OK, so here is the ES season preview below. The ES and The Blue Turf (Boise State) are working on a salvo of banters about our teams and campuses. That should be posted by tomorrow morning (Aug 30). In the meantime, the ES chimes in, along with ChiSpartan, Chock, Big Bob, and Swiss Sloth. Enjoy the predictions; the ES Game Day preview will be up Friday morning.

2012 Enlightened Spartan Season Preview

MSU 12-2 overall, 10-2 regular season. Rose Bowl champions, defeating Oregon.

With all due respect, this is the greatest season ticket package in Michigan State season history: Boise St, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern. Another word: WOW.

BOISE STATE. W. This ain’t Atlanta, this is Spartan Stadium, and a feroucious defense feasts on the Boise backfield. MSU offense scores one TD, the defense scores two en route to a sounding defeat of the Bronco potato-heads.

@ Central Michigan. W. Unlike the Ann Arbor stick-my-nose-in-the-air rodents down the road, the Spartans share the wealth and give CMU a home game to pad its departmental budget. The Chips need the padding, as they are mauled in a big loss at home.

NOTRE DAME. W. The Irish are overrated again, but a very tough s chedule inspires the Catholics to a tough fight for their lives, early on the road in a night game. Doesn’t matter as Sparty’s defense shuts down ND in a low-scoring contest, making it 11 of the last 16 for Michigan State. Another TD for the Spartan D.

EASTERN MICHIGAN. W. The question: against whom will the Spartans score the most points? CMU, EMU, Indiana, or Minnesota.

OHIO STATE. L. Spartans shocked at home, suffer first home defeat since 2009 and giving Urban Meyer the first feather in his cap.

@ Indiana. W. See the intro “@ Indiana”? Enough said.

IOWA. W. ‘Tis interesting the decline of the Hawkeyes and the rise of the Spartans, no? Spartan defense should manhandle the Hawkeye front – a reversal of roles from a decade ago. Rising = Dantonio; Falling = Ferentz.

@ Michigan. W. Denard who? The hype is squashed for the third straight year. Last two years, Spartans viciously ended any Heisman talk, knocking Robinson into another world, with unHeisman-like stats (rush: 39-128 yards-3.3 avg; pass: 26-53-338-4 INTs)…... Defense wins championships, watch Robinson’s cage get rattled again. Spartan defense scores a pair of TDs to shut down Michigan Heisman talk. Again.

@ Wisconsin. L. Michigan State suffers loss number two, on the road, in a tight, heated rivalry that is the 21^st century version of the B1G Ten glory that used to be Woody & Bo. The two squads will meet later…

NEBRASKA. W. Spartans defeat the Huskers for the first time. ES suffers a heart attack upon learning the win actually isn’t a replay of the 55 point shellacking the Spartans suffered to Nebraska in 1996.

NORTHWESTERN. W. Even though the Cats have had a great rivalry in recent years, they’ve been lucky not to schedule Michigan State on its current stretch. Read that: current stretch. This is a Wildcat offense and defense that, on its best day, just isn’t in the same league, even if in the same conference.

@ Minn. W. The days of old Metropolitan Stadium return in a -10 degree blizzard in Minneapolis. Bud Grant would love the weather, but not the result.

B1G CHAMPIONSHIP. W. Michigan State turns the table, avenges its loss to Wisconsin earlier in the season and in last year’s B1G title game with a Rose Bowl-clinching victory. Montee Ball runs for 210 yards for the game; but, on the last play, fumbles into the arms of Johnny Adams, who runs it back 98 yards for the winning score.

ROSE BOWL. W. Michigan State beats Oregon in the fourth meeting of the two teams witnessed by the ES. With a month to prepare, Andrew Maxwell gets his moxy and Spartan receivers have a field day… as do Duck receivers. But, this is the Spartans’ year.

NOT ON SCHEDULE: Purdue, Penn State, Illinois.

EXPERT PREDICTIONS

Swiss Sloth:

1. Total # wins: 8
2. Bowl: Outback bowl v auburn
3. Toughest game: Michigan cuz it’s on the road
4. How much would you bet on MSU to win the Big Ten if in Vegas? 0, but I never bet on anything
5. Score for MSU vs Boise? 24-14 for the good guys!!!
6. Season total TDs vs INTs for Maxwell? 18 td’s, 15 int’s

ChiSpartan:


Chock (with welcome commentary!):

1. total # of MSU wins: 8 wins for an 8-4 record not counting the bowl game. I think 9-3 is a good, educated guess and I even think that 10-2 is definitely achievable. But we will lose at least one because of inexperience by our rookie QB. Cousins was really, really good and we’ll miss that.
2. bowl game for MSU (vs who?): Capital One bowl vs. Arkansas and MSU fans relish the return of John L Smith with a second straight bowl victory after Smith’s team crumbles around him at the end of the season
3. toughest game for MSU on schedule: @ Wisconsin
4. How much would you bet on MSU to win Big Ten in Vegas? $100 … although I’m much rather spend my Vegas dollars betting on the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament
5. Score of MSU vs Boise game: MSU 27 – Boise State 24
6. Total # of TDs vs INTs for Maxwell: 24 - 11

BTW, you didn’t ask, but Nebraska wins the Legends and Wiscy wins the Leaders. Nebraska beats Wiscy in the B1G Championship game and goes the Rose Bowl and shits the bed vs. USC. Kill, William, Kill, and Pound, Green, Pound!!! Go State…

Big Bob:

1. total # of MSU wins - 11
2. bowl game for MSU (vs who?) - Rose v Oregon
3. toughest game for MSU on schedule - at Wisconsin
4. How much would you bet on MSU to win Big Ten in Vegas? - $123.45
5. Score of MSU vs Boise game - 20-17. MSU
6. Total # of TDs vs INTs for Maxwell - 24TDs, 13INTs

Smigdiggler (with more commentary!):

MSU WestCoast Correspondent - Smigdiggler Sees positive things from the Spartans this year. with the favorable home schedule with a tough spot right in the middle of the season with UM followed by Wisky on the road, back to back.
1. total # of MSU wins 10
2. bowl game for MSU (vs who?) I want rose bowl, but due to some kind of BCS logic they will be relegated to the Capital One bowl. What's in your wallet?
3. toughest game for MSU on schedule - At Wisky a week after beating the tar out of those scUM bastards in the big sh!t house
4. How much would you bet on MSU to win Big Ten in Vegas? $100.00
5. Score of MSU vs Boise game This will be higher than most people think. MSU-28 BS-21
6. Total # of TDs vs INTs for Maxwell - Going Big - 27/9