College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Michigan State Spartans season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Michigan State Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 7-6 overall, 4-5 in Big Ten
Head Coach: Mel Tucker, 1st year
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 39
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 57
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 14
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Michigan State Spartans Offense 3 Things To Know
– The Michigan State offense could use a fresh set of ideas. Jay Johnson takes over after running Mel Tucker’s Colorado offense last season, and he inherits a veteran bunch that turned the ball over way too often, couldn’t run the ball nearly as well as it should have, and ended up averaging just 372 yards and 22 points per game.
It all starts with a line that was beaten up throughout all of last season. The offense couldn’t get into much of a groove when game after game there were new parts up front, but at least the experience is in place.
C Matt Allen needs to stay healthy for a full season – he’s the quarterback and veteran leader – but securing the tackles is a must, too, after a seemingly revolving door on the left side all of last year. Fortunately, the entire two-deep – in some configuration – is back from a group that, all things considered, held it together to keep the quarterbacks from getting popped.
CFN in 60 Video: Michigan State Spartans Preview
– It’s not necessarily Rocky Lombardi-or-bust at quarterback, but he’s the veteran presence who’ll get the longest look by the new staff. The junior saw time over his first two years, completing 7-of-21 passes for 74 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions last year.
He’ll be pushed by 6-5, 222-pound sophomore Theo Day and redshirt freshman Payton Thorne in he fight to upgrade a passing game that averaged fewer than seven yards per pass with 17 touchdowns and 15 picks – 13 from former starter Brian Lewerke. But who will they throw to?
The Spartans lose their top three pass catchers, hurt mostly by the early departure of leading receiver Cody White. There’s talent, but not a whole lot of experience. It starts with talented sophomore Jalen Nailor, who’s coming off a broken foot and should be the No. 1 target.
Nailor and sophomore Tre Mosley should fill in just fine, and star recruit Ricky White will get every shot right away. Senior TE Matt Dotson – catching 16 passes in eight games – should take over the main duties.
– The passing game should come around, but the team’s season relies on the ground attack to do more after coming up with just 1,653 yards and averaging 3.5 yards per pop. That might happen if the veteran offensive line can come together and stay healthy to pave the way for sophomore Elijah Collins, who led the team with 988 yards and five scores.
The No. 2 back, though – sophomore Anthony Williams – only ran for 118 yards and a score, and veteran Connor Heyward should be back after flirting with the transfer portal.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Michigan State Spartans Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: Michigan State Spartans Defense 3 Things To Know
– How fast will the rebuild take? Mel Tucker worked his way up as a defensive coach, and defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton comes in from Kansas State to help figure out how to keep the Spartan defense going like it’s supposed to.
MSU’s D was a slight disappointment after a special 2018, but it still finished 18th in the nation overall allowing 322 yards and 22.5 points per game. Seven of the top ten tacklers are gone with six starters needing to be replaced.
– The defensive line gets the most early attention, especially at tackle. Jacub Panasiuk is a decent veteran on the outside, and Drew Beesley has been around long enough to take on a bigger role at one end. Again, though, the tackles – it’s going to take a bit to find the right rotation around 6-4, 338-pound senior Naquan Jones.
The linebacking corps got used to life without Joe Bachie halfway through last season, but Antjuan Simmons stepped up and is back after leading the team with 90 tackles. He’s built like a big safety, and he can move – he’ll get in on everything. Throw in junior Noah Harvey, and this group should turn out to be fine.
– Safety Xavier Henderson returns after finishing second on the team with 83 tackles – and he’s going to need some help for a pass defense that allowed 208 yards per game but allowed way too many big plays. Shakur Brown is a good veteran corner on one side, and it’ll be up to senior Dominique Long to do more at one of the safety jobs after coming up with 16 stops.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top Michigan State Spartans Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top Michigan State Spartans Players
Best Michigan State Spartans Offensive Player
RB Elijah Collins, Soph.
A good get for the program in 2018, the 6-0, 217-pounder stepped up last year as the teams main – and sometimes, only – rushing option. He ran for 988 yards and five scores, and caught 15 passes for 99 yards, and now he could be even more of a workhorse. He hit the 100-yard mark three times – he’ll be relied on even more.
2. C Matt Allen, Sr.
3. WR Tre Mosley, Soph.
4. WR Jalen Nailor, Jr.
5. QB Rocky Lombardi, Jr.
Best Michigan State Spartans Defensive Player
LB Antjuan Simmons, Sr.
The 6-0, 216-pounder isn’t all that big, but he found a role over his first two seasons with 66 tackles, and last year he got a shot to breakout. Steady, and occasionally sensational, he led the team with 90 tackles with 3.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss, and he was decent in pass coverage. Experienced, fast, and dependable, he’ll be turn loose even more in the backfield under the new coaching staff.
