ES Preview: MSU Spartans vs Arizona St Sun Devils

#17 MSU Spartans (2-0) vs Special People (2-0)

September 14, 2019.  4 pm ET.
Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI

Weather:  73 & sunny. Winds: 11 mph out of the West

Sagarin Ratings:  MSU #7 (yes #7!), ASU #58.  Following his logic, Sparty should win by 23.
Vegas Line: MSU by 14-1/2

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR FOOTBALL!  SUNNY, WARM SKIES THROUGHOUT THE GAME! 

Last year, former Philly Eagles player-turned ESPN broadcaster-turned ASU coach Herman Edwards got his signature win courtesy of the Michigan State Spartans in an epic fail offensive offense debacle by Big Green... it was a premonition of the 2018 season.

Enough of the history.  ES likes the special teams of MSU (Hartbarger, Coughlin) and the defense of MSU as big-time pluses.  It will be a defensive game, this time with the Big Green on top.  Coach D, who will have most wins in MSU history, leads his press conference with this gem of a quote by Duffy:

"When you are playing for a national championship, it's not a matter of life or death.  It's more important than that."

What are they saying about their team, and about Michigan State, over in sunny & hot Arizona:  read it from the (ASU) State Press, or the Arizona Republic

Prognostications:

• Arizona Republic (from six different writers, 1 picks Az State):  MSU 35-10, MSU 24-10, MSU 35-13, MSU 28-17, ASU 21-20, MSU 24-10
• CHock (in SFO): L, MSU 12 @ ASU 14
• Mary Cote (in Sacto - mom of ES' grade school friends): MSU 24 v AZ State 7. Made up the score but just want AX to lose so Cal can stay #1 in Pac 12. LOL.
• Cyn (in Pitt, at 'gate tomorrow): MSU wins!
• Poke (Grand Ledge): Michigan State 27 Arizona State 10. I am looking for revenge after traveling to the Valley of the Sun last year for the loss.
• Australia Paul (Queensland, Australia): MSU 21-20
• Chef Tom (Glen Arbor): MSU ugly
• RGM3 (Farm Hills):  MSU 33-11
• Gregger (GVSU): MSU 34-23
• Big Joe and Phantom 309 (metro Detroit):  MSU 35-30
• Big Bob (Kazoo): MSU will be twice as gooder as last week so they will win 102-34
• Keith (Pontiac): MSU 37-10
• Oakland Ronnie (E Lansing): MSU 20-6
• Brink (E Lansing): MSU 35-13
• Greg, the Pie Man (E Lansing): MSU 24-17
• Kat, the post-Brexit Queen of Scotland (now in Jackson):  MSU 24, ASU 10 ....
• ES sez: MSU 17, ASU 9

ES Preview: MSU vs Arizona State

Michigan State Spartans (#13, 1-0) at
Arizona State Sun Demons (1-0)
September 8, 2018.  10:45 pm ET.
ESPN.
Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe AZ.

Kickoff weather is 102 degrees!  Hades in Tempe!

Line: MSU by 5 1/2

Sagarin Ratings:
MSU #17, Arizona State #48

Rewind:  About those Spartans vs the Other Mormons

We can make this quick.  What was difficult to stomach in Spartan Stadium was two fold.  Or three fold.  Or four fold.  Or more 1.  Needing a last minute drive to beat a pedestrian Utah State.  2.  Allowing slant plays time and again without MSU dropping a lineman into zone to pick off a pass.  3.   The play of the offensive line, particularly the left side, which couldn't block my dead grandma out of the way.  4.  The play of RG LJ Scott - not only did he dance too much and was ineffective running, but he whiffed on several blocks that led to hurries for QB Brian Lewerke.  5.  J Rand finding the biggest cooler on earth, filling it with beer and ice, then realizing the need to move it without wheels.  That's what friends are for!

What was good to watch was:  1.  The tailgate by J Rand, hosting friends, food, and beer!  2.  The play of Connor Heyward, who ran like a beast without those dance moves.  3.  A full stadium on a beautiful fall day.  4.  The play of Felton Davis, who can flat out run and catch - he is a stud at wideout.

Bottom line:  After watching the Buckeyes take Oregon State to the woodshed and giving them 70 lashings, MSU had better plug those holes and move them lines - and fast - if they have any chance of making a move in the B1G East.

Methinks the Sun Demons aren't as scary as they think they are.... Nice atomic age art here!

Back to the Present:  About the Spartans TODAY in the desert heat

C Hock had a pretty damn succinct writeup:  "No way we blow them out.  3 year starter at QB (Manny Wilkins) will air it to the 6'4" receiver over Josh Butler for at least 3 TDs."  Defense better get a push or it can be a long day.  The Sun Demons will roll out the hard red earth for the Spartans, changing the field from grass to hard clay baked under the desert sun.  After the first drive, Lewerke notes: "These cleats don't work so good on dirt."  And the Spartans get the advantage playing in their bare feet on that clay.  It's so damn hot, the Gatorade will evaporate and Spartans will turn to drinking each other's sweat.  Meanwhile, the Sun Demons, overconfident as they are, roll out their black uniforms and realize that dark colors don't mix well with 100+ heat.   All advantages for the Spartans.

C is in Tempe, AZ, with G to root on the Big Green in the scorching heat.   This may be a first - Spartans playing a football game in a lava flow of a heat wave; first time playing football in over 100 degrees heat. Meanwhile, the ES is going to Defiance College to watch his Yellow Jackets play the Hope Flying Dutchmen in 65 degrees and rain.  Steamy.

Predictions: 

Freep says: 27-17 MSU
ESPN staff give it a toss up
Sloth: 31-17 MSU
Keith: 27-24 MSU
C Hock: 31-28 MSU
Carter: 31-21 Sun Demons
RGM3: 38-34 MSU, defense makes stop at the end
Big Joe and Phantom 309: 27-14 MSU, defense steps up big but Lewerke has two turnovers
Tom, the Heart Doctor:  24-14 MSU
Kat: 31-14 MSU...

ES sez:  Defiance 24, Hope 23.   I mean, MSU 32, Sun Demons 28