The Michigan State Spartans and Michigan Wolverines will meet for the 119th for in-state showdown. Michigan is favored in this matchup to add another notch to their already 75 victories. Due to offensive struggles, the Wolverines have not been this vulnerable in a long time, as they sit in 11th in the Big Ten with a conference record of 2-3. Michigan won their last game against Rutgers 28-21, and the Wolverines had some progression on offense behind quarterback Tommy Carr, who finished the game with 22 completions on 27 attempts for 266 yards and a touchdown. Carr can continue to build on this performance against a suspect Michigan State defense; the Spartans rank last in the Big Ten standings with a winless 0-5 conference record. Michigan State has lost their last six games, including a 28-10 loss to UCLA two weeks ago. The Spartans had additional time to prepare for this game after coming off a bye.
The total for this game foreshadows a low-scoring affair between these two rivals. Despite the overall struggles, Michigan's defense has played up to par for the program, especially against the pass. In their most recent games, the Wolverines held Indiana's quarterback to just eight completions, while Rutgers had just three. Life could be difficult for third string quarterback Leo Hannan Saturday if Alessi Milivojevic is unable to start. Hannan only threw for 67 yards with one interception in his last game against UCLA.
Michigan's offense has significantly improved under Carr. Carr struggled against Indiana, but he excelled against both Rutgers and Penn State. His ability to contribute with his legs gives Michigan another dimension offensively. If Michigan can continue to play well offensively, it is hard to imagine Michigan State keeping up on the road considering their injuries to their quarterback and running backs. On top of that, Michigan State has not done well forcing turnovers. Before their last game, the Spartans had only generated three turnovers all year. Michigan should have a considerable advantage if they can establish the run and avoid turnovers.
Michigan State vs Michigan prediction: Michigan Wolverines -13.5 (-110) at the time of publishing. Playable to -14.
