The Big Ten season got started last Saturday with one game, and now the rest of the conference gets into action over three days this weekend. Among this weekend’s games is a tilt between the Michigan State Spartans and the Northwestern Wildcats. Friday’s kickoff at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois, is set for 9:00 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN.
Northwestern didn’t lose much last year, but they did fall in East Lansing with a 29-20 loss after starting 5-0. The Spartans also won in Evanston in 2019, ending a three-game losing streak to the Wildcats. Michigan State is 4-1 at Northwestern over the last decade.
Spartans Looking for Bounce Back Season
The COVID-impacted 2020 season was a tough one for the Spartans as they went 2-5 and had two games canceled. It wasn’t the way new coach Mel Tucker wanted to start, and now he has his first full recruiting class on campus.
Michigan State will likely play two quarterbacks in the opener as Payton Thorne and Anthony Russo compete for the job. Thorne played in four games last season while Russo transferred from Temple. Thorne’s best game was the last one of the 2020 season as he threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns in a 39-24 loss to Penn State.
Whoever wins the job will have Jalen Nailor and Jayden Reed returning at wideout, where they combined for nearly 1,000 yards last season. The Wildcats lost a first-round draft pick in the secondary, so the Spartans wideouts could have a big night in the opener.
Can Wildcats Ride the Momentum?
The 2020 season was a very successful one for Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats as they went 7-2 and won the Citrus Bowl. But the Wildcats have less than 40% of their offensive production returning in 2021 and will have new faces in key positions.
This season they have a different quarterback as Hunter Johnson regains the job. Johnson started five games in 2019 but didn’t attempt a pass last year playing behind Peyton Ramsey. Johnson needs to improve his accuracy after completing just 46% of his passes in 2019.
The Wildcats are counting on multiple transfers on offense. Stephon Robinson (Kansas) is a new face at wideout, while Andre Clair (Bowling Green) is a new running back to compliment Evan Hull. Cam Porter, the top returning rusher, was injured in August, and the Wildcats’ primary receivers from 2020 are also gone.
Betting Analysis
- Michigan State +3 (-105). +135 Moneyline
- Northwestern -3 (-115). -155 Moneyline
- Total: 45 points. Over -110. Under -110
These teams have matched up well over the years and are 5-5 head-to-head in the last 10. Michigan State may have more experience on the offensive side of the ball, but they have a lot of improvement to make over last year. The Northwestern offense is the big question mark in this game with newcomers at nearly every skill position, and it could be a night filled with mistakes.
FREE PICK: Under 45 points (-110).
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