Do not invest more money than you can afford to lose.
The challenge this week is winning at packed Memorial Stadium, where Michigan State earned its first win in eight tries in the series two years ago. Here is how the Huskers can take down Sparty. The problem for Mike Riley’s team is they have the second worst pass defense in the Big Ten and are playing against the best quarterback in the country.
It’s been a long summer/fall without the Michigan State basketball and now that the Spartans are back to work, it’s feeling like another season in which Tom Izzo could engineer a Final Four run.
Defensively, Michigan State opponents convert 37.1 percent of their opportunities, while Nebraska opponents convert 34.5 percent of their opportunities.
Michigan State has had at least two all-conference players since the 2007-08 season.
Bryn Forbes scored a game-high 23 points and Denzel Valentine had a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to lead Michigan State to an impressive 94-53 victory over Northern Michigan in the opening game of the night. I project MSU to easily outpace that and, as a result, I think the Spartans keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive for another week. Nebraska is surrendering 28.1 points per game and they are a woeful 76th against the pass and they’ll again be without the services of top corner Michael Rose-Ivey. He will get his full offensive line back this week, which should lead to improved protection, a spot the Spartans have suffered in the last few weeks. We’re now in the month of November so I guess you could say I expect him to “feast” on this secondary for another game of more than 300 yards. Nebraska will be the better team for most of the game, but when it comes down to that one big play needed, it won’t happen.
If Tommy can do this, look for Nebraska to have a good chance towards the end of the game. One player that will not join them is receiver/returner De’Mornay Pierson-El, who will undergo season-ending surgery for a broken leg and knee injury he suffered after celebrating a teammate’s touchdown last weekend. However, going to Nebraska might be hard enough, considering how flaky MSU has been throughout the year and with a playoff-type of atmosphere in Lincoln. Wisconsin now ranks first nationally in scoring defense (11.0), with Michigan second (11.4). If Nebraska is going to beat MSU they are going to have to create a turnover and get a stop or two once MSU reaches the redzone.
