Nebraska @ Michigan State preview
Spartan Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 16, 2013 ) Michigan State 41, Nebraska 28
Two of the premier offenses in college football go toe-to-toe when No. 10 Michigan State hosts No. 17 Nebraska in an early-season Big Ten showdown on Saturday. The Spartans, who rode one of the nation’s best defenses on their way to their first Rose Bowl title in 26 years a season ago, rank third in the country in scoring offense (50.3) in 2014. Michigan State rolled to a 56-14 win over Wyoming last weekend, tallying 50 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1978.
The Spartans hinted at that offensive explosiveness in last season’s road meeting versus the Cornhuskers, taking advantage of five turnovers en route to a 41-28 victory – their first win in eight tries against Nebraska. Michigan State brings a 10-game conference winning streak into this matchup, although the undefeated Cornhuskers are no slouch offensively, ranking seventh in the nation in scoring (45.4) in large part due to second-best rushing attack in FBS (354.8 yards). Nebraska amassed 624 yards of total offense – the first time it has topped 600 in Big Ten play in three-plus seasons in the conference – in last week’s 45-14 rout of Illinois.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Michigan State -7
ABOUT NEBRASKA (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten): Ameer Abdullah leads the nation with 833 yards rushing after posting his third 200-yard rushing effort of the season against the Illini, which also extended his FBS-high 17-game streak of topping 100 yards from scrimmage. Abdullah needs 26 more all-purpose yards to become only the seventh player in conference history to reach 6,000 for his career and 71 more rushing yards to pass Ahman Green (3,880) for second place in school history. The Cornhuskers’ rushing output (354.8 yards) is their best through five games since the 1997 national championship team averaged 401.8.
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (3-1, 0-0): The Spartans have scored 201 points – their highest total through four games in school history – although they have been much more balanced than the Cornhuskers, averaging 252 yards rushing and 263 passing. Connor Cook leads the conference and ranks third in FBS in passing efficiency (192.3) while also pacing the Big Ten in completion percentage (69.2). In addition to sporting the fourth-best rushing defense in FBS (78.3) and 11th-best ranking in total defense (289), Michigan State is tied for seventh in the country in forcing turnovers (12) and leads the nation in time of possession (37:29).
EXTRA POINTS
1. This game marks only the 16th night game in the 91-year history of Spartan Stadium.
2. Each of Nebraska WR Kenny Bell’s last 15 touchdown receptions has covered at least 20 yards.
3. Michigan State is averaging 38.3 points in the first half – a mark that is better than all but 33 FBS teams’ per-game marks for a full contest.
PREDICTION: Michigan State 41, Nebraska 38