***2015 Game 10 “Expert” Picks: Michigan State at Nebraska***

[Saunders 7,531]

2015 Game 10 “Expert” Picks: Michigan State at Nebraska

 

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CollegeFootballNews.com

http://collegefootballnews.com/2015/michigan-state-vs-nebraska-game-preview-prediction

Is this a trap game for Michigan State (8-0)? The Spartans have had some rocky moments, and now they have to face a desperate and embarrassed Nebraska (3-6) fighting for its season’s survival. Could this be the biggest Saturday curveball?

Why You Need To Care

It’s a strange question to ask of an 8-0 team careening towards a shot at the playoff – is Michigan State actually any good? It’s obviously good, but to be more exact, is it really national title good? Can a team with true playoff aspirations struggle so much with Purdue and Michigan, and have so many problems in seemingly every game? 8-0 is 8-0, and there’s just one more game to go after this – Maryland – before the showdown of showdowns against Ohio State. But going to Nebraska might be hard enough, considering how flaky MSU has been throughout the year and with a playoff-type of atmosphere in Lincoln.

For all the talk about Nebraska being five plays away from being 8-0 going into the Purdue game, that all flew out the window with the stunning 55-45 loss to Purdue last week. But there was one key part to the loss that stood out above all else – the team never quit. It kept fighting and fighting and fighting, but it had too big a hill to climb over. Now the Huskers have to win out to go bowling, and as bad as this year might be, that all changes if they can screw up Michigan State, win at Rutgers, and derail the Iowa dream, this would be a successful season in a lot of ways.

Why Michigan State Will Win

Connor Cook, get that right arm ready. For all the talk about Nebraska needing just a little more tweaking under the new coaching staff before it finally all starts to kick in, that goes out the window when it comes to the pass defense. The Husker secondary has been awful, allowing 16 touchdown passes and failing to come up with a pick in five of the last six games. Getting 300 yards on this group wasn’t a problem over the first half of the season, and in the second half, just keeping the chains moving hasn’t been much of an issue. Cook has been terrific at carrying the offense at times – should be able to bomb away for well over 300 yards.

Why Nebraska Will Win

You want to see a team ready to come out balling? With QB Tommy Armstrong ready to give it a go after missing the Purdue game with a toe injury, and with this a night game and with a chance to really and truly be Nebraska again for one night, this should be one well-motivated team that should play at a whole other level – at least that’s the hope for the Huskers. Putting together a consistent full four quarters has been an issue for the Spartans, but that could prove costly. Nebraska has a slew of issues, but effort hasn’t been a problem, especially from the passing game, and especially from …

Player Who Matters

Nebraska’s Jordan Westerkamp, the team’s leading receiver with 49 grabs for 658 yards and five scores, needs to have a huge game. Banged up throughout the year, he showed what he could do last week trying to bring the team back in the Purdue loss with nine catches for 123 yards and a score. Last year he gave Michigan State fits in the 27-22 Nebraska loss, catching nine passes for a career-high 158 yards. He’ll be targeted, but he’ll have to come close to doing that again.

What’s Going To Happen?

The game will play out like the season. Nebraska will be the better team for most of the game, but when it comes down to that one big play needed, it won’t happen. Michigan State will be great early, will disappear in a puzzling way for long stretches in the middle of the game, and then will come through big in the final few minutes to pull away just enough to get out alive.

PREDICTION: Michigan State 34 - Nebraska 27

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SBNation/Football Study Hall

http://www.footballstudyhall.com/2015/11/5/9671452/college-football-picks-week-10-s-and-p

Michigan State 33 - Nebraska 28

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ESPN FPI

http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/fpi?id=158&year=2015

Michigan State - 68.9% chance of winning

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BTN.com

http://btn.com/2015/11/04/polls-its-time-to-pick-your-week-10-big-ten-football-winners/

Tom Dienhart: Michigan State 28 - Nebraska 24

Sean Merriman: Michigan State 35 - Nebraska 24

Brent Yarina: Michigan State 41 - Nebraska 23

Henry Bushnell: Nebraska 27 - Michigan State 24

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CBSSports.com

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/features/writers/expert/picks/straight-up/10

Dennis Dodd: Michigan State

Jon Solomon: Michigan State

Jerry Palm: Michigan State

Tom Fornelli: Michigan State

Jerry Hinen: Nebraska

Chip Patterson: Michigan State

Robby Kalland: Michigan State

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ESPN Big Ten Blog

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/126361/big-ten-week-10-game-picks-can-indiana-knock-off-undefeated-iowa

