Michigan State a little overrated?

[Blackshirts007]

I think they will be good, dont get me wrong, but i am just as puzzled as everyone else, including other B1G schools as to how everyone is predicting them to make it to the CCG and most people having them beating Wisconsin for it. At this point in time i would chose Michigan or Nebraska over MSU to be there, on the sole fact of what each team has coming back, and what we know about each teams. Doesn't it seem like whenever MSU has a good squad they always choke some point in the season?

[sd'sker]

maybe they are 'overrated' because 100% of the legends' division representative in the B1G ccg have come from the state of michigan?

[admo]

I think they get love because Dantonio is good coach, defense is solid, and the Wolverines are not a power house yet. But the main thing is, they are boring as all get-out for 3 quarters...Kind of like Bill Parcell's old teams where they stay the course, wait for the other team to make a mistake and win in the end. Effective at times, bug u g l y and boring

 

I think they're over hyped this season. They'll be good, just not good enough to talk about each week.

[walksalone]

I hope their RB is really good, because their QB has thrown 50 passes....

[Josh007]

I happened to see MSU's preview last night on Big Ten Network. I would have to saw that their lack of experience at quarterback may give them problems, but their defense looks geared up. They seem to be a squad who believes in more than they can actually produce, which translates well on the field. However, I don't see them causing any fits for us this year; we will handle them in the same manner as we did a year ago.

['SkersRule]

Anyone else find the love MSU is getting a little odd? First, I'm not taking anything away from what they've done the last two years. Been a very good team, with few weaknesses. But this year is not last year.

 

They have a rank of #13 in both polls which I can understand. What I don't get, is why so many are picking us to finish behind them (and lose in East Lansing). We skull drug them last year. The "flat" argument holds little water, because they weren't playing sloppy, or making a multitude of mistakes. Our defense simply shut them down, they struggled to run after the first series, and Cousins had nobody to throw to.

 

Fast forward to 2012. MSU graduates the greatest senior class in school history, and arguably, one of their best QB's ever. Also, they lost their top 4 pass catchers. Of course, according the the talking heads, MSU is just going to lean on their ground game via LeVeon Bell. But lets look at the numbers.

 

MSU Rush Rankings 2011 - (These are B1G Conference ranks)

YPG - 137 - #11 (Only ahead of Iowa)

ATT/G - 35 - #11 (Only ahead of Iowa)

YPC - 3.95 - t#9 (Tied with Iowa, ahead of Indiana and Northwestern)

Yards - 1931 - #10 (Played 2 more games than #11 Minnesota, and 1 more than #12 Iowa)

 

That doesn't look like a dominating rushing attack that you can lean on to move the chains while your passing offense gets up to speed. I simply don't think that they're going to score enough points, even with a good defense. I think they're looking at a 9-3 type season.

 

Thoughts?

 

I think that Michigan State will finish 9-3 because of their schedule. They have one tough home game when they host Nebraska (which I think they'll lose) and then they go on the road to play Michigan and wisconsin. This Spartan team could more than likely get to 9 wins.

[walksalone]

I think that Michigan State will finish 9-3 because of their schedule. They have one tough home game when they host Nebraska (which I think they'll lose) and then they go on the road to play Michigan and wisconsin. This Spartan team could more than likely get to 9 wins.

 

If their Defense is "that good", then it should keep them in most ballgames. It the games against the tougher teams where their lack of offense is going to be exposed. I think them winning 9 games is spot on.

['SkersRule]

I think that Michigan State will finish 9-3 because of their schedule. They have one tough home game when they host Nebraska (which I think they'll lose) and then they go on the road to play Michigan and wisconsin. This Spartan team could more than likely get to 9 wins.

 

If their Defense is "that good", then it should keep them in most ballgames. It the games against the tougher teams where their lack of offense is going to be exposed. I think them winning 9 games is spot on.

 

And the Spartans open their season this coming Friday against Boise State. I think the Spartans will win this game. But if Sparty loses things could get ugly for them this season.

[walksalone]

I think that Michigan State will finish 9-3 because of their schedule. They have one tough home game when they host Nebraska (which I think they'll lose) and then they go on the road to play Michigan and wisconsin. This Spartan team could more than likely get to 9 wins.

 

If their Defense is "that good", then it should keep them in most ballgames. It the games against the tougher teams where their lack of offense is going to be exposed. I think them winning 9 games is spot on.

 

And the Spartans open their season this coming Friday against Boise State. I think the Spartans will win this game. But if Sparty loses things could get ugly for them this season.

 

I don't think they'll lose. This isn't the Boise St of past couple years, new QB & RB. If Petersen games plans his ass of, then this should be a really interesting game.

[MSUFAN4320]

I think many of us Spartan fans are cautiously optimistic about our team this year. Return 9 starters on defense (18 of 22 from the 2 deep). We have a ton of depth on that side of the ball.

 

I'm sure we'll take a step back in the passing game, but as far as transitioning to a first-year starter at QB, we couldn't have a more ideal situation. Andrew Maxwell has been in the system for 3 years and knows the playbook like the back of his hand. He has been groomed to be the heir apparent to Cousins for some time, and the coaches have been raving about him during the off-season. The thing is though, it's doubtful that he will need to be anything other than an effective game manager in order for us to win games. The defense should be stout, and the running game should be vastly improved. We return 4 starters on the o-line, on what was mainly a patchwork unit last year due to injuries. We also have Bell in the backfield who's an ox, and projected by some as a potential 1st round pick.

 

I'm definitely looking forward to November 3rd. You guys handled us pretty well last year, but we haven't lost a home game in 2 seasons. Should be a great game.

[Eric the Red]

I think MSU is predicted right where they should be. Ton of defense and a rushing attack. Next year they may be even better.

[Saunders]

I think MSU is predicted right where they should be. Ton of defense and a rushing attack. Next year they may be even better.

You mean a rushing attack that was 2nd worse in the conference?

[Brouhaha]

I think MSU is predicted right where they should be. Ton of defense and a rushing attack. Next year they may be even better.

You mean a rushing attack that was 2nd worse in the conference?

 

HEYYYYYYYYOOOO!

[Polarhusker]

I don't think they'll beat us in the standings unless they beat us head to head. They'll have a good defense, but not much else. I couldn't figure out how we were the only team to beat them in conference play last year. And we beat them bad. They even handled the two teams that destroyed us.

 

its pretty simple, bo's defense dominates immobile qbs, and sucks hind tit against mobile ones

 

You can actually say that about all teams. not just NU.

[74Hunter]

I personally think that we have a better shot a losing to MSU and beating Meatchicken, but that's just me.....