The old days with Dick Butkus are back at Illinoisie. Go figure.
Michigan State Spartans at #17 Illinois Illini
MSU (3-5/1-4) at Illinois (7-1/4-1)
November 5, 2022, 3:30 pm ET
TV: BTN
Weather: Sunny, 64, winds 11 mph SW
Sagarin Ratings: MSU #49, UI #22
Line outta Vegas: Illinois by 17
Wait, Illinoisie is ranked? What year is this, Butkus-esque 1964?
This is the toughest game of the season for Michigan State. After the scUM “tunnel fiasco” leaving 4 Michigan Staters suspended (and two defensive starters - Grose and our best player this year, Windmon), it will be a challenge for the Spartans to defend one of the nation’s best runners at the Illini in Chase Brown. Ugh. Top that off by the haphazard and underwhelming performance by the offense this year against the nation’s top-ranked defense, and that can spell trouble.
Mind you, pudding-boy-coached Illinois has not played a heavyweight in its competition to date (beating Iowa 9-6 in a game that took football back 100 years; beating Wisconsin and Minnesota). Is MSU a heavyweight? Traditionally, yes, but this test will be foreboding. The offense for MSU must get on track to have a chance in this game.
ES sez: Pudding Boy 27, Tunnel Vision 14.
