ES Preview: Spartans at Hoosiers

Really?  Hoosier pride in the kitchen!

#24 Michigan State Spartans
(1-1, 0-0) at
Indiana Hoosiers (3-0, 0-0)
Sept. 22, 2018.  7:30 pm.
TV:  Big Ten Network.
Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN.

Weather:  64, cloudy, no wind.  Good passing weather.

Sagarin Ratings:  MSU #22, Indiana #55.

Line out of Vegas:  MSU by 5.

How did we get here?

Well, whaddya know.  Here are our Spartans in the middle of September, having played just one game at home and looking like crap in both games.  This underwhelming team's biggest deficiency has reared its ugly head, that being the Offensive Line... which is more like the Maginot Line.  In two games, and specifically in the loss to Arizona State, the left side of that offensive line had no push, and no protection for Brian Lewerke.   We certainly miss Cole Chewins on the left side of that line.   LJ Scott hasn't been much of a help, either.  If the Maginot Line has been poor, then Scott's protection for Lewerke has been poorerer.  Oh yeah, he's a running back.  Well, his running has been just as poor - in the first two games, he's dancing like Justin Timberlake instead of running like Jim Brown: just 103 yards and averaging 3.4 yards per carry against powerhouses Utah State and Arizona State.  And on the other side of the ball?  Let's be honest, the defense was LUCKY against Arizona State, as their QB overthrew pass after pass after pass after pass... and finally  connected on the last drive when MSU DBs had to make a stop.  Bend bend bend break!  Just too many mental mistakes, too many opportunities lost (e.g. Lewerke INT in the endzone) - mistakes do not make a mark of a good team.

So, now Indiana?

The Hoosier nation is in constant desire of football mediocrity.  Indiana is 3-0, again.  So, expect another 5-7 season out of the Hoosiers... unless they find a way to trip up our Spartans.

Make note of the Little Pink House on the Indiana Campus.   Yes, it's pink. 

Stat chat

Well... other than MSU's run defense... well.... offense averaging 114 yards on the ground per game???  Screw that, who are we?

MSU has won 16 of the last 20 against Indiana... and 7 of the last 10 played at Indiana.  Doesn't matter much, unless you are considering this against expectations.

Pix:

Kat:  MSU 30-17
Smig:  MSU 32-26
Carter:  MSU 24-10
CHock:  MSU 24-23
Keith:   MSU 35-32. "trap game."
Dr. Tom:  MSU 24-7. "This has become infinitely harder after ASU game… Honestly they could rebound and drop a bomb on Indiana or continue to look like a bag of hot dicks. And their o-line looks like such a piece of shit I don’t even know. I think we win 24-13 because Lewerke takes over the game. Wait. 24-7. Dantonio is pissed."
GR Gregger:  MSU 38-20
Big Joe and Phantom 309: MSU 24-22
RGM3: MSU 31-10.

ES sez:  MSU 21,  John Cougar Mellencamp 17.  

Enlightened Preview: MSU hosts Indy

#18 Michigan State (6-1, 3-0) vs Indiana (3-3, 0-3)
Spartan Stadium
East Lansing, MI
3:30 pm, ABC-TV
75 (wow!), partly sunny

Sagarin Ratings:  MSU #24, Indy #46

Yes.  LJ Scott will play.  He is an idiot, but he paid his fine.  ES bets he sits the first quarter.

Predictions:

Big Joe and Phantom 309: 35-24 MSU. It's going to be a beautiful day for football!
Debbie Does Texas: 34-21 MSU
Aussie Paul: 28-0 MSU
Carter: 31-24 MSU
Keith: 34-10 MSU
RGM3: 31-14 MSU

ES was out too late last night whooping it up at the Spartan hockey game (6-4 victory vs Western!). So, let's make it a clean sweep for the Spartans: Fumbleitis LJ Scott 30, Fumbleitis Indy 20.

FYI - Yes, Huddersfield Town defeated Manchester United, 2-1, for first win over Man U in 50+ years.

#17 Michigan State at Indiana: A Whirling Dervish

Sagarin Ratings: MSU #46, Indiana #66

#17 MSU 2-1/0-1. Indiana 2-1/0-0
Saturday, October 1, 2016.
8:00 pm ET.
Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN

Line: MSU by 6 (vegasinsider.com)
TV: BTN
Weather: 63 degrees, 50% chance of showers

Depth Chart - MSU - Indiana

Which team will show up? Will Tyler O'Connor show up?  Will Dave Warner show up?  Will the defensive line show up?  Will the RBs block?  Who will show up?  Reschke is OUT, Bullough didn't even dress last week... wha????

