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Not exactly Bowling Green from last year, or Furman, Western Michigan or Jacksonville State.  Not exactly a marquee matchup either, but the way MSU generally looks in the opener (sluggish as hell), Utah State could put a scare into them.  They return 16 starters, including 9 on offense, from a team that went to a bowl last year.  Looking good to probably be the 4th best team in the MWC behind Boise, Fresno and SDSU.  So while MSU should win, it should at least be a decent test out of the gate.  How MSU frequently looks in the opener under Dantonio, against generally awful competition, makes me nervous.

My guess is that it is very much a game at the half and MSU pulls away in the second.  Stay healthy, get ready for the Pac 12 trip next week that Big Ten teams always struggle mightily in.

Braylon Edwards says MSU’s OL was pushed around.  Need to get better, the Sundevils are sharpening their tridents.

Inept OL play to open the season is a Jim Bollman special.  More concerning was the defense, which was surprisingly soft in the back.  Utah State's QB was dealing, though, so it might have just been bad luck.

As I said in the SOC thread, obviously being down your best corner hurts, but Dantonio teams have never figured out that kind of attack.  See the Northwestern game last year.  Teams that spread us out and pass, crush our defense.  Pace only worsens it.  It's been over a decade, and the pattern always repeats.

couple of things..
 Teams like MSU/Iowa/NW all love to start slow.... Wisconsin has done this as well.   While teams get better with experience, these teams seem to treat opening games as a means of figuring out their teams.  


Culturally, the Spartans seem more comfortable being the underdog.  

As I said in the SOC thread, obviously being down your best corner hurts, but Dantonio teams have never figured out that kind of attack.  See the Northwestern game last year.  Teams that spread us out and pass, crush our defense.  Pace only worsens it.  It's been over a decade, and the pattern always repeats.

which is why I hope to god that Harbaugh doesn't try to be an idiot and play man-ball with MSU this year.
Patterson can run and throw on the run. Spread out the MSU defense, give Patterson some RPO plays and get the ball to Grant Perry and Oliver Martin in the slot- hell they should work their best athlete- DPJ in the slot on some plays. The 6'7+ TE Zach Gentry runs well enough to line up him in the slot on some plays as well. And Chris Evans runs pass routes better than any RB that I've ever seen at Michigan- they should motion him into the slot out of the backfield and isolate him on some MSU Safety/LB's.
But no. Harbaugh will probably try to play with 3 TE's and a FB all game long and get shut down.

That's actually what I was thinking as I posted that.  If he runs something similar to what Ole Miss ran, MSU is in big, big trouble.

we'll see. Have to be honest with you- don't have a ton of faith in Harbaugh when it comes to QB play and opening up the offense.
He switched up his offense though in San Fran when he yanked Smith for Kapernick in order to play to Kap's strengths. Hopefully he does the same thing with his shiny new QB this year. We'll see in about 6 hours if Harbaugh is willing to change things up. I have my doubts.

Should add that the lone pleasant surprise on defense was Tyriq Thompson.  While Simmons is dealing with whatever he's dealing with, the thought of Thompson getting extensive playing time gave MSU fans heart palpitations.  Bachie was amazing, but Thompson was probably their second best LB.

Also, what's the deal with them letting so much after the whistle stuff go?  I've seen videos that seem to clearly show at least three warranted eje tions, two for MSU, one for USU, none called.