The Michigan State Spartans will welcome the Washington Huskies for their third game of the season. The Spartans will be without Head Coach Mel Tucker as he has been suspended due to reports of sexual harassment; Mark Dantonio is back and will serve as an associate head coach, while defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett will serve as the head coach for this game as the Spartans are coming in off wins over the Central Michigan Chippewas and Richmond Spiders. The Huskies are coming in off wins over Boise State and Tulsa.
Michigan State Spartans 2-0 (0-0 Big Ten) vs. Washington Huskies 2-0 (0-0 PAC-12)
Date: Saturday, September 16
Time: 5:00 p.m. EST
TV Channel: Peacock
Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI
Line: Washington -16.5/ O/U 56
2023 Season Stats
Michigan State:
2023 Record — 2-0 (0-0 in Big Ten)
2023 Offense (per game averages) —
Total Yards: 889 (444.5 PG)
Passing Yards: 582 (291 PG)
Rushing Yards: 289 (144.5 PG)
2023 Defense (per game averages) —
Total Yards Allowed: 454 (227 PG)
Passing Yards Allowed: 214 (107 PG)
Rushing Yards Allowed: 198 (99 PG)
2023 Cumulative Points Scored: 76 (38 ppg)
2023 Cumulative Points Allowed: 21 (10.5 ppg)
2023 Ranking: 43
Washington:
2023 Record —2-0 (0-0 in PAC-12)
2023 Offense (per game averages) —
Total Yards: 1137 (568.5 PG)
Passing Yards: 944 (472 PG)
Rushing Yards: 187 (93.5 PG)
2023 Defense (per game averages) —
Total Yards Allowed: 732 (366 PG)
Passing Yards Allowed: 414 (207)
Rushing Yards Allowed: 306 (153)
2023 Cumulative Points Scored: 99 (49.5 ppg)
2023 Cumulative Points Allowed: 29 (14.5 ppg)
2023 Ranking: 8
Series History/All-Time Records
All-time head-to-head record: Washington Leads 3-1-0
Current streak: Washington has won three straight
Last Michigan State win: 1969 (27-11)
Last Washington win: 2022 (39-28)
Top Players (2023 Stats)
Michigan State Spartans
Passing: Noah Kim – 36-53, 571 yards, 5-0 (TD-INT)
Rushing: Nathan Carter – 37 ATT, 224 YDS, 4 TD
Receiving: Jaron Glover – 5 REC, 135 YDS, 0 TD
Tackles: Cal Haladay – 15 (6-9)
Sacks: Aaron Brule– 2.0
Interceptions: Cal Haladay – 1
Washington
Passing: Michael Penix Jr.– 57-78, 859 YDS, 8-1 (TD-INT)
Rushing: Will Nixon – 12 ATT, 78 YDS, 0 TD
Receiving: Rome Odunze – 14 REC, 239 YDS, 2 TD
Tackles: Edefuan Ulofoshio – 14 (11-3)
Sacks: Edefuan Ulofoshio & Voi Tunuufi & Jabbar Muhammad – 1.0
Interceptions: Kamren Fabiculanan – 2
Michigan State Spartans Players To Watch:
Offense: Quarterback – Noah Kim– Junior
Kim seems to have figured things out after a tough week one, but he is 36-53 for 571 yards this season and hasn’t thrown an interception. Now Washington will be a different animal and Kim’s first test as the starting quarterback for the Spartans, and he’s facing a defense that has allowed 207 yards per game through the air; Kim will need to exploit that to help the Spartans to a victory.
Defense: Linebacker – Aaron Brule – Senior
Brule is averaging a sack a week in his senior year, and he will have a real test this weekend as he will have to contain Michael Penix Jr., who is currently averaging 429.5 yards a game to this point in the season. Last season, when these two matched up, Brule recorded just two tackles. If the Spartans can win this game, look for Brule to pressure Pennix and make life a little tricky for the Huskies offense.
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- Michigan State will take on the eighth-ranked Washington Huskies on Saturday night.
- Kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Peacock.
- Michigan State Players to Watch Quarterback Noah Kim and Linebacker Aaron Brule.
Bottom Line: Michigan State Spartans biggest game so far of the 2023 season
This game is challenging for Michigan State Spartans as the Huskies have dominated their opponents through the first two weeks of the season while the Spartans struggled in week one against Central Michigan. The offense seemed to get going more against Richmond last weekend. This game won’t be easy without Mel Tucker, but they will have their former coach, Mike Dantonio, on the sideline.
He knows how to get the Spartans ready for a big game, finishing his tenure 114-57 overall at Michigan State, 68-31 in the Big Ten, and 6-6 in bowl games; he only had two losing seasons during his 13-year coaching career for the Spartans. So, with Dantonio helping Barnett lead the Spartans in their biggest game to this point of the season, maybe Michigan State could pull off a huge upset this weekend.
Harlon Barnett was not the DC.