsette catching four passes for 121 yards.

Illinois played relatively well despite only scoring ten points. The running backs didn’t get the ball enough – QB Brandon Peters led the team with 76 rushing yards – but the O averaged close to five yards per carry. The passing game didn’t cluck – Peters threw two picks – but it was an okay performance despite the final score.

It was a good fight, and now Illinois gets to go for a seventh win when it finishes up against Northwestern. If a 19-10 loss on the road to Iowa was okay, a loss of any sort to this Wildcat team would be totally unacceptable.

NEXT: Ohio State 28, Penn State 17

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Halftime thoughts: Michigan State sloppy, leads Rutgers

Michigan State’s quest to get back in the win column is going about as well as the rest of the season has gone. The difference today is the team on the other side of the field. Michigan State leads Rutgers 17-0 at the half. Here are some thoughts: …

Michigan State’s quest to get back in the win column is going about as well as the rest of the season has gone. The difference today is the team on the other side of the field.

Michigan State leads Rutgers 17-0 at the half. Here are some thoughts:

  • Cody White has 57 catches in the first half. Don’t look it up. There’s no need. It’s true.
  • It’s really nice to have Speedy Nailor back. He’s so obviously a different level runner than anyone else MSU has on offense. He absolutely cooked his man on a dee shot and might have had a long TD had the Rutgers defender not grabbed him for an obvious PI.
  • It’s pretty easy to see why Rutgers hasn’t won a Big Ten game in more than two years. Woof. The talent just isn’t even near where it needs to be.
  • Matt Coghlin back? It’s not much, but Coghlin has kicked the ball well the last three weeks, going 4/4 in field goals. He easily hit from 46 yards in the first half. In a lost season, it’d be nice for Coghlin to get his confidence back down the stretch.
  • Coghlin hit the upright from 33 yards after MSU returned an INT to the Rutgers 15 and proceeded to do nothing with it.

  • Not great, Bob.
  • Michigan State has been stopped twice on 4th-and-1 well into Rutgers territory.

  • The two-minute drill looks good again and results in a late touchdown. It’s really too bad MSU can’t take some of their two-minute principles and infuse them into the regular offense.
  • Above all else, Michigan State has just been so sloppy today. Beyond even what they’ve done in previous games. In week 11 it just reeks of a team being unprepared and unfocused.
  • The defense has been solid so credit them for that. We must keep in mind the opponent. Rutgers has been very unimpressive on offense.

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Michigan State Football still has yet to give up a touchdown on the opening drive this season

With Rutgers first punt of the game, Michigan State’s defense continues their streak of preventing a touchdown on the opening drive.

We can bicker and debate the merits of Michigan State Football this year, particularly on the defensive side where hopes were highest, but the Spartans do have one impressive stat to hang their hat on: with Rutgers punt on their first possession of the game, the MSU defense has yet to give up a touchdown on the opening drive of a football game this season.

Now, we can debate the importance of this, and I think that’s a debate that should be had because you could make an argument that the defense is really good, and they’ve done their job all year of shutting down the opposing team to start the game and get the ball to their offense, but the quick three-and-outs, poor special teams, and inability to keep the defense off the field and give them good field position to work with, puts Michigan State’s defense in a very unfavorable position.

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Pick ‘Em: Staff picks for MSU vs. Rutgers, other college football games

Can MSU get back in the win column this week?

Michigan State football is in need of a victory in the worst way.

The Spartans have lost five straight and need to win out just to make a bowl game. Well, luckily for them, they’ve got two very winnable games left on the schedule, starting with a road trip to lovely Piscataway, NJ to take on Rutgers. Can the Spartans get back to winning or with the Scarlet Knights get their first conference win in more than two years?

Let’s get to the picks.

Wil Hunter (48-18)

Michigan State 27 – Rutgers 14

They’ve got to win this one, right? Right?! I mean it’s Rutgers. They haven’t won a B1G game since November 4, 2017! And they, most of the time, aren’t anywhere close to winning. They’re truly a bad group of five team playing in a power five conference. There’s a reason MSU is favored by 20+ points in this game: Rutgers is epically terrible! Michigan State just can’t lose this game.

If they do it will be the worst loss in the modern era of MSU football.

