Tag: Spartans

MSU vs. Michigan: Scouting Report

Michigan State football travels to The Big House to face off against interstate rival, the Michigan Wolverines. Here is a scouting report.

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Michigan State football travels to Michigan Stadium or “The Big House” this weekend to take on their interstate rival, the Michigan Wolverines. This is the biggest game of both team’s seasons thus far. Michigan aims to add another win to their season and Michigan State aims to add some sort of satisfaction to their season.

Here is a scouting report of the Michigan Wolverines:

Shea Patterson

Michigan QB Shea Patterson is quite the enigma. Many wrote him off due to a poor start to the season. Now, some are skeptical even though Michigan boasts a winning record. Note, the numbers are rather favorable for Patterson. He is actually quite similar to a QB that you know all too well.

Through nine games, Patterson has tallied up 1,773 yards, 12 touchdowns, and four interceptions. For comparison, MSU QB Brian Lewerke has put up 2,012 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Interestingly enough, Lewerke does indeed boast a higher QBR rating than Patterson. In my opinion, the QB matchup is dead even.

RB & WR Options

Michigan primarily relies on freshman Zach Charbonnet and sophomore Hassan Haskins. Through nine games, Charbonnet boasts 117 carries for 559 yards and 11 touchdowns. On the other hand, Haskins has rushed for 426 yards and two touchdowns on just 72 carries.

There are a few other RB options that eat on this team, but, Charbonnet and Haskins stand tall above all. Michigan may not always be able to rely on their passing game. Their running game is always a viable option though. So Michigan State must prepare themselves for a battle in the trenches.

Five different Michigan players have 20 receptions or more on the year. This includes WR’s Ronnie Bell, Nico Collins, Tarik Black, and Donovan Peoples-Jones. Nick Eubanks is the lone TE on this list with exactly 20 receptions on the year. Everyone but Bell has tallied up a touchdown. Note, Collins and Peoples-Jones have both recorded three touchdowns thus far. MSU’s secondary has been shaky, to say the least. Michigan may stretch the Spartan secondary thin this game.

Reliable Defense

The Michigan defense is not necessarily outstanding but they are certainly reliable. No team has scored more than 35 points against the Wolverine’s defense. All the while, Michigan shutout Rutgers in week 4. So Michigan State’s offense must execute well without errors. Lewerke and the company cannot cough up unforced errors that lead to turnovers in this game.

Remember, this Wolverine’s defense is not overwhelming. So the Spartans can definitely put numbers on the board. Especially if they run the ball well. Army ran the ball all over Michigan earlier on in the season. MSU must dominate the run game to open up the passing game for Lewerke and company.

The Michigan vs. Michigan State rivalry is still incredibly strong. Both teams want to show one another up. The fan sentiment towards MSU’s coaching staff is already pretty negative. If they lose to Michigan, it will be out of control.

Cheer on the Spartans this weekend. Kick-off is at 12 P.M. and the game is on Fox. Stay locked on SpartansWire for coverage all throughout the weekend.

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MSU basketball steamrolls Binghamton: Three Key Takeaways

Michigan State basketball absolutely steamrolled the Binghamton Bearcats last night. Here are three key takeaways from this game.

Michigan State basketball steamrolled the Binghamton Bearcats yesterday 100-47. This game was fresh on the heels of the emotional passing of Zachary Winston, brother of Cassius Winston. Cassius had an absolutely impressive showing as did a few other Spartans.

Here are three key takeaways from this game:

Cassius Winston Is Truly Special

You really cannot say enough about the talent of Cassius Winston. Excellent ball-handling abilities, premier court vision, and a high basketball IQ. Now, you truly cannot say enough about Cassius Winston the human being. Winston played with his teammates less than 24 hours after Zachary’s passing. All the while, his family was in attendance cheering him on.

Not only did Winston play but he did so exceptionally well. He ended the game with 17 points and 11 assists. Not to mention he had a few highlight-reel moves out on the court. This reminded me of NBA player Isaiah Thomas in the 2017 playoffs. Isaiah’s sister tragically passed away in a car accident. Thomas responded with 33 points and nine assists.

I cannot even speak to the strength Winston showed yesterday. The internal fortitude on display was absolutely impressive. Best of all, the Spartans rallied around Winston. I’ll be honest, I was misty all throughout the pregame ceremony.

