header pic

Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

The 'Old' CFN/Scout Crowd- Enjoy Civil discussion, game analytics, in depth player and coaching 'takes' and discussing topics surrounding the game. You can even have your own free board, all you have to do is ask!!!

Anyone is welcomed and encouraged to join our FREE site and to take part in our community- a community with you- the user, the fan, -and the person- will be protected from intrusive actions and with a clean place to interact.


« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down
Author

Topic: #11 Michigan State (3-0, 6-0) at Rutgers (0-3, 3-3) Post Game

 (Read 3042 times)

ELA

  • Global Moderator
  • Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 20317
  • Liked:
#11 Michigan State (3-0, 6-0) at Rutgers (0-3, 3-3) Post Game
« on: October 07, 2021, 03:07:20 PM »
#11 Michigan State Spartans (2-0, 5-0) at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (0-2, 3-2)
NOON - Piscataway, NJ - BTN
It was Rutgers' season opening win in East Lansing last year that changed the narrative around Rutgers football.  The bar was so low that the narrative continues, even though since then the Scarlet Knights have lost 8 of 10 Big Ten games; and haven't won a game against a bowl eligible conference opponent since 2017 Purdue, and haven't beat a .500 conference team since 2014 4-4 Maryland.  That should tell you something about the Chris Ash era, that Greg Schiano is being applauded for getting Rutgers back to the Kyle Flood era of just regular bad.  Occasionally beating other bad teams, and not always getting blown out by good ones.  Is Michigan State good?  Probably.  How good?  Unclear.  They have answered every question that has been asked, but it's unclear how difficult the questions have been.  The next question might be less about the opponent, and more about the Spartans.  Michigan State survived the loss of Drew Beasley, arguably their best defensive lineman, to an injury in the Nebraska game.  Now they need to also deal with the loss of clearly their best linebacker, Cal Haladay, who is suspended for the first half, due to a second half targeting against Western Kentucky.  It certainly makes the decision of Chase Kline, Michigan State's best, and most played, reserve linebacker, after the Nebraska game, loom larger.  This bumps Michigan transfer Ben VanSummeran, true freshman Ma'a Gaoteote, and 6th year senior Noah Harvey into prime roles.  Can Noah Vedral take advantage of a suspect Spartan secondary (points for onomotopoeia?) which has given up a ton of yardage, but relied on (a) turnovers; (b) avoiding big plays; and (c) waiting for the front seven to make a play to put the opposition behind the sticks.  After getting exploited by both Northwestern and Miami, defensive Scottie Hazelton has leaned heavily into a bend but don't break, which would rival anything you see in the NFL on Sundays.  That's how you get a defense that is 12th in the Big Ten in total defense, but 7th in scoring defense.  If Rutgers can hit the big plays that nobody since Northwestern has, I think they can pull this upset.  Since 2009, Rutgers has exactly one win against a Power 5 team that finished with fewer than 6 losses.  That being over an 8-5 Syracuse team in 2012.  Winning here (assuming MSU doesn't lose out) would be Rutgers' best win in 9 years.
MICHIGAN STATE 27, RUTGERS 23

« Last Edit: October 09, 2021, 08:46:25 PM by ELA »
Logged

bayareabadger

  • Legend
  • ****
  • Default Avatar
  • Posts: 7851
  • Liked:
Re: #11 Michigan State (2-0, 5-0) at Rutgers (0-2, 3-2) Game Week
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2021, 03:13:27 PM »
Two feistier than they should be teams. 

Tucker is proving me all sorts of wrong. Interested how it rounds out longer term. 
Logged

ELA

  • Global Moderator
  • Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 20317
  • Liked:
Re: #11 Michigan State (2-0, 5-0) at Rutgers (0-2, 3-2) Game Week
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2021, 03:28:15 PM »
Quote from: bayareabadger on October 07, 2021, 03:13:27 PM
Two feistier than they should be teams.

Tucker is proving me all sorts of wrong. Interested how it rounds out longer term.
I was also skeptical of the strategy of trying to outtalent teams at MSU.