No. 8 Penn State 17 @ No. 2 Ohio State 38

No. 10 Minnesota 17 @ Northwestern 13

Illinois 20 @ No. 17 Iowa 28

No. 13 Michigan 27 @ Indiana 28

Texas 31 @ No. 14 Baylor 35

UCLA 35 @ No. 23 USC 38

No. 6 Oregon 31 @ Arizona State 24

TCU 28 @ No. 9 Oklahoma 42

Andrew Brewster (48-18)

Michigan State 35 @ Rutgers 7

Rutgers is the worst team in the Big Ten. Michigan State is better than them. Even with all the injuries, and the suspensions, and the losses, and the disappointments, Michigan State is a better football team than Rutgers. With Nailor and Scott back in the fold, I’m expecting this to be a beatdown that starts to restore a slight bit of optimism to what has become a putrid mess of a season.

No. 8 Penn State 14 @ No. 2 Ohio State 35

No. 10 Minnesota 17 @ Northwestern 10

Illinois 13 @ No. 17 Iowa 20

No. 13 Michigan 24 @ Indiana 21

Texas 24 @ No. 14 Baylor 31

UCLA 7 @ No. 23 USC 28

No. 6 Oregon 27 @ Arizona State 20

TCU 21 @ No. 9 Oklahoma 49

Lawson Robinson (35-22)

Michigan State 17 – Rutgers 14

There is no way I can give MSU more than two touchdowns. The offensive has not produced before, why would they produce now? Yes, Rutgers should be an easy game, but, I just cannot trust this offensive lineup nor coaching staff. The Spartans will surely walk away with a victory. It will not be a blowout game.

No. 8 Penn State 21 @ No. 2 Ohio State 28

No. 10 Minnesota 35 @ Northwestern 7

Illinois 7 @ No. 17 Iowa 14

No. 13 Michigan 10 @ Indiana 7

Texas 14 @ No. 14 Baylor 21

UCLA 7 @ No. 23 USC 12

No. 6 Oregon 28 @ Arizona State 14

TCU 14 @ No. 9 Oklahoma 42

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Locked On Spartans Podcast: Joey Hauser’s waiver denied, MSU vs. Rutgers preview

What to make of the NCAA denied Hauser’s request to play and getting ready for MSU vs. Rutgers this weekend.

Wil and Matt discuss how crappy the NCAA is and the implications of them denying Joey Hauser’s waiver to play immediately. Then Matt tries to guess if Rutgers stats are real or fake. Also, a MSU vs. Rutgers “preview”.

You can find the episode on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

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Analyzing the Point Spread: Michigan State -20.5 vs. Rutgers

Do the numbers think MSU can cover a big spread against Rutgers?

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Piscataway, NJ where college football teams go to rescue their seasons.

Michigan State, currently mired in a five-game losing streak, travels out to the east coast to take on Rutgers in a game the Spartans must have to retain their shot at making a bowl game.

Oddsmakers feel that a matchup against the Scarlet Knights is exactly what MSU needs to get back on track as the Spartans are a big 20.5 point favorite against lowly Rutgers.

Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated November 7 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Let’s take a look at how the line is being bet and what that might tell us about this matchup.

First, the opening. This line opened at MSU -23 at Circa Sports book. (Reminder, Circa Sportsbook has been consistently the first book to post lines, followed by offshore books, followed by bigger onshore books.)

By time the big books (William Hill, Westgate, Caesers, etc.) opened their lines, MSU had dropped to -20. Clearly there was some money come in on Rutgers early and that makes sense. Michigan State is totally reeling. Rutgers *might* feel like they finally have a chance to win a conference game. Michigan State under Dantonio almost never covers when they’re three touchdown favorites and MSU is a meager 2-8 against the number this season. There’s not a lot of reason to be confident in betting on the Spartans right now.

Next we look at the current line and how the public is betting it. The number sits at 20.5 as of publishing with 75% of public bets on Michigan State.

I just said there’s not a lot of reason to be confident in betting on the Spartans right now, so why is the public betting on the Spartans? Well, the public is generally bad at betting! They don’t build skyscrapers in the desert for nothing. Really though, there are a couple of concrete factors here. By dropping from 23 to 20 the line went through the three touchdown margin. It’s only a few points, but in betting those points really matter. Michigan State is a much more appealing bet at -20 than at -23 because three touchdowns is -21. Makes sense, right? Also, that +23 number was probably gobbled up by sharp money.

Let’s look. little deeper into the line movement.

