Entering their season opener on Saturday, the Michigan State Spartans were dubbed a rather big favorite against MAC foe Bowling Green. The Spartans were favored by 17 points and went onto win by a final score of 35-10.
This coming Saturday, they will host yet another program from the Mid-American Conference as the Broncos of Western Michigan come rowing… I mean riding into East Lansing.
Those out in Vegas have already released their opening line for this matchup. Michigan State is again the favorite, but not by as much as they were against the Falcons.
MSU opens as 7.5-point favorites vs. WMU https://t.co/v3pWNnNOVf
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) September 4, 2017
Some sports books out in Vegas have already shaved 0.5 points off the opening line and have MSU as a 7-point favorite.
The Spartans were able to skate by Bowling Green on Saturday despite turning the ball over three times, all of the fumbling variety. Nevertheless, head coach Mark Dantonio’s team was able to move the ball comfortably and confidently both through the air and on the ground.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brian Lewerke really settled in after a bit of a slow start. Albeit a small sample both on Saturday and for his now five games thus far in his young career, Lewerke showed fans his upside as a dual-threat quarterback moving forward. He also was able to get a multitude of players involved in the passing game, with 10 different receivers reeling in at least one pass.
Now the Spartans will welcome in a Broncos bunch that nearly shocked the nation, giving No. 4 USC a major scare before the Trojans ultimately pulled away late in the fourth quarter of that game.
This will be the 15th meeting all-time between the two in-state schools. Michigan State leads the series 12-2, including ten straight victories. They most recently back in 2015 at Western Michigan, a 37-24 victory for a then top-5 Spartans team.
MSU will need to figure out how to contain senior defensive back and return specialist Darius Phillips, who returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown on Saturday against USC.
The Broncos-Spartans tilt is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 9 and will air on Big Ten Network.
