Michigan State Football vs. Iowa Game Preview
East Lansing, MI – There's no denying that 2020 has been a whirlwind for loads of reasons, but coronavirus aside, it's been incredibly weird for the Michigan State football program.
Mel Tucker, hired on February 12, was put in a difficult position, one he embraced, but challenging nonetheless.
By now, fans know the hoops he and his team have jumped through.
Yet, things looked bleak when MSU entered Spartan Stadium, turning it over seven times and losing 38-27 to Rutgers, a team searching for its first Big Ten win in two years.
But Tucker rallied.
And so did the Spartans.
Ball security needed to be a focus if they had any hope of defeating Michigan.
The result? MSU didn't cough it up once, hung tough with the Wolverines (never surrendering the lead), and pulled off a 27-24 upset after getting off the bus in Ann Arbor a three-touchdown dog.
Now, Michigan State travels to Iowa, a place they haven't visited since 2013.
Can MSU carry momentum over from their previous game? Or will the Spartans experience a let-down on the road?
The Basics
Photo Credit: Bryon Houlgrave/The Register via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Numbers
- 2019 Record: 10-3 (6-3 B1G)
- 2020 Record: 0-2 (Conference-Only Schedule)
Last Five Games
- Oct. 31, 2020 – Northwestern, L 20-21
- Oct. 24, 2020 – Purdue, L 20-24
- Dec. 27, 2019 – USC, W 49-24
- Nov. 29, 2019 – Nebraska, W 27-24
- Nov. 23, 2019 – Illinois, W 19-10
Kirk Ferentz enters his 22nd season as Iowa's head football coach and is one of five coaches in conference history to win at least 150 contests within the Big Ten.
Last year, the Hawkeyes won 10-games, finishing third in their division and beating USC 49-24 in the Holiday Bowl.
However, they are 0-2 for the first time in twenty years and will be searching for its first victory against the Spartans on Saturday.
Hawkeyes To Know
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
- QB Spencer Petras (6'5", 231, Sophomore): 48-for-89, 481 passing yards, one touchdown, three interceptions.
- RB Tyler Goodson (5'10", 200, Sophomore): 29 carries, 120 rushing yards, one touchdown, seven receptions, 67 receiving yards.
- RB Mekhi Sargent (5'9", 209, Senior): 15 carries, 91 rushing yards, one touchdown, one reception, six receiving yards.
- TE Sam LaPorta (6'4", 249, Sophomore): 11 receptions, 117 receiving yards.
- DT Daviyon Nixon (6'3", 305, Junior): 18 tackles (10 solo, eight assisted), 5.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, one forced fumble.
Iowa lost to Northwestern and Purdue by a combined five points to open the season.
Last week, the Hawkeyes played well, forcing two fumbles in the first quarter against the Wildcats, converting them into touchdowns.
However, in the final half of play, Iowa would throw multiple interceptions; allowing Northwestern to ice the game.
That's now two contests where they faltered after halftime; altogether, Iowa has been outscored 17-3 (in the second half) when leading at intermission.
Spencer Petras, the starting quarterback, and Nate Stanley's replacement, has 481 passing yards, the most by an Iowa QB since Jake Rudock in 2014.
The California native can throw the football, but he's prone to mistakes with only seven games under his belt.
The Spartans may take advantage of his inexperience and force some turnovers.
Iowa's offensive line hasn't helped much, even though they've only surrendered two sacks so far; missed assignments by RT Coy Cronk, who was replaced in the third quarter vs. Northwestern, cost the Hawkeyes.
He allowed pressures, resulting in hurried throws by Petras and the first of three second-half interceptions.
It disrupted any rhythm the man under center might have had.
Ferentz plans on having the same starting five against the Spartans, saying, "No matter who starts the game, I would assume we'll keep rotating players and giving them all work. They've earned that."
It's been a troubling year for Iowa, and the adversity has only continued to grow.
After two losses, three Hawkeyes entered the transfer portal (WR Calvin Lockett, RB Shadrick Byrd, and LB Yahweh Jeudy).
Then, star wideout Ihmir Smith-Marsette was suspended for the game vs. MSU after an OWI arrest took place Sunday morning.
The senior had just caught a career-high seven receptions for 84 yards in week two, a massive blow to the Hawkeye passing attack.
It's easily one of the worst starts Ferentz has ever had in Iowa, especially with a lawsuit filed by former Black players hanging in the balance.
How the Spartans Match Up
Photo Credit: Nick King/Lansing State Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Spartans are coming off of a huge win vs. its in-state rival, Michigan.
It's only natural that some people predict Michigan State will slip-up after pulling off the upset in Ann Arbor.
We've seen it happen before in college athletics.
Be that as it may, MSU has bought-in to Tucker's way of doing things.
It's the very reason I don't see Michigan State losing to the Hawkeyes.
He preaches neutral thinking; don't get too high after a win, and don't get too low after a loss.
In my opinion, Tucker's mindset allowed Michigan State to move on from a disheartening defeat and quickly turn the page.
I believe that will occur this week as well – the Spartans won't regress against Iowa because they shifted their attention to the Hawkeyes days ago.
Any left-over thoughts about beating Michigan were long gone after Paul Bunyan was placed in his trophy case.
Outside of the culture he's created, MSU played exceptionally well, finding ways to protect Rocky Lombardi against a solid defensive line, allowing two tackles for a loss and no sacks.
Michigan State kept the Wolverines in-check, carrying the ball 38 times for 126 yards while carving up their secondary.
Lombardi threw 11 fewer passes than he did vs. Rutgers but somehow gained 13 more yards through the air and still tossed three touchdowns.
MSU already stumbled.
Against Michigan, they found their footing, and are now looking for a victory in Iowa City.
Prediction
Photo Credit: Nick King/Lansing State Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC
In week three, the guys up front continue to protect Rocky Lombardi, while the redshirt junior impresses in his homecoming – a game he's been looking forward to since he committed to MSU in high school.
Iowa, a program filled with distractions, an inexperienced quarterback, and potential offensive line issues, falls to 0-3.