Western Michigan @ Michigan State preview
Spartan Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 7, 2009 ) Western Michigan 14, Michigan State 49
Michigan State didn't exactly go out on a high note last season.
A disappointing 6-6 regular season ended in turmoil and disarray when several players were suspended for their part in an altercation at a campus dormitory. The incident brought embarrassment to the university and gave the impression that the football program was out of control.
The Spartans' 41-31 loss to Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl was the least of their problems. Coach Mark Dantonio divided his time in the offseason between finding ways to improve the team on the field as well as trying to restore the program's dignity.
While Michigan State, which finished 4-4 in the Big Ten last season, enters 2010 with a cloud over the program, winning will cure most of the problems. A high finish in the league and a meaningful bowl game will make last season's losing record and the off-field problems seem like a distant memory.
The Spartans open play at home against Western Michigan, which is picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference.
Michigan State returns six starters on both offense and defense. Quarterback Kirk Cousins, coming off an outstanding season, leads the way. He threw for 19 touchdowns and 2,680 yards with only nine interceptions.
Another year of experience and a deep receiving corps will be a dangerous combination, but the Spartans must improve their running game, which finished sixth in the conference last season.
The visit to East Lansing provides an excellent opportunity for Western Michigan to prove it can play with an in-state rival from a major conference. And the Spartans know better than anyone how dangerous a MAC team can be, even if the game's on their home turf.
Central Michigan came into Spartan Stadium last season and left with a stunning win on a last-second field goal.
Western Michigan begins life without quarterback Tim Hiller, who starred at the position the last three seasons. It appears coach Bill Cubit has settled on Alex Carder to run the team. The Broncos feature a strong running game to support the first-time starter.
Western Michigan made several changes to a shaky defense, including firing coordinator Steve Morrison and hiring Dave Cohen, a former head coach at Hofstra, which dropped its football program.
The Broncos were 5-7 last season. They opened the season with two losses to Big Ten teams, dropping road games against Michigan and Indiana.