5 Things To Watch For When Michigan Takes On Michigan State

On Saturday night in East Lansing, a battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy will commence between No. 25 Michigan and Michigan State.

The Wolverines are in a much better position in the Big Ten at this point in the season, sitting at 3-1 while their Spartan counterparts are 0-4. But that all goes out the window when it comes to this game. No matter what their records are, this matchup will always be one of the most important games they play each and every season.

Here are five things to watch for when Michigan and Michigan State take to the gridiron…

In its four Big Ten bouts, Michigan State has allowed an average of 181.5 rushing yards per game. That’s not a good omen for the Spartans, as it pits Michigan’s strength against Michigan State’s weakness.

Regardless of whether junior running back Justice Haynes is ready to go — head coach Sherrone Moore has indicated that he should be — sophomore running back Jordan Marshall proved that he is more than serviceable with his great performance last Saturday against Washington.

Expect the Wolverines to stick to their guns and emphasize the run game early and often.

Michigan State’s pass rush isn’t very reliable. It has accrued seven sacks on the season, but five of them came against Nebraska, which has allowed a ridiculous 5.5 sacks per game in Big Ten play. Outside of that game, the Spartans haven’t been able to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

This bodes well for Michigan, as freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood has been quite good when he has time to operate in the pocket. Coming off of his best game of the season against Washington, Underwood will have an opportunity to do it again against Michigan State.

Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh is elite. He’s a big, strong, and fast pass catcher that has the ability to pick apart defenses, and the Wolverines will have a lot on their plates when it comes to slowing him down.

It will have to be a team effort in the secondary to make sure he is always marked and doesn’t break free. The Michigan pass rush will also play a big role as well, as the more uncomfortable Spartans quarterback Aidan Chiles is in the backfield, the fewer chances Marsh has to rip off a big play.

Through four Big Ten games, Michigan State is allowing 39.8 points per game, the second-worst mark in the conference. Thus, the Wolverines should have a chance to put up some big offensive performances. 

Especially in a heated rivalry like this one, getting an early multiple-score lead can be a massive advantage. If Michigan’s defense can perform like it did against Washington, the Wolverines offense should have ample opportunity to put enough points to bury the Spartans.

This will be the third road game Michigan has played at night this year, and its record in those games is 0-2. Both losses to Oklahoma and USC were played at an opposing stadium under the lights, and those are the only two losses to the Wolverines’ name.

Michigan will have a chance to right the ship this time around. It’s all about the small things: take care of the ball, play well on special teams, don’t let the moment get too big. As long as the Wolverines stay within themselves, they shouldn’t have too much of a problem with their rival.