Brian Bennet: Michigan State

Josh Moyer: Michigan State

Dan Murphy: Michigan State

Mitch Sherman: Michigan State

Jesse Temple: Michigan State

Austin Ward: Michigan State

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Big Red Wrap-Up

http://netnebraska.org/interactive-multimedia/sports/big-red-wrap-michigan-state-prediction-2

Kevin Kugler: Michigan State 45 - Nebraska 21

Blake Lawrence: Michigan State 34 - Nebraska 24

Matt Davison: Michigan State 27 - Nebraska 20

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Daily Nebraskan

http://www.dailynebraskan.com/sports/dn-sports-desk-nebraska-vs-michigan-state-score-predictions/article_d2d60458-810f-11e5-b876-a3b5934369f4.html

Josh Kelly: Michigan State 38 - Nebraska 20

Brett Nierengarten: Michigan State 41 - Nebraska 17

Nick Wilkinson: Michigan State 42 - Nebraska 24

Michael Dixon: Michigan State 45 - Nebraska 21

Vanessa Daves: Nebraska 24 - Michigan State 17

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Athlon Sports

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/predictions-every-college-football-game-week-10

Steven Lassan: Michigan State

Mitch Light: Michigan State

David Fox: Michigan State

Braden Gall: Michigan State

Mark Ross: Michigan State

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AP - Ralph D Russo

http://collegefootball.ap.org/article/ap-top-25-picks-time-whittle-field-contenders

Two of the three Big Ten unbeatens are on the road. At least one won't be unbeaten after this weekend.

Nebraska 28 - Michigan State 24

[DomiNUs 126]

I expertly pick an upset. Nebraska rolls Michigan St. Time to start the turnaround. It has to happen sometime right?

[Redux 9,943]

4 votes of confidence!

[NUance 8,970]

I'm shocked that the predicted pointspreads aren't higher.

 

I'm also pleased to see Jerry Hinen picking NU in an upset. He's been pretty savvy about picking upsets the past couple of years. :

[Street Novelist 202]

I can't believe how close these predictions are. Did the "experts" not watch our last game where we surrendered over half a hundred to lowly Purdue? Michigan State should be in the 60's, maybe even 70's.

[soup 162]

I can't believe how close these predictions are. Did the "experts" not watch our last game where we surrendered over half a hundred to lowly Purdue? Michigan State should be in the 60's, maybe even 70's.

 

Those "experts" also watched "lowly" Purdue take Mich St. into the 4th qtr and make a very close game out of it. Not to mention, they are coming on the road against a team with their backs against the wall. That same team also has a HUGE matchup next week against Ohio St. There is a recipe here that could lead to an upset.

[cm husker 2,045]

Based on the near even talent match up and the Spartan system this year, I just don't see this getting out of hand.

 

 

It's in Lincoln. I think NU has about a 1 in 3 chance of pulling off the upset. I would be surprised if they lost by more than 17 points (and even then, I think the game will be closer than the final score appears).

 

Michigan State has struggled against some really weak teams this year and hardly beaten anyone by more than 14 points.

 

NU simply has too much talent to get blown off the field by this MSU team.

[hskrfan4life 2,878]

As Lee Corso would say "The wrong team is favored here," The Nebraska Cornhuskers will win.

[Mavric 23,864]

[brophog 2,850]

Not only has MSU failed to look impressive, some of the scores are deceptive. Indiana played them posession for posession for three quarters, even looked like they may have a chance to pull an upset (if they only could kick a PAT). MSU got 3 garbage time TDs to pad that score.

[Mavric 23,864]

[Touchdown Tommie 277]

Jay Foreman is probably the closest one...I don't want the Huskers to get spanked, but I have a feeling it might happen. MSU needs to send a message to the committee and unfortunately the Huskers are the first opponent after the playoffs were announced.

 

Please let the Huskers win though!!!!

[BIGREDIOWAN 2,701]

What if we did win the last three games? I'd probably have a stroke from the confusion that I'd feel! Beat #7 MSU and #9 Iowa both who are undefeated! Yeah, that's not happening, but a guy can dream right?!

[Kruzu 49]

Seeing a few people going with DONU gives me completely unreasonable hope! GBR!!

[NebraskaShellback 229]

What if we did win the last three games? I'd probably have a stroke from the confusion that I'd feel! Beat #7 MSU and #9 Iowa both who are undefeated! Yeah, that's not happening, but a guy can dream right?!

I know first aid