Penn State @ Michigan State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 26, 2016 ) Michigan State 12, Penn State 45

No. 7 Penn State will try to rebound from a painful loss and keep its hopes alive in both the Big Ten and College Football Playoff races when it visits Michigan State on Saturday. A late collapse led to the Nittany Lions' 39-38 setback at Ohio State last Saturday, dropping James Franklin's squad to the seventh spot in the initial CFP rankings released this week.

The Spartans also suffered a difficult defeat, falling in three overtimes at Northwestern, and they enter Saturday's tilt tied with Penn State in the Big Ten East Division, a game behind the first-place Buckeyes. "Both us and Michigan State have to come off really tough games and be ready to play," Franklin told reporters. "That's the reality of this time of year in college football. You embrace it, make the best of it, and you work through it. That's what we will do." Michigan State can still pave a road to the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis with a win over the Lions and then another at Ohio State on Nov. 11, an incredibly challenging stretch that could help lift the program back to the heights it has seen in recent years. "I think it's important that we all play our best game when our best game is demanded of us. We get ourselves ready for that," Spartans coach Mark Dantonio told reporters. "I'm constantly asking our players if they're ready to play. 'Have you done everything that you can possibly throughout the week to get yourself ready to play?' Emotionally, physically, mentally as well."

TV: Noon ET, FOX. LINE: Penn State -8.5

ABOUT PENN STATE (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten): Star running back Saquon Barkley was held to a season-low 44 rushing yards and senior quarterback Trace McSorley was hurried repeatedly in the loss to Ohio State, as the offensive line struggled to contain the Buckeyes' attack. "Our issue is the negative-yardage plays," Franklin told the media. "Whether they make a good call and catch us in a look that we're not expecting or whether it's (a run-pass option), we should have pulled it and threw the ball rather than handed it off, or whether it's not trying to turn every run into an 80-yard run. We have to get better in that area." The Nittany Lions had the top scoring defense in the country prior to allowing 529 yards, and it has permitted its last two opponents to convert on a total of 8-of-8 red zone trips.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (6-2, 4-1): Sophomore quarterback Brian Lewerke set school records for passing yards (445) and completions (39) in the loss to Northwestern, and his 57 passing attempts tied for the second-highest total in program history. He also was the leading rusher with just 30 yards, as team season leader LJ Scott (511 yards) was held to 16 and committed his fifth fumble, continuing a season-long issue for the Spartans. "I assure you, it's being stressed and it's a point of emphasis and a point of frustration," Dantonio said of his team's conference-leading 10 lost fumbles. "But the ball's going to come out. Penn State is the best in the conference at takeaways right now. That traditionally has been our job or our role when we've won championships."

EXTRA POINTS

1. McSorley threw for 376 yards and four TDs in last year's 45-12 win over the Spartans as Penn State knotted the all-time series at 15-15-1.

2. Spartans WR Cody White has 15 catches for 264 yards over the last two games after producing a total of five grabs and 50 yards through the first six contests of his career.

3. Michigan State LB Joe Bachie ranks fourth in the Big Ten in tackles (71) and has 21 over the last two weeks.

PREDICTION: Penn State 28, Michigan State 21