Spartans
Michigan State Spartans vs. Penn State Game Preview
Penn State Football has performed to the level of its competitors for much of the season. This has resulted in an unusual defeat to Illinois and tight games against top-10 ranked Ohio State and MSU’s nearest rivals, Michigan Football.
The Nittany Lions face a top-15 rated Spartans squad in the season finale, who are coming off their worst loss of the season. That 56-7 thrashing by the Buckeyes where they never had a chance.
Following a strong performance against Rutgers, Penn State freshman Christian Veilleux might be rushed into his first career start. Playing Veilleux over Sean Clifford at this point in the season may be best for the program and Clifford, and it may just help the Nittany Lions capitalize on their chances.
Team News, Lions:
First and foremost, Penn State players must regain their full health. Due to flu-like symptoms, 21 players missed the Rutgers game, and the offensive line was down four starters at one point. In addition, quarterback Sean Clifford’s condition has been called into question once again. Now it’s time to applaud Penn State’s defense. Even though Rutgers didn’t bring much offense to Beaver Stadium, Penn State was still dominant.
Rutgers drove into Penn State territory on one of its 14 possessions, reaching the red zone in the third quarter. Jaquan Brisker and Arnold Ebiketie teamed up to force Rutgers quarterback Noah Vedral into a sack-fumble. Rutgers recovered but subsequently turned over possession in plenty.
Penn State’s 14th red-zone stop of the season (in 37 drives) is a remarkable accomplishment. Especially for a defense that ranks second in the country in allowing the fewest touchdowns. Brisker, Ebiketie, tackle Derrick Tangelo, linebacker Ellis Brooks, and corner-back Joey Porter Jr. have all been outstanding this season. Jordan Stout, the punter, deserves credit for trapping Rutgers within the 20-yard line on six of his eight punts.
Spartans News
After a lackluster performance against the Buckeyes, Michigan State is physically and psychologically exhausted. Ohio State led 49-0 at half-time and went on to win by 49 points while accumulating 655 yards of offense.
Jalen Nailor, left tackle Jarrett Horst, defensive tackle Simeon Barrow, and cornerback Charles Brantley were all inactive for the Spartans. Kenneth Walker III, the Big Ten’s leading rusher, and Jayden Reed, the team’s leading receiver, were both injured during the game.
Spartans coach Mel Tucker, like Penn State’s James Franklin, does not discuss injuries publicly. So, there will be few updates until Saturday.
Michigan State’s pass defense, on the other hand, has been obvious. The Spartans allow the most completions (341), total passing yards (3,739), and yards per game (339.9) of any of the 130 FBS teams. The number of completions is incredible, with 70 more than Hawaii, which ranks 129th with just 271 completions permitted. Penn State will almost certainly throw across Spartan Stadium, whether Clifford or Christian Veilleux start at quarterback.
Odds And Predictions
- Penn State is favored by a score of -1.
- 53.5 in total
Caesars has announced a deal that will see them become the exclusive betting partner of Michigan State University (MSU) sports. This is possible as Michigan’s gambling laws are some of the most lenient in the country, allowing fans to bet on college sports.
The deal gives Caesars the right to use MSU sports assets like the TV signage in basketball games. Other aspects of the deal include VIP experiences for the games and these will be awarded to Caesars players via its loyalty program. There will be many fans wanting to get these VIP tickets for the MSU vs Wolverines football and basketball grudge matches.
Caesars is obviously paying for all the exposure that they get, but as it’s an exclusive deal, other Michigan sportsbooks won’t get the same opportunities. Here’s what Eric Hession of Caesars Digital had to say on the deal.
“Michigan State has a proud tradition of excellence and partnering with an internationally recognized brand in college athletics is a great opportunity for us,”
“The Spartan fan base and alumni network is passionate and well-established across the country.
“We look forward to building upon our connection with them while strengthening the legacy we hold in the state of Michigan and advancing scholarship opportunities through this partnership.”
Caesars didn’t deal directly with MSU, as the company Playfly Sports, owns the third-party multimedia rights to MSU sports. This is what the president of Playsly Sports, Christy Hedgpeth, commented on the agreement.
“The rapidly expanding interest around gaming in the college space has pushed us to create strategic opportunities for our college properties that not only provide impactful gaming education resources but also significant opportunities to drive new sources of revenue,”
“Connecting Caesars’ iconic brand to MSU’s passionate community of students, fans and alumni is a perfect fit and another example of how partnerships like this are creating tremendous benefits for all parties involved.”
This isn’t the first time Caesars has partnered with a college as they already have a similar agreement with Louisiana State University. We expect to see more of these deals from Caesars as well as other US betting giants.
The lesser-known PointsBet also has deals in place with two more universities, the University of Maryland and the University of Colorado Buffaloes. With more states legalizing sports betting, the more deals we’ll see. Will BetMGM Michigan and DraftKings make the same play as Caesars and PointsBet?
The Ohio State football team is approaching the end of the regular season, and the next two weeks will determine where the Buckeyes will play in the playoffs.
Saturday’s game versus Purdue was dominated by the Buckeyes. Yes, the defense still doesn’t seem to have it all together, but with the Boilermakers’ pass-happy offense, it’s difficult to get a fair picture.
