Michigan State (-3) at Penn State
** The MSU offense was unstoppable last Saturday vs. Wisconsin. The Badgers defense came into the game having given up just eight TD’s all season long. The Spartans scored six TD’s on Saturday alone. MSU ran threw the Badger "D" for 430 yards which is the second highest total Wisky has given up since Alvarez took over. The Spartans 49 points were more than Wisconsin’s first six opponents scored COMBINED. The Spartan offense had TWO 99-yard drives for TD’s. Michigan State’s defense also got into the action holding Wisconsin short of the goal line twice on fourth and inches. It was a game where MSU got the momentum and everything went their way, while Wisconsin was completely deflated after key play after key play went against them. This game was 21-14 with under 30 seconds to go in the half. Wisconsin was attempting to tie the game going into the break with a first and goal from the one yard line. They failed to score which have MSU huge momentum going into half. MSU then recovered an onside kick to start the second half and scored a TD a few plays later. That was the beginning of the end of Wisconsin’s unbeaten season.
** While PSU will be playing their final game of the season, MSU now has some hope. Going into last week’s game vs. Wisconsin, the Spartans only chance to go to a bowl game was to win their final three games vs. Wisconsin, at Penn State and at Hawaii. Not many thought they could clear the first and toughest hurdle vs. the Badgers. Now a 2-0 end to the year will send them somewhere for the holidays. The Spartans though have not won at PSU since the Lions joined the Big Ten. MSU’s last win in Happy Valley was back in 1965 which at the time was a non-conference game.
** MSU QB Drew Stanton, who separated his shoulder vs. Michigan a few weeks back, will start this Saturday at Penn State. Stanton, who was not expected to play last Saturday, was forced into duty in the second half when his backup Damon Dowdell injured his shoulder and couldn’t return. Because MSU was running the ball so effectively, the Spartan coaches were able to protect Stanton by simply having him hand the ball off. He threw just 5 passes. With Stanton at QB, the Spartans have averaged 458 YPG which is tops in the Big Ten. Reports are that he will be around 90% "healthy" this weekend.
** The MSU offense was unstoppable last Saturday vs. Wisconsin. The Badgers defense came into the game having given up just eight TD’s all season long. The Spartans scored six TD’s on Saturday alone. MSU ran threw the Badger "D" for 430 yards which is the second highest total Wisky has given up since Alvarez took over. The Spartans 49 points were more than Wisconsin’s first six opponents scored COMBINED. The Spartan offense had TWO 99-yard drives for TD’s. Michigan State’s defense also got into the action holding Wisconsin short of the goal line twice on fourth and inches. It was a game where MSU got the momentum and everything went their way, while Wisconsin was completely deflated after key play after key play went against them. This game was 21-14 with under 30 seconds to go in the half. Wisconsin was attempting to tie the game going into the break with a first and goal from the one yard line. They failed to score which have MSU huge momentum going into half. MSU then recovered an onside kick to start the second half and scored a TD a few plays later. That was the beginning of the end of Wisconsin’s unbeaten season.
** While PSU will be playing their final game of the season, MSU now has some hope. Going into last week’s game vs. Wisconsin, the Spartans only chance to go to a bowl game was to win their final three games vs. Wisconsin, at Penn State and at Hawaii. Not many thought they could clear the first and toughest hurdle vs. the Badgers. Now a 2-0 end to the year will send them somewhere for the holidays. The Spartans though have not won at PSU since the Lions joined the Big Ten. MSU’s last win in Happy Valley was back in 1965 which at the time was a non-conference game.
** MSU QB Drew Stanton, who separated his shoulder vs. Michigan a few weeks back, will start this Saturday at Penn State. Stanton, who was not expected to play last Saturday, was forced into duty in the second half when his backup Damon Dowdell injured his shoulder and couldn’t return. Because MSU was running the ball so effectively, the Spartan coaches were able to protect Stanton by simply having him hand the ball off. He threw just 5 passes. With Stanton at QB, the Spartans have averaged 458 YPG which is tops in the Big Ten. Reports are that he will be around 90% "healthy" this weekend.