Nebraska Comes to East Lansing as the Favorite
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Pat Fitzgerald and the Spartans are looking to bounce back from a tough loss against Notre Dame, with Big Ten play beginning against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Michigan State opens conference play as a home underdog.
Michigan State vs. Nebraska Game Info
- Matchup: Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-0) at Michigan State Spartans (2-1)
- Kickoff: Saturday, Sept. 26, 5 p.m. ET
- Where: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing
- Odds: Nebraska -5.5 at FanDuel, total 48.5
- Expectations: A close contest that comes down to the fourth quarter, with the Spartans leaning on their run game.
Anthony Colandrea Must Be Contained
Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea has shined in the Cornhuskers’ first three games. He’s thrown for 692 yards, with eight touchdowns and just one interception. The Spartans’ defense will need to watch his running. Colandrea is averaging 25 rushing yards a game, along with two rushing touchdowns so far.
Cam Edwards and the Run Game Look to Bounce Back
Michigan State running back Cam Edwards is looking to continue a strong season against a mediocre rushing defense. Edwards has 288 rushing yards on 60 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. While the Spartan run game has been strong, it dipped against Notre Dame. The running backs got only 17 carries, down from 40 against Toledo and 36 against Eastern Michigan.
Something that might help the Spartans’ run game is that Nebraska’s run defense has looked average against non-Power Four opponents. They let Ohio running backs average 3.1 yards per carry, Bowling Green running backs average 3.0 yards per carry, and North Dakota running backs average 3.8 yards per carry. Michigan State running backs will need to take advantage of potential holes in Nebraska’s run defense.
Cam Fancher Will Get Snaps Again
Pat Fitzgerald said at his Monday press conference that backup quarterback Cam Fancher has been a superstar in his limited role. Fancher has received snaps in every game this season, even getting the Spartans’ only touchdown against Notre Dame. He has come in as a potential rushing threat, carrying the ball five times for 29 yards, while going 6-for-7 on pass attempts for 44 yards.
Starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic struggled last week against Notre Dame, completing only nine passes and throwing two interceptions. Fancher’s snaps will let Milivojevic get some rest and take extra time to go over the mistakes he’s seen. While Milivojevic will start against Nebraska, Fancher could take the majority of snaps for at least one drive.
Our Take
Michigan State will need to fix its offensive struggles to have a chance. Nebraska is one of the better Big Ten teams the Spartans will go against this season, as the Cornhuskers received a couple of votes in the AP poll last week. Fitzgerald will need to get his group back to fundamentals after last week’s loss, and simple plays are how they can beat Nebraska.
Our Prediction
It is likely to be a close contest with the game being in East Lansing. The Spartans’ defense can hold Nebraska in the short and mid-field but still will give up some 20-plus yard plays. The Spartans’ offense will be conservative after last week’s loss, which may make it hard to build momentum.
Our Pick: Nebraska 20, Michigan State 17
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