The red line represents the spread. The blue line represents the split in bet percentage. See how on the far right of the graph it sits right at 25%? That’s because Rutgers is getting 25% of the bets. I want to focus on that spot where the red line juts down to -21 then right back up to -20.5. At the point the line moved to -21 Rutgers was getting about 10% of the bets. Then immediately after the line moved to 21 Rutgers shot up to about 30% of bets and the line jumped back to 20.5. Oddsmakers tested the waters of MSU -21 and it was absolutely gobbled up. That indicates sharp money. I highly doubt the line moves back to 21 again because of how aggressively it was bet last time.

Stitching all of this information together we have a line that was seemingly hit by big money early in favor of Rutgers. As it settled in the public started backing Michigan State, but not enough to move the line much. That indicates more big money bets are on Rutgers. Then the line moves to 21 for a moment before it is immediately bet back to 20.5 where it has sat by consensus since then.

I think books are comfortable with that line. I think they’re comfortable with how the money is dispersed in this game. I think the books and sharps are both siding with Rutgers on this one.

Then we factor in where Michigan State is at in terms of on-field product, how these two have matched up in the past and Danotnio team’s having an inability to cover big numbers and it feels like we can feel good about knowing which side is the right side.

The Pick: Rutgers +20.5

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Michigan State Football vs. Rutgers Injury Report: Josiah Scott, Jalen Nailor should play

MSU faces Rutgers Saturday. Here is your injury update.

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On this week’s injury report, one thing sticks out more than other weeks, and that is the presence of Sophomore Wide Receiver Jalen Nailor, who hasn’t played in his last nine games. Here is your full injury report for Michigan State Football’s match-up Saturday against Rutgers.

In regards to Nailor:

“Jalen could have possibly played some (at Michigan), but he hadn’t practiced. He really only practiced on Thursday, so he hadn’t been hit, he hadn’t been jostled around – ball security, those type of things,” Dantonio said. “We wanted to give him an extra week to get his feet on the ground. But he’ll play. He practiced yesterday, so he’ll play in this football game.”

I’m not saying that Nailor has been the missing piece this season for the Spartans, but Michigan State hasn’t won a football game this season without Jalen Nailor (he only played against Tulsa). He’s not the missing piece, but he’s one of many.

  • Defensive Back Josiah Scott, who left the Illinois game with an injury, should be back this week as well, per Dantonio.
  • Left Tackle AJ Arcuri should be back in this game and play over the inexperienced Devontae Dobbs.
  • Darrell Stewart Jr. is expected to miss this week as well. Despite missing every game since Penn State, he’s still MSU’s leading receiver.
  • OffensiMatt Allen is still injured.
  • Backup lineman Tyler Higby should be available in this game.

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Big Ten Quick Thoughts, Takes On Every Game: Week 12

Quick thoughts and takes on every Week 12 Big Ten game.

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Quick thoughts and takes on every Week 12 Big Ten game.

@PeteFiutak

Wisconsin 37, Nebraska 21

Adrian Martinez was fantastic. He was fast, decisive, and he looked like the star for the Husker offense everyone is hoping he’ll be. He threw for 220 yards and a score, ran for 89 yards and a touchdown, Dedrick Mills ran for 188 yards and a score, and Nebraska gained almost 500 yards …

And Nebraska lost by 16. 

Wisconsin got shoved around too much, struggled against the Nebraska running game, and gave up too many big plays, but Jonathan Taylor ran for 204 yards and two scores, QB Jack Coan was fine, Aron Cruickshank retuned a kick for a score, and the D came through when absolutely needed.

The Badgers need to win out and get a loss from Minnesota before they play on November 30th. Nebraska has to beat both Maryland on the road and against Iowa to go bowling.

Northwestern 45, UMass 6

Leave it to Northwestern to be the only team that couldn’t hang a gajillion points on the worst defense in college football. One of the scores came on a blocked field goal.

This was the game to have a whole lot of fun with the passing game. Aidan Smith completed 7-of-13 passes for 76 yards with two interceptions. Wheeeeee!

Evan Hull?! The freshman had four carries all year for 15 yards, and he ripped through the Minutemen for 220 yards and four scores on 24 carries. The Wildcats ran for 335 yards and five scores.

It’s going to take something amazing for the Wildcats to win another game with Minnesota and at Illinois to close. 2-10 would be the worst season since going 2-9 in 1993.

NEXT: Michigan 44, Michigan State 10; Penn State 34, Indiana 27

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