After Wisky lit up MSU because of our MISTAKES, I don't know where to go or what to expect.  Indiana has, as typical, struggled against the sisters-of-the poor all year.  This time, let's wing this prediction like a Whirling Dervish

Da ES will be up in Mt Pleasant to tailgate and witness the End of the World, CMU vs WMU... but tuning in via B1G2Go, the ES will see the Spartan O-Line getting back to basics to dictate the game, and opening up holes for LJ Scott and Gerald Holmes.  Expect 175+ yards out of the two backs combined.  Also, expect the maligned d-line to push up front and stop the run.  Indiana has a prolific offense, as usual, but it is also prolifically mistake-prone.  Who is MSU?  Too tough to tell at this point.

Is the Big Green the brute that ran a 25-play drive over Iowa like a 26-wheeler over a Mac Truck?  Or, is this the Big Green playing like a scared kitten in a box with a rabies-infested Rottweiler?  This is more on Dave Warner and the offense.  Stat to remember: MSU is 13-2 since 2010 after a loss; ain't too shabby.

ES sez:  MSU 27-21 over Indy.

Peanut Barrel: Tom, MSU 36-24; Feather, MSU 35-17; Brad, Indiana, 31-17; Brock, MSU 21-17; Rick, MSU 35-21
LSJ: MSU 37-31
Freep: Solari,  MSU 27-21
The Spun:  MSU 31-23
Det News: Charboneau, MSU 30-21; Chengelis, MSU 24-17; Wojo, MSU 38-31; Niyo, MSU 34-21
SpartyMSU:  MSU 35-17
MLive: MSU 41-28
Athlon:  MSU 27-23
CFN:  MSU 34-23
Campus Insiders:  MSU 31-20
Winners And Whiners:  MSU by 7.5+
CBSSports.com:  5 of 7 pick MSU

Big Ten officials blow chunks in MSU 52-26 win over Indiana

I don't pretend to understand Big Ten officiating.  OK, so Michigan State blew out Indiana late in its 52-26 victory on Saturday.  But there were several blown calls which defy logic.  You could see Coach D jawing at the officials, trying to figure out what was going through their thick skulls.

Who was the head referee? Todd Geerlings (with white hat). That was a nearly criminal performance by Geerlings and his crew. They sucked.

#1  - At the beginning of the second quarter, two phantom personal foul calls... back to back... against the Spartans.  Whaaaa?  Talk about a quick whistle.  What the hell is going on?

#2 - The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive celebration after MSU went up 38-24.  Complete BS.

#3 - And, this is the big one.  How MSU did not get the football on the fumble by Indiana receiver in the third quarter? The dude spun around in a tackle, and falling forward clearly fumbled the ball.  The officials called it "lack of forward progress."  That's just bullshit.  It's a bad call.  The problem being, the week before, Michigan was at the 1/2 yard line and it took 11 seconds before the refs even blew the whistle.  It doesn't take 11 seconds to run the ball 1/2 yard up the middle.  That's called "lack of forward progress."  You can't have it both ways, swallow the whistle or blow it - it is a lack of consistency.

The boos were deafening in Spartan Stadium after #3.

Jim Delaney and the Big Ten's Director of Officials, Bill Carollo, need to figure out what is going on. After last week's garbage, it's confirmed this is the worst officiating in Big Ten history.

It's crap.

ES Game Day: bring on dem Hoosiers!

Michigan State Spartans (4-1, 1-0) host Indiana Hoosiers (3-2, 1-0)

Time:  12 pm ET
Location:  Spartan Stadium, E.L.
Weather:  72 and sunny.  Wow.
TV: ESPN 2
Line: MSU by 9 1/2

Predictions:

• ESPN.com: Bennett, MSU 28-21; Rittenberg, MSU 30-20
• BTN.com: Merriman, MSU 31-17; Bardo, MSU 24-10; Yarina, MSU 30-20; Dienhart, MSU 31-21
• CFN.Scout.com: MSU 31-17
• OffTackleEmpire: CfB: IND 28-24, GA, MSU 34-21
• SportsCapping: IND 37-24
• Powerrank: MSU by 8
• Freep:  Rexrode,  MSU 34-20;  Seidel, MSU 28-21; Sharp,k MSU 24-16
• The Crimson Quarry: MSU 24-17

ES sez:  The reality is great defense always trumps great offense.  Michigan State has and will play great offenses, has and will stall all of them.  This includes Indiana's #9 offense in the nation.  Thus, attention turns to the Spartan offense vs the Indiana defense. Watch the Spartan defense give plenty of time for its offense to work its way with an average-to-poor Indiana defense.  We don't need a lot, but we'll get enough. 

Make it:  MSU 31, Indiana 11.