Northwestern (4-2/1-1, #95 Sagarin, sked strength #139) at Michigan State (3-3/2-1, #44 Sagarin, sked strength #26)
Saturday, October 17, 2009. 12 Noon.
TV: ESPN 2
Weather: 48 degrees, mostly sunny.
Latest Line: Michigan State favored by 13.

Tickets available.

Injuries: Michigan State - S Roderick Jenrette (foot), out; RB Glenn Winston (knee), out; CB Kendall Davis-Clark (leg), questionable; WR Mark Dell (shoulder), probable; QB Kirk Cousins (ankle), probable; QB Keith Nichol (elbow), probable. Northwestern - RB Alex Daniel (ankle) out; S Brendan Smith (hand), out; OT Mike Boyle (back) out; LB Ben Johnson (leg) out; LB Bryce McNaul (leg) out; CB Justan Vaughn (leg) out; DT Jack DiNardo (shoulder) questionable; DE Corey Wootton (ankle), probable.

Previews: Lake The Posts (MSU 30, NW 24); College Football News (MSU 30, NW 23); StatSheet (MSU 30, NW 20); Examiner.com; Bleacher Report (MSU 21, NW 13); ESPN/Adam Rittenberg (MSU 29, NW 23)

Prediction: The ES isn't that impressed with NU. This game ain't like Northwestern upsets of old over Michigan State, because of the improved coaching of MSU and the terrible, terrible play by Northwestern against one of the weakest schedules in all D1-FBS. Sagarin ranks Nwesterns opponents played as #139 strongest in the country. Yes, my dead grandma could QB Northwestern and beaten Eastern Michigan, Miami-Ohio, AND SYRACUSE. What is the strength of schedule of other D1-FBS 2-loss teams in America? The ES took the time, scrolled through Sagarin's website, and compiled a list (below) of all the two-loss teams that competed in the FBS division.... and found that Northwestern was DEAD LAST of all 2-loss teams; matter of fact, their strength of schedule of #139 was lower than the number of teams competing in 1-FBS (120 teams).

2-loss Division 1-FBS teams and Schedule Strength: Arizona SS#5, Arizona State SS#101, Arkansas SS#17, Baylor SS#87, BC SS#57, California SS#12, Central Florida SS#127, Louisiana-Lafayette SS#79, Louisiana Monroe SS#117, Marshall SS#72, Middle Tennessee State SS#71, scUM SS#47, Minnesota SS#46, Mississippi SS#6, UNC SS #81, Northern Illinois SS#84, Ohio SS# 70, Oklahoma SS#55, Oregon State SS#44, SMU SS#64, Stanford SS#27, Temple SS#114, Texas A&M SS#105, Texas Tech SS#110, Troy SS#34, UCLA SS#16, Wake Forest SS#50.

So, what does that mean, with NW and a strength of schedule #139, losing to Sagarin's #97-ranked Syracuse, struggling against #155-ranked Miami-Ohio, squeaking by #164-ranked Eastern Michigan and #91-ranked Purdue, and losing on the road to #55-ranked Minnesota?

A FLAT-ASSED BUTT KICKING. The ES is not impressed, especially if you can't figure out the name of our starting quarterback, let alone the dynamics of our QB situation. Besides, Northwestern's colors in Division 1 are the closest of any school to PINK.

Halftime: MSU 21, Northwestern 10. Final score: MSU 38, NW: 17.