Michigan State Football vs. Indiana Game Preview
East Lansing, MI – Loss. Win. Loss.
That's been the emotional rollercoaster of Michigan State football.
A season filled with inconsistencies and a coaching staff with less than nine months of preparation – mostly installing new schemes over Zoom calls.
It's a less than ideal start for the Spartans, but one many people can understand and maybe should have seen coming.
All signs indeed pointed towards a year like this one, a new quarterback under center, an entirely different staff outside of Mike Tressel and Ron Burton, and, most notably, a young team navigating their way through a top-heavy conference with experience.
Right now, it isn't about wins – it's year one within a rebuilding situation.
Mel Tucker has expressed that he is looking for 'consistency in performance' on numerous occasions, meaning he wants to see things carry over from week to week, and currently, the Spartans haven't shown they can.
But they'll need to against a solid Indiana team who will do anything to avoid a let-down one week before its big showdown against Ohio State.
The Basics
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The Numbers
- 2019 Record: 8-5 (5-4 B1G)
- 2020 Record: 3-0 (Conference-Only Schedule)
Last Five Games
- Nov. 7, 2020 – Michigan, W 38-21
- Oct. 31, 2020 – Rutgers, W 37-21
- Oct. 24, 2020 – Penn State, W 36-35 (OT)
- Jan. 2, 2020 – Tennessee, L 22-23
- Nov. 30, 2019 – Purdue, W 44-41 (2OT)
Tom Allen was one of 22-semifinalists for the 2019 George Munger College Coach of the Year Award and led Indiana to an 8-5 (5-4 B1G) overall record while guiding them to the TaxSlayer Bowl – the team's first postseason trip to Florida.
It was a big year for Hoosier football.
For the first time since 1993, the program won eight contests and finished one victory shy of matching a school record.
It's all thanks to Allen, the fourth-fastest IU coach to reach 20 wins, trailing only James Horne, Ewald Stiehm, and James Sheldon.
Indiana has lost three straight to Michigan State, including a 41-30 loss to the Spartans last year.
Sitting atop the Big Ten East, IU will protect their undefeated mark through three contests no matter what it takes.
Hoosiers To Know
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- QB Michael Penix Jr. (6'3", 218, Sophomore): 66-for-112, 750 passing yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, 12 carries, six rushing yards, two scores.
- RB Stevie Scott III (6'2", 231, Junior): 65 carries, 235 rushing yards, four touchdowns.
- LB Micah McFadden (6'2", 235, Junior): 21 tackles (15 solo, six assisted), one tackle for a loss, one interception.
- DB Jaylin Williams (6'0", 179, Junior): Eight tackles (seven solo, one assisted), three interceptions, one pass break-up, two quarterback hurries.
Indiana will go as far as redshirt sophomore Michael Penix Jr. takes them.
So far in his career, injuries have plagued the young quarterback, but when he's on the field, the Florida native looks terrific.
Penix Jr. is 8-1 under center, with his only loss coming at the hands of Michigan State, a defeat he will look to avenge on Saturday.
The offensive line has only gotten better since week one against Penn State when Allen called them out.
"I was disappointed in our offensive line," Allen said following a 36-35 victory over the Nittany Lions. "I am just going to call what it is. I just did not think we played as well as I believe we can."
And the Hoosiers have a great one-two punch in running backs Stevie Scott III and Sampson James.
There's no shortage of weapons.
Indiana is a perfect 16-for-16 in the red zone with 12 touchdowns (the second-highest total in the nation).
Michigan State will have to perform far better defensively if the Spartans plan on being competitive this weekend because IU will take advantage of sloppy play.
Defensively, the Hoosiers are first in the Big Ten (T-4th nationally) in takeaway margin while sharing second in takeaways gained (8) and lost (2).
That's not good news for an MSU team who, through three games, turned the ball over ten times, including five interceptions from Rocky Lombardi.
Oh, and IU has played tremendous defense inside the red zone allowing a 55.6 conversion percentage, which is first in the conference.
Not to mention, they are tough on the outside with cornerbacks Tiawan Mullen, a member of the 2020 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, and Jaylin Williams, who's had at least one interception in each game this year.
It could be a long day for Michigan State if they can't take care of the football.
How the Spartans Match Up
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Michigan State is presented with another opportunity to bounce back, as they did in week two after losing to Rutgers.
The question is if they can or not.
We've seen three different versions of MSU in 2020.
The team vs. Rutgers continuously shot itself in the foot, plagued by ball security issues and turnovers.
A squad pumped to play its in-state rival showed up in Ann Arbor motivated, making very little mistakes and probably played the best game of football fans have seen in a long time.
But then, we have the game vs. Iowa, where the Spartans virtually did nothing well.
"Offense, defense, and special teams, we had a hard time finding guys that played well," said Tucker. "It was hard to find anyone that we felt like played at a high level in that game."
Is seven days enough time to clean up the mistakes and beat Indiana?
Will they get CB Chris Jackson, TE Matt Dotson, WR Tre Mosley, and C Matt Allen back from injury?
How healthy are Rocky Lombardi and Antjuan Simmons?
A lot plays into the outcome, and these are questions we won't have answers to until kickoff.
Prediction
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What Michigan State team shows up to play the Hoosiers?
That's the ultimate question because no one knows what to expect from the Spartans through three weeks. I know what Indiana will do, and I know the level of intensity they will bring to East Lansing.
I can't say the same for MSU.
But I also think the truth lies somewhere in the middle, and I don't foresee Michigan State having another miraculous recovery following a devastating loss.