2. S Xavier Henderson, Jr.
3. DE Jacub Panasiuk, Sr.
4. LB Noah Harvey, Jr.
5. CB Shakur Brown, Jr.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Michigan State Spartans Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: Michigan State Spartans Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Michigan State Spartans Offense
Consistency in the passing game will be everything. More of a running game is a must, but that will come with more of a commitment to it. Last season, Michigan State won when it threw well, and it lost when it didn’t.
When the O cranked up 300 yards or more through the air, the team went 4-0. When the passing game had three touchdown passes or more, the record was 3-0.
In the six losses, the Spartans threw a grand total of three touchdown passes with ten interceptions, and they only completed more than 57% of their passes in one of those games – hitting 62% in the loss to Arizona State.
The team isn’t going to be good enough to make any noise unless most of the parts are working. It’s not going to be able to challenge for anything big unless the passing game is great.
Biggest Key To The Michigan State Spartans Defense
Don’t get tired. The Spartans were able to come out of the locker room roaring to start the game and after halftime, but they couldn’t keep up the production.
They dominated the first quarters, allowing just 41 points. And they allowed 113 in the second quarters.
They adjusted, giving up just 29 points in the third quarters. And then it all fell apart allowing 110 in the fourth.
To be fair, the offense didn’t provide a lick of help in five of the six losses – scoring 34 in four, to go along with the 34 against Illinois – but the D collapsed against the Illini and too many teams came through late.
Arizona State was held to three points, right up until it marched for a 75-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth in its 10-7 win.
Ohio State’s 24-point second quarter burst all but put the game away, Wisconsin hammered the nail with 21 fourth quarter points, and worst of all, the 27-point Illinois outburst in the fourth quarter – there was a pick-six by Brian Lewerke in the mix – was the biggest collapse.
Key Michigan State Spartans Player To A Successful Season
QB Rocky Lombardi, Jr.
Whether it’s Lombardi or one of the other options in the mix, MSU needs better overall quarterback play.
Brian Lewerke was off his game as a junior, was never quite healthy enough as a senior, and the passing attack suffered. Lombardi got his shot at times over the last two seasons, but it’s been a struggle, completing 43% of his passes for 812 yards and three touchdowns with five picks.
He has the 6-3, 217-pound size, the arm, and just enough mobility to get by, he can step in and start right away. Now he has to be a whole lot better.
Key Game To The Michigan State Spartans Season
Michigan, Oct. 10
You want to get a new coaching era off and running at Michigan State? Beat Michigan.
It’s not going to be an easy start to the season, but it’s a rebuilding year that might turn out to be a grind. However, for Mel Tucker, if he and his Spartans can get by the Wolverines – MSU has lost the last two meetings and three of the last four – the appearance will be that everything is on track. With Ohio State, at Indiana, Minnesota and at Penn State to follow, a loss might be the start to rough run.
– Michigan State Spartans Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Michigan State Fun Stats
– 4th Down Conversions: Michigan State 13-of-21 (62%) – Opponents 10-of-21 (48%)
– Sacks: Michigan State 40 for 263 yards – Opponents 18 for 113 yards
– Points Per Game: Opponents 22.5 – Michigan State 22.4
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Michigan State Spartans Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: Michigan State Spartans Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
Michigan State got stale.
It’s not that Mark Dantonio wasn’t a great head coach – he took the program to phenomenal heights – but two straight 7-6 seasons showed off the regression.
The offense wasn’t fixed, failing to get to 300 points in three of the last four seasons, and struggling to do anything consistently well over the last two.
There were plenty of wins over mediocre programs, but going 1-5 against Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State, losing to Wisconsin last year, and dropping both dates to Arizona State over the last two seasons wasn’t good enough.
It’s now up to Mel Tucker to pump up the energy level in a bit of a reboot. It’s going to take a little while, though.
Do the Spartans have the offensive playmakers? There’s experience, and the line should be better if it can stay healthy, but where are the stars?
Are the defensive parts in place to rise up and be great if the O isn’t quite doing its job? It’s a relatively young group that should be fine, but it’s going to take Tucker and his staff at least a full recruiting cycle to translate all the new energy into talent.
Set The Michigan State Spartans Regular Season Win Total At … 5.5
Bet at BetMGM Win Total Line: 4.5
There’s no Wisconsin on the schedule, and the Michigan, Ohio State, and Minnesota games are at home. Miami will be better, but that’s in East Lansing, too.
However, going to BYU will be tougher than it seems, and dates at Penn State, Indiana and Iowa will all be a problem.
This will be a good enough team to get to at least five wins – it’ll come up with an upset somewhere – but there aren’t any true layup wins except for, maybe, Rutgers, and there can’t be any slips against Maryland on the road or Northwestern at home.
Again, the Spartans will get to five wins, but it’ll take a fight to get to six.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
