Michigan State vs. Nebraska: How to Watch and Preview
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Who: Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-0, 0-0) at Michigan State Spartans (2-1, 0-0)
What: Week 4 NCAA Football
Where: Spartan Stadium — East Lansing, Michigan
When: Saturday, Sept. 26 at 5 p.m. ET
Watch: Big Ten Network
Michigan State heads back home Saturday to face the undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers in an important Big Ten showdown that will open conference play for both teams.
With the nonconference portion of the season officially in the rearview mirror, both teams enter Big Ten play with plenty of optimism. College football moves quickly, and with the season already a quarter of the way complete, the stakes will only continue to rise from here.
Michigan State
The Spartans suffered their first loss of the season last week at the hands of No. 3 Notre Dame, falling 27-10 in South Bend.
Michigan State remained within striking distance for much of the game, but Notre Dame's relentless defense eventually became too much. The Fighting Irish pressured quarterback Alessio Milivojevic into making difficult throws into tight coverage, resulting in his first two interceptions of the season.
The Spartans' bread-and-butter running game also struggled against Notre Dame. Cam Edwards was held to just 38 yards on 12 carries before leaving the game with a left foot injury in the fourth quarter.
The offensive line took a step backward against one of the nation's best teams, but it will need to regain its momentum against Nebraska. With the Spartans currently listed as 5.5-point underdogs at home, they will need a strong all-around performance to secure their third victory of the season.
The defense, meanwhile, will need to continue playing at a high level.
Although Michigan State allowed 27 points to Notre Dame, the defense was a major reason the Spartans remained competitive. The unit repeatedly forced the Fighting Irish to settle for field goals, while special teams also delivered a crucial fourth-down stop.
The tackling was particularly impressive, led by senior linebacker Jordan Hall.
Hall returned from the right elbow injury that kept him out against Eastern Michigan and delivered a team-high 13 tackles against Notre Dame. However, he re-aggravated the injury during the game, making his status something to monitor heading into Saturday.
Hall's presence could be especially important against a Nebraska offense that has been one of the nation's most productive through three games.
Nebraska
The Nebraska Cornhuskers enter East Lansing riding a three-game winning streak and have been dominant throughout their nonconference schedule.
The Huskers defeated Ohio, Bowling Green and North Dakota by a combined score of 139-35.
Of course, those three opponents did not provide the same challenge Nebraska will face against Michigan State, but the Huskers have taken care of business against the teams on their schedule.
Quarterback Anthony Colandrea has been outstanding through three games. The senior has completed 53 of 77 passes for 692 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 230.7 passing yards per game.
Nebraska enters the game averaging 520.7 yards per game, which ranks among the nation's best. The Huskers are averaging 263 rushing yards per game, with freshman running back Jamal Rule leading the way.
Rule has rushed for 329 yards and five touchdowns on 38 carries, averaging 109.7 rushing yards per game and 8.7 yards per carry.
The Huskers have also been extremely efficient defensively. Nebraska is allowing just 225.7 yards per game, ranking 11th nationally, while giving up only 11.7 points per game.
Still, context matters.
Nebraska has yet to face a team with the caliber of Michigan State's Week 3 opponent, Notre Dame. Saturday will provide the Huskers with their first true test of Big Ten play.
Nebraska is currently favored by 5.5 points on the road, setting the stage for what should be a physical battle at Spartan Stadium.
The Big Ten season is finally here, and both teams will have an opportunity to make an early statement.
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET Saturday on the Big Ten Network.
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