Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan State Spartans
Saturday, November 21st – 3:30 PM ET
Spartan Stadium
College Football Spread: Penn State -3
Penn State: The Week That Was
The Nittany Lions, still reeling from their loss to Ohio State and their subsequent elimination from the Big Ten race, didn’t bother to show up for the first 27 minutes against a bottom-rung opponent, the Indiana Hoosiers. Penn State trailed, 10-0, with three minutes left in the first half due to two interceptions by struggling quarterback Daryll Clark, and the locals in Happy Valley had to be worried about an offense that was missing in action.
Fortunately, Joe Paterno’s team rebounded just in time. Ten quick points in the final three minutes of the first half gave the Lions a 10-all tie heading into the break, and in the second half, PSU restored order by keeping Indiana out of the end zone until the final minutes, when the outcome had long been decided. A 31-20 win gives this team a shot at a 10-win regular season.
Michigan State: The Week That Was
Don’t ask the Spartans and coach Mark Dantonio how they pulled out a wild 40-37 decision at Purdue. Michigan State registered only 12 first downs to Purdue’s 28; only 362 total yards to the Boilermakers’ total of 524; and only 19-plus minutes in time of possession, compared to Purdue’s 40 minutes and change. No, Purdue didn’t cough up a ton of turnovers to balance out the scales: Both teams committed only one turnover.
Just how did Sparty win a game in which Purdue converted 14-of-22 third downs compared to just 2-of-10 for MSU? The answer could be found in the kicking game. Purdue kicker Carson Wiggs missed two field goals, but also made three; both facts indicate that the Boilers, for all their yards, couldn’t maximize point production. The other special teams stat which loomed large was MSU’s 229 kick return yards, which created short fields for the Spartans’ offense.
The Week That Is:
Michigan State has a well-established reputation in the college football world for losing big games against big-name opponents. Sparty lost at home to Iowa this season, and got crushed last season by the two best teams in the Big Ten, the champion Nittany Lions and the BCS bowl-bound Ohio State Buckeyes (who went to the 2009 Fiesta Bowl against No. 3 Texas). The question entering this contest is, “Is Penn State an elite team or not?” The evidence says no. Penn State’s two showdowns this year, against Big Ten champion Ohio State and runner-up Iowa, both turned into clunkers. Daryll Clark produced only one touchdown in both games, as PSU’s offense ground to a complete halt.
Joe Paterno can still deliver nine or ten wins per season, but this season, a cupcake-heavy non-conference slate and a weak Big Ten have contributed to the Nittany Lions’ 9-2 mark. Michigan State, playing at home, has a great chance in this contest. Pull the trigger and go with Sparty in the upset.
Football Betting Pick: Michigan State +3