That said, what's ignored is how poor player development had gotten under MD under the final staff.  I actually think Brad Salem as OC did a good job at the end, the players just weren't developed.  Particularly the OL.  Adding Walker out of the portal was huge, but by and large, that is getting way overplayed.  The starting QB was an MD Plan B they flipped from WMU after OSU flipped their Plan A QB.  The WRs are two MD recruits and an MD transfer from WMU, who came in two years ago, and sat out a year.  The OL has one transfer in the rotation.  The DL has one transfer.  The old staff was doing a bad job getting the most out of their recruits.  More than trying to outrecruit teams, what the new staff has done has been doing what a younger MD did, and take those 3* kids, and maximize them.  I am most impressed with the DC and OL coach hires, and the two I'm most worried about getting poached.
Logged

Mdot21

  • Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Default Avatar
  • Posts: 14335
  • Liked:
Re: #11 Michigan State (2-0, 5-0) at Rutgers (0-2, 3-2) Game Week
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2021, 04:41:32 PM »
Tucker has done a masterful job at using the portal to get a whole lot better instantly. Rest of the coaches in this conference needs to take notes.

MSU by 14. At least. Rutger sucks.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2021, 05:05:56 PM by Mdot21 »
Logged

medinabuckeye1

  • Legend
  • ****
  • Default Avatar
  • Posts: 8906
  • Liked:
Re: #11 Michigan State (2-0, 5-0) at Rutgers (0-2, 3-2) Game Week
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2021, 05:03:53 PM »
Quote from: bayareabadger on October 07, 2021, 03:13:27 PM
Two feistier than they should be teams.

Tucker is proving me all sorts of wrong. Interested how it rounds out longer term.
I track current power ranking compared to preseason power ranking and the coach of the most improved team is usually COTY.  Right now MSU is the top team with Rutgers not too far behind:
  • 7.38 MSU up from 12.38 to 5.00
  • 2.54 M up from 5.92 to 3.38
  • 2.54 UNL up from 9.54 to 7.00
  • 2.38 IA up from 4.38 to 2.00
  • 2.23 RU up from 11.15 to 8.92
  • 1.77 UMD up from 9.46 to 7.69

Even though Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa are closer right now, Schiano is probably Tucker's biggest threat for COTY because Rutgers has a LOT more room to improve than the others.  If Michigan or Iowa ended up as a unanimous #1 that would only give them improvement of 4.92 or 3.38 respectively because they started reasonably high.  Rutgers is a different story.  They started at 11.15 so catching MSU is more feasible for them but they'd almost have to win this game.  Thus, this game might just be for COTY.  

Logged

ELA

  • Global Moderator
  • Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 20317
  • Liked:
Re: #11 Michigan State (3-0, 6-0) at Rutgers (0-3, 3-3) Post Game
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2021, 08:47:14 PM »
Very happy to be holding a losing ticket on MSU -5.5 win total for the year
Logged

Mdot21

  • Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Default Avatar
  • Posts: 14335
  • Liked:
Re: #11 Michigan State (3-0, 6-0) at Rutgers (0-3, 3-3) Post Game
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2021, 12:00:37 AM »
Quote from: ELA on October 09, 2021, 08:47:14 PM
Very happy to be holding a losing ticket on MSU -5.5 win total for the year
Both in-state teams have shocked the hell out of me and honestly wasn't expecting either to be this good. 

Oct 30 is shaping up to be a massive showdown vs two 7-0 teams ranked in the top 10-15. State should take care of business vs Indiana and Michigan should steamroll a lousy Northwestern at home. 
Logged

MrNubbz

  • Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Default Avatar
  • Posts: 17138
  • Liked:
Re: #11 Michigan State (3-0, 6-0) at Rutgers (0-3, 3-3) Post Game
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2021, 12:07:21 AM »
Gonna get the popcorn ready and suds ready
Logged
Suburbia:Where they tear out the trees & then name streets after them.

Temp430

  • All Star
  • ******
  • Posts: 2506
  • Liked:
Re: #11 Michigan State (3-0, 6-0) at Rutgers (0-3, 3-3) Post Game
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2021, 07:52:19 AM »
Sparty is looking very good.  Very deserving of their top 10 ranking.
Logged
A decade of Victory over Penn State.

All in since 1969

ELA

  • Global Moderator
  • Hall of Fame
  • *****
  • Posts: 20317
  • Liked:
Re: #11 Michigan State (3-0, 6-0) at Rutgers (0-3, 3-3) Post Game
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2021, 11:18:45 AM »
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
 
Support the Site!
Purchase of every item listed here DIRECTLY supports the site.
Smokey Record TShirt

Dock Signs-WeatherPROOF