Northwestern vs. Michigan State: First Half Takeaways and What to Look for in the Second Half
It is halftime here at Ryan Field in Evanston Illinois, as the Spartans lead the Wildcats 21 to 7. It was a rough start for the Wildcats, as they dug themselves into an early 21-0 hole. However, as the second quarter wore on they started to show some signs of life on both sides of the ball and gained valuable momentum going into the locker room.
The Wildcats need to limit big plays.
Northwestern has to limit the big plays. The first play of the game was a 75 yard touchdown run for the Spartans. In the first quarter alone, the Spartans had chunk gains of 75 and 26 on the ground to dig themselves into an early 14 point deficit in the first. Look for the Wildcats to attempt to up the defensive effort and limit big plays in the second half.
Northwestern needs to limit MSU's run game.
Speaking of shoring up the defense, if Northwestern has any hope of getting back into this game, their defense has to get it together. The Spartans racked up a whopping 133 yards on the ground. That may sound like an impressive first half total but that was the total rushing yards in the first quarter. If the Wildcats hope to spark a comeback in the second half, they must get the defense together, especially on MSU's run game.
Wildcats logged a nearly non-existent run game in the first half.
On the other side of the ball, there has not been much to write home about on the ground for the Wildcats. They only managed to a mere four yards rushing until roughly halfway through the second quarter. Which, for those keeping track at home, is a lot less than what the Spartans managed. Look for the Wildcats to try and get the run game going in the second half.
Hunter Johnson impressed in his first start of the season.
However, on the flip side, Hunter Johnson has looked very solid for the Wildcats. He finished the first half going 13 for 22 with 172 yards and a touchdown. Without much of a run game to help balance the load on offense, Johnson has looked outstanding through the air. If the Wildcats can get the run game going to even the slightest degree, Johnson may be on track for big numbers in the second half.
The Spartans need to keep it rolling in the second half.
For the Spartans, the first half has been a nearly perfect start. They went up 21-0 early on the back of a dynamic rushing attack. Quarterback Payton Thorne was not asked to be a world beater through the air but when he was called upon to throw the ball he got the job done to the tune of (insert stat line) through the air. Their defense has also been solid, holding the Wildcats to seven points. If the Spartans want to hold onto their halftime lead and get the victory, they should continue to rely heavily on their rushing attack to chew clock as well as their stout defense to get out of Evanston with a win.
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