FOOTBALL FRIDAY...Nadu Off A Winner, Let's Get Another

Great start to my employment. Go read that fuckin blog yesterday on Tennessee first half and tell me it didn't all come to fruition. But today that's water under the bridge, let's get to Friday. This card is much more condensed as opposed to Thursday, and sandwiched between a big one tomorrow.

Michigan State has A LOT to be excited about this year. They welcome back QB Payton Thorne, who was REALLY solid last year with over 3200 yards and 27 touchdowns. He gets back two of his top 3 WR's and yes they lost Kenneth Walker but bring in an impact RB transfer in Wisconsin's Jalen Berger. 

Also keep an eye on another RB they brought in Jarek Broussard, who comes from Colorado. In 2020 he was the PAC 12 Offensive Player of the Year and will be a good compliment back. In this game they should be able to move the football. 

Last year, this group averaged 36 points a game at home and against a beleaguered defense, issues present themselves for the Broncos. Western Michigan struggled mightily last season defensively against big time offenses. Michigan dropped 47, Pitt dropped 44 and some of the better teams in the MAC destroyed them. 

The problem also for WMU is they don't have the QB they had last year who was able to keep them in games. Kaleb Eleby is gone as well as top WR and speedster Skyy Moore who is off to the NFL. Now enter redshirt freshman Jack Salopek, a guy with very little experience. As we saw last night, that is not a recipe for any success on the road against POWER 5 teams. 

The goal for them will be keep the ball on the ground which plays itself right into the hands of Michigan State. The team was fuckin stingy against the run last year giving up just 112 a game and just 3.4 yards per carry. The strength of this defense still is up front with a big group at tackle and there's reason for more optimism in the secondary as well as bringing back their top 2 tacklers. The truth is though Michigan St was the worst passing defense in the country in 2021. Two things this season though… they made a wholesale change in the secondary and this opponent and QB won't challenge them. Sparty brought in 6'3 Georgia transfer CB Ameer Speed who will help a lot, and with more cohesion and everyone else back I expect improvement. The guy to keep an eye on with this defense is DT Jacob Slade, he could be in the backfield A LOT against this MAC team. He had 33 quarterback hurries last season. 

Quite frankly, this game is very similar to Ball State/Tennessee. You have a very good POWER 5 team with plenty back on offense with a great defensive line against a lowly MAC team with a red shirt freshman QB on the road with a defense who regularly gets pulverized defensively against POWER 5 teams. Also a major note: Last season, Mel Tucker and Michigan State were 3-0 against the spread against non conference opponents. They beat Youngstown by 28, Miami Florida by 21, and WKU by 17. Keep in mind two of those teams were much better than this current WMU team. 

I had this line at 24. I think it should've opened higher. I'm playing Michigan State -21 at Barstool Sportsbook, I think this is a 48-17 type of game.