Thoughts on MSU?

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GiantsOfTheNorth

GiantsOfTheNorth

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Well, if you look at the numbers, they put up 3 on Nebraska and we put up 14. I know that was mainly against Nebraska's 2nd team, but still. I know it's a road game that will be tough to win against a good MSU team, but I think we finally have some life in our team.
What do people think about our chances?
 

My thought is I think Sparty is still juicing, no way anybody can maintain that physique.
 


Depends on which Cousins shows up.

Good Cousins, we probably lose by 20-30. Bad Cousins, we lose by 10-20. I don't think we're ready for a defense of their caliber just yet. Iowa's defense is pretty bad which helped jump start our offense, but I highly doubt we'll have the same running lanes on Saturday.
 

Physically, the matchup isn't the greatest, their D-line could give our O-line some problems. If we're able to hold our own in that battle, then this could actually be closer than expected. I suspect we'll experience a slight "back to earth" type feeling in this one, but still, as long as their out there competing and playing more disciplined football as they have been of late, then we should be able to at least be competitive in this one.
 


I think to compete we are going to have to stretch their defense side line to side line, we can't run straight at them and gain yardage. That means WR screens, running off the edge, sweeps, throw back TE screens and then as they widen out, attack the middle of their zone with slants and TE deep up the middle and deep crossing routes. Of course I am speaking of things we don't do...not just not well, but not at all...so I am not hopeful.
 

We will have to play well to be in the game. If we hang around, anything can happen, but they've got a good set of running backs, a very good quarterback, and three effective receivers. We are going to have to do something to get their offense off-stride and I don't know if we can. I look for Claeys to think outside the box and give the Spartans a bunch of different looks.
 

If they cut down on the mistakes like they did against Iowa we may be able to keep it respectable.

I've said it several times here in the past, I don't mind loosing these games while we get our program
back on track but I do expect them to at least show up and make it respectable.
 

the offense has done some good things over the last couple of weeks. MSU has a legit defense and can make things tough for the Gophers.

MSU had 3 games in a row that they were up for and probably the game at Nebraska caught up to them. Maybe the Gophers still catch them down a bit and can keep it close.
 



If this game were at TCF, I'd say there's a great chance for us to keep it competitive. Maybe not win, but certainly give them a game. But MSU is a different team at home (vs. Mich and Wis) than on the road (at ND and Neb). I don't see us having a real chance at winning this one, but I'm confident that we will see a better road performance than we did at Mich and Purdue, and I'm hopeful that it will be a game that, despite a loss, builds on the new-found confidence and excitement among the team and fan base.
 

rodentwatcher said:
If they cut down on the mistakes like they did against Iowa we may be able to keep it respectable.

I've said it several times here in the past, I don't mind loosing these games while we get our program
back on track but I do expect them to at least show up and make it respectable.
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I'm the same way. If we play sharp, crisp, and smart football and simply are out-manned, I don't really care about the final score that much. We're re-building and there are going to be some bumps on the road. As long as we don't play ourselves off the field by continually shooting ourselves in the foot, I don't get too worked up about it.
 

If there was ever a good time to be catching MSU, it might be this week.

They have played a physically brutal schedule so far, already having played Notre Dame (road), Ohio State (road), Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nebraska (road). The last two weeks in particular were probably quite the roller coaster; the last second win against Wisky and getting manhandled by Nebraska in Lincoln.

I think the 25.5 point spread is generous, but only because I'm not convinced MSU has that much offensive firepower.

No doubt, they'll be smarting after the beating in Nebraska so it's a tough call to how this is going to shake out. They're a hard team to figure out. They played a great, disciplined game against Wisky, but one that was sandwiched by undisciplined games against Michigan (13 penalties for 124 yards, numerous unsportsmanlike fouls) and Nebraska (9 penalties for 90 yards).

I like the Gophers' chances of coming out with a respectable showing, but the way this season has gone, who knows. They need a good outing. A solid game will indicate to most that things are slowly but surely getting on track. A 30+ point loss and the sky will be falling once again.
 

They actually remind me quite a bit of the 2010 Iowa team. They have a good OL, good WRs, a power running game and a decent QB.

The game could be close (relatively) if Cousins is off. If Cousins is on, we are going to have a tough time stopping them and scoring on them.
 




Ogee Oglethorpe said:
If there was ever a good time to be catching MSU, it might be this week.They have played a physically brutal schedule so far, already having played Notre Dame (road), Ohio State (road), Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nebraska (road). The last two weeks in particular were probably quite the roller coaster; the last second win against Wisky and getting manhandled by Nebraska in Lincoln.

I think the 25.5 point spread is generous, but only because I'm not convinced MSU has that much offensive firepower.

No doubt, they'll be smarting after the beating in Nebraska so it's a tough call to how this is going to shake out. They're a hard team to figure out. They played a great, disciplined game against Wisky, but one that was sandwiched by undisciplined games against Michigan (13 penalties for 124 yards, numerous unsportsmanlike fouls) and Nebraska (9 penalties for 90 yards).

I like the Gophers' chances of coming out with a respectable showing, but the way this season has