It’s safe to say 2022 has been a relatively rough one for Michigan State. Fresh off a 10 year, $95 million dollar extension during the offseason, Mel Tucker‘s crew is a whopping 3-4 on the year, including a four-game losing streak. With a pretty rough five games to end the season coming off the bye, Michigan State will desperately attempt to win at least three of them in order to make a bowl game. That quest all starts in Ann Arbor this Saturday night against their arch-rival Michigan, who is hell bent on getting revenge on the Spartans for the last two years.
Last year, Kenneth Walker III and the Spartans battled back from behind and beat the Wolverines 37-33 in an instant classic. This year, Michigan State has no heroes to speak of and they could use one. To say the odds are insanely stacked against them is an understatement. Offensively, Michigan State currently ranks 104th in total offense, 78th in scoring offense, 65th in passing offense, and 116th in rushing offense. Defensively, the story doesn’t get much better as they rank 104th in total defense, 73rd in scoring defense, 111th in pass defense, and 78th in rush defense.
Nothing going into this game is in the Spartans’ favor, but as rivalry games always show, anything can happen.
In order for Michigan State to keep the Paul Bunyan Trophy home for another year, they will have to do two things. First, try to find a way to limit Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. Easier said than done if your defense just isn’t that good. The two talented backs lead a rushing offense that leads the Big Ten at over 240 yards per game on the ground and has amassed 24 rushing TDs.
On the other side of the ball, the Spartans need to find a way to attack first-year coordinator Jesse Minter‘s stout defense. The Wolverines are third in the nation in scoring defense and fifth in total defense. The only team that had any real success against Michigan is Maryland, and even that was limited. But they did put up almost 400 yards and scored 27 points behind an efficient passing attack that was able to move the chains, often pressing on fourth down where they were 3-for-3. But the Terrapins’ downfall was turnovers – Taulia Tagovailoa threw two picks and they lost a fumble as well.
This is going to be a crucial game for Jayden Reed and Keon Coleman, the Spartans’ top two wide receivers, as well as quarterback Payton Thorn. Both Reed and Coleman are outstanding jump ball catchers, and can out-muscle corners with their size. That’s the matchup they will need to go to over and over, as it’s unlikely that Jalen Berger and Jarek Broussard will be able to get a consistent rushing attack behind an offensive line that has been suspect at times this season.
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This defense for Michigan State has to limit the damage and get Michigan’s offense off the field as quickly as possible. Three and outs are going to be essential. Second, play keep away. Find ways to move the ball, hog the time of possession battle, and score as much as possible. And some timely turnovers and big special teams plays wouldn’t hurt either. If Michigan State can do that and make this a low scoring game, they have a shot.
It’s a tall task for Michigan State and odds are they won’t be able to do anything effective, but that is about the only way I can see them winning this game. Mel Tucker can earn his contract and save himself from further scrutiny by winning this one. This one is a must win if he’s going to salvage the season. Tuck Comin’? We’ll see.