Marcus Bingham Jr. Is Here

Marcus Bingham ended last year’s season with 23 total points. Through two games, Bingham has tallied up 20 points. Last year, he ended the season with 21 total shots. Through two games, Bingham has totaled 15 shots. So Bingham’s role has clearly grown from one year to the next.

Bingham is certainly taking advantage of his playing time and opportunities. He already has four blocked shots, 12 rebounds, and one assist to boot. Best of all, he brings so much energy to the game. Hustle points near the rim are absolutely invaluable in modern basketball games. He put up 13 points off of the bench and this type of contribution is huge for MSU. Glad to see Bingham thriving in a more prominent role.

Players Finding Their Groove

Three players stood out in this game beyond Cassius and Bingham. This includes Gabe Brown, Rocket Watts, and Thomas Kithier. Kithier was near the rim at all of the right times. This lead to 10 total points for sophomore Forward from Clarkston, MI. Likewise, Gabe Brown looked formidable and made the most out of his 13 minutes of game time.

Now, I know I’m all on the Rocket Watts hype train but I’m here for a reason. Watts only shot 2-9 from the floor, however, taking more shots is the best game plan. Rocket was definitely intimidated by Kentucky’s strong guard rotation. Against Binghamton, he was smooth and calm. His shot will fall as time goes on. The best thing he can do is to just keep shooting.

The most notable player finding his groove was Aaron Henry. Henry ended the night with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists. Meanwhile, he was guarding almost every position on the other team. Henry needs to do a lot for MSU to go far this year and that is not to discredit the team. Instead, it highlights his importance on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

Michigan State plays next on Thursday, Nov. 14 against Seton Hall. The game starts at 8:30 P.M. and you can watch the action on FS1.

As always, stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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Michigan State basketball falls to No. 3 in AP poll

The Michigan State men’s basketball team’s run as the AP No. 1 team was short lived. After losing to then-No. 2 Kentucky in the Champions Classic, the Spartans have slipped to No 3 in the latest AP poll. Kentucky-not a surprise-took over as the new …

The Michigan State men’s basketball team’s run as the AP No. 1 team was short lived.

After losing to then-No. 2 Kentucky in the Champions Classic, the Spartans have slipped to No 3 in the latest AP poll. Kentucky–not a surprise–took over as the new No. 1 team with Duke also jumping the Spartans into the No. 2 spot.

Louisville and Kansas round out the top five.

Michigan State rebounded from the Kentucky loss with an emotional win over Binghamton the day after Cassius Winston’s brother Zachary was killed after being hit by a train.

The Spartans will now travel to take on No. 12 Seton Hall this Thursday in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.

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Michigan State Legend Charles Rogers Passes Away

In two career games against Notre Dame, Rogers was the best player on the field

38 years is way too short of amount of time for someone to get on Earth. That was my first reaction when I heard the news about former Michigan State receiver and 2003 number-two overall draft pick to the Detroit Lions, Charles Rogers.

TMZ reports it was a liver disease and cancer that wound up running its course.

Off the field issues get linked to Rogers who battled through more than just injuries during and after his NFL career.

Charles Rogers gets remembered by NFL fans for being a bust but college fans remember a legend.

Obviously Michigan State fans feel that way having watched him weekly but Notre Dame fans can’t name many players that tormented the Irish quite like No. 1 in green and white did.

Michigan State teammate and former NFL tight end Chris Baker remembered his friend on Twitter this morning:

In two career games against Notre Dame, Rogers was the best player on the field compiling 11 receptions, 291 yards and three touchdowns in those games.

Michigan State Spartan legend Charles Rogers dies at 38

One of the greatest to ever play for MSU has died.

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One of the greatest to ever don the Michigan State green and white, Charles Rogers has died.

The former All-American was only 38.

Former Michigan State tight end Chris Baker confirmed the news on Twitter this morning.

Rogers starred at MSU from 2000-02. He finished his MSU career with 2,821 yards on 135 catches to go with 27 touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown in 13 straight games. Rogers entered the NFL draft early and was selected by the Detroit Lions with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 draft.

Injuries and drug problems kept his NFL career from ever amounting to what it could have been.

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