3 keys to a Spartans win over Michigan

The Michigan State Spartans (4-3) have multiple focuses to complete this weekend when they take on their rival and defending national champions, the Michigan Wolverines (4-3).

The Wolverines are looking to even things out after back-to-back conference losses and the Spartans are riding high after a Homecoming win over Iowa, trying to keep the momentum going. If the Spartans want to leave “The Big House” with a road win, they must accomplish three simple keys.

Chiles: zero turnover

Spartans quarterback Aidan Chiles has been turnover-prone all season. He ranks fourth all FBS in interceptions this season (9), fumbling four and losing three of those.

He has shown improvement lately, taking care of the football better, but still struggles to avoid interceptions. Chile threw seven picks in his first four games and has thrown just two in the past three games.

The Wolverines have the fifth-worst pass defense in the Big Ten, allowing 234.1 yards per game through the air. They held Illinois to just 80 passing yards last week, but the Spartans have a much more capable aerial attack.

If Chiles can find his receivers in space, deliver accurate throws and avoid throwing into double and triple coverage, the Spartans should be able to track the Wolverine pass defense for most of the game.

Zero turnovers from Chiles equals zero short fields for the Wolverines and that’s one of the few ways they can score.

Spartan defense: 4-plus sacks

Wolverines quarterback Jack Tuttle was sacked five times last Saturday, the most their offensive line has allowed in a single game all season. Tuttle threw for 208 yards in their loss to the Fighting Illini, but couldn’t find the end zone and threw an interception.

The Spartans’ pass rush was stellar this year, racking up 17 sacks for a loss of 105 yards across 10 different defenders. Senior linebacker Jordan Turner and senior defensive end Khris Bogle lead the way with three sacks each.

This group will be hungry to feast on whoever plays quarterback for the Maize and Blue, as the Wolverines have yet to name a starter for this rivalry matchup.

As seen last Saturday, the Wolverines struggled mightily to stop the Iliini rush and will likely have similar problems this week. If the Spartan rush can get home at least four times, they will force the Wolverines to remain one-dimensional and predominantly run the football.

Passing game: Foster Jr. and Marsh combined for more than 150 yards

The biggest weapon for the Spartan offense is their passing game and it runs through the veins of senior Montorie Foster Jr. and freshman Nick Marsh. The pair both had over 100 receiving yards against the Hawkeyes last week and will benefit from a weaker pass defense this week.

Batman and Robin, in a way, point to the veteran leadership and experience Foster provides, while Marsh shines as the rising star new to the program. Both work well together and have been the two main targets for Chiles all season.

There is a huge X-factor for the Wolverines that may not be completely healthy on Saturday night. Junior cornerback and future first-round pick Will Johnson is dealing with a toe injury that sidelined him for most of last week’s game and has played a role in this week’s preparation.

If Johnson doesn’t play, look for grad Aamir Hall to take his place for a second straight week. Hall was called for multiple defensive holding penalties last week and was completely outmatched on several pass plays.

The rest of the Wolverines’ defensive secondary will rely on freshmen defensive backs Mason Curtis and Jo’Ziah Edmond, who made their debuts on defense last week. Johnson’s health will tell a lot about how the Spartans will distribute their targets.

Foster and Marsh will look to separate the two freshmen who will be at a major disadvantage in their second game on defense. Not to mention, it’s a rivalry game and the Wolverines will be in danger of falling to .500 and losing their identity as a program.

If the Spartans can perform in all three facets and take advantage of some of the Wolverines’ weaknesses, the Green and White will hoist the Paul Bunyan Trophy at Michigan Stadium for the first time since 2020.

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