In what is basically a playoff elimination match, Ohio State now meets Michigan State. Will the Buckeyes defense be able to stop Kenneth Walker, who many consider being the Heisman favorite? Hold on to your hats, supporters! The next two weeks are shaping up to be a rollercoaster.
Ohio State’s Victory Strategy
For the previous few weeks, Ohio State has been playing at a high level. However, since Week 2 against Oregon, Michigan will be the greatest opponent the Buckeyes have faced. The Spartans are a far more balanced squad than East Lansing has seen in recent years.
This Spartan squad has embraced head coach Mel Tucker’s physical toughness. This MSU squad does not give up, as seen by their fourth-quarter comeback victory over Michigan. And it mostly did it on the ground, behind Wake Forest transfer Kenneth Walker III’s legs.
If Ohio State hopes to leave Saturday still in playoff contention, the defense must keep Walker in check. As mentioned earlier, Kenneth is a Heisman candidate with nearly 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns for the season.
Michigan’s Arsenal
Even if the Ohio team can bottle Walker up, they’ll have to account for an aggressive passing attack led by Payton Thorne. The Spartan quarterback has passed for close to 2,500 yards and 21 touchdowns to only eight interceptions. You’ll also hear a lot about Thorne’s childhood friend, Jaydon Reed, who is one of the top receivers in the Big Ten. The bottom line is that the Spartans have multiple weapons at their disposal.
The Spartans are only second in the Big Ten with 31 sacks, trailing only Ohio’s 33. However, Sparty ranks dead last in yards allowed per game, giving up 444 yards on average each week.
Predicted Outcome
While we do not even know where the Spartans may finish in the CFP, we believe they’ll be in the top seven. That will make them the Buckeyes’ highest-ranked opponent this season. They do, however, provide some particular obstacles.
The Spartans are coming off a victory against Maryland. They won 40-21. Kenneth Walker had another excellent performance and if Ohio State hopes to leave the Shoe with a win, they’ll have to stop him. However, having the game at home is a significant advantage for them.
As for the Spartans, this will be their first time entering a setting like Ohio Stadium and facing the depth that the Buckeyes possess. The Spartans will score first, but they will be unable to stay up with Ohio State’s high-powered attack. In the second half, Ohio State pulls away to set up a rematch with archrival Michigan State.
Odds
Total Points:
- Ohio State defeats Michigan State by a score of 42 to 24.
- Ohio State is an 18.5-point favorite.
Already this season, the Spartans have come behind as underdogs against the Wolverines. They may do the same against the Buckeyes so don’t ignore the Spartans Moneyline at +750.
The Spartans (-12.5) will face the Terrapins (+425 on the Moneyline to win) on November 13, 2021, at 4:00 PM ET. The point total for this clash has been set at 62 points by bookmakers.
We’ll go over everything you need to know before betting on the game in this post. Key data, betting patterns, club, and individual facts, and updated odds are all included.
Michigan State
The passing attack of the Spartans averages 8.8 yards per attempt (22nd in the FBS). The Terrapins are allowing 7.9 passes per pass (95th in college football).
Michigan State’s offense, which averages 34.0 points per game, is rated 27th in the FBS. Maryland’s defense ranks 97th in the US, allowing 30.4 points per game.
In terms of yards per game, the Spartans are placed 27th in the FBS (446.1). They take on a Terrapins defense that ranks 92nd in the country, allowing 403.4 yards per game.
Michigan State is rated 68th in college football in sacks allowed (eight) and will face Maryland, who is ranked sixth in sacks allowed (15).
Players To Watch
- Payton Thorne has thrown for 2,174 yards and 17 touchdowns while completing 61.9% of his passes (151-of-244).
- Kenneth Walker III has 1,329 running yards (147.7 yards per game) and 15 touchdowns on the season.
- Jayden Reed has caught 37 receptions for 715 yards and five touchdowns, which leads the team.
- Jalen Nailor is another player to watch as he has 587 yards and six touchdowns on 31 receptions. This season, he has an average of 73.4 receiving yards per game.
Maryland Overview
The Terrapins average 316.1 passing yards per game (12th in the FBS), while the Spartans allow 326.7 per game (130th in college football).
On a per-carry basis, Michigan State’s defense ranks 14th, allowing 3.3 yards per run. Maryland gets 3.4 yards per run on average (111th in the FBS).
The Terrapins’ pass defense has allowed 11, which ranks them 34th in NCAA football. The Spartans’ defense has racked up 18 points (third-most).
Maryland is 111th in the FBS with 113.6 running yards per game. On the ground, Michigan State’s defense allows 115.4 yards per carrying (22nd in college football).
Players To Watch
- Taulia Tagovailoa has 2,755 yards passing and a 70.5% completion rate.
- Tayon Fleet-Davis has 436 running yards (48.4 per game) and six touchdowns on 87 attempts.
- Challen Faamatau has 235 yards and three running touchdowns on 56 runs (33.6 yards per carry).
- Rakim Jarrett has 37 catches for 533 receiving yards (59.2 per game) and five touchdowns this season.
- Dontay Demus has 28 catches for 507 yards and three touchdowns to his credit.
- Chigoziem Okonkwo has caught 31 receptions for 263 yards this season.
Bet Prediction And Odds
- Maryland +340 | Michigan State -475 are the money lines.
- ATS (against the spread): +12.5, -108 Maryland | Michigan State -12.5, -112
- 62.5, O: -110 | U: -110
