Michigan State (7-3, 5-2 Big Ten) return to action this Saturday in East Lansing, as they will host the Maryland Terrapins. The Spartans are fresh off of a demoralizing 48-3 loss at Ohio State last weekend.
This Saturday they’ll be looking to bounce back in their home finale against a struggling Maryland Terrapins (4-6, 2-5 Big Ten) team. It’ll be senior day at Spartan Stadium, so the emotions of the players might be running a little higher than normal.
Here are three keys to a Michigan State victory:
DON’T LET OHIO STATE BEAT YOU TWICE
This is something you hear coaches refer to very often: don’t let a loss last week turn into a loss this week. In other words, whenever you lose a tough game, it can linger and distract you, and keep you from playing your best football the next week.
That’s what this game is a prime example of. Michigan State is a much better team than Maryland, but the Spartans just got demolished a week ago in Columbus by Ohio State. Not only was that a lopsided loss against a rival, but it also basically knocked Michigan State out of the Big Ten East race, and effectively ruined any playoff hopes the Spartans had.
That’s the type of loss that’s hard to overcome, especially when your next opponent is as underwhelming as Maryland has been lately. It wouldn’t surprise anybody to see Michigan State come out kind of flat this week. But if that happens, this game could end up becoming more competitive than the Spartans want it to be.
BALANCED OFFENSIVE ATTACK
Most people would look at Maryland’s team and their record and assume they’re an awful football team in every aspect.
However, that’s not necessarily true. The Terps are averaging nearly 28 points per game, which ranks in the top half of the Big Ten. The problem for them has been their inability to stop anybody on defense, which brings me to Michigan State’s offense.
The Spartans’ offense has been very inconsistent this season. At times, they’ve shown the ability to throw the ball all over place. Other times, they haven’t been able to throw the ball much at all. As far as the ground game, it has really only been effective once all year; the Minnesota game in mid-October.
Point being, this offense has to put together a solid game in all aspects. They can’t be too one-dimensional because even poor defenses can stop that after awhile. My guess is Maryland will be able to score some points, so the Spartan offense is going to need to play well to avoid the upset.
AVOID COSTLY MISTAKES
One of the rules to playing an inferior opponent is as simple as this: don’t beat yourself. If you just go out and play your game, you’re the better team so you’ll win.
But if you turn the ball over — commit untimely penalties, lose focus, etc. — you’re suddenly giving the other team opportunities to compete. That usually doesn’t turn out too well.
Currently the Spartans are tied with a bunch of other teams, ranking 73rd in the country in turnover margin at -1. That’s not typically where Mark Dantonio wants his teams to be. In the Spartans’ wins this season, they have been great in that department. In the losses, well… you know the story.
On the flip side, Maryland has been better in that area, ranking 34rd in the nation with a turnover margin of +4. Both teams have been penalized quite frequently; the Spartans rank 86th and the Terps rank 95th in that department. Little things like that can be the difference in whether or not Maryland will have an opportunity to win the game at the end.
GAMEDAY INFO
- DATE: Saturday, November 18
- KICKOFF: 4 p.m. ET on FOX
- LINE: MSU -16
- O/U: 44
DSN STAFF PREDICTIONS
| DSN STAFF | PREDICTION |
| MATT BASSIN | MSU, 30-16 |
| LUKE BOWKER | MSU, 31-10 |
| DON DRYSDALE | MSU, 27-10 |
| AUSTIN HEMMINGSON | MSU, 34-13 |
| ALEXANDER MULLER | MSU, 30-10 |
| ROB OTTO | MSU, 24-13 |
| CARL POPOSKI | MSU, 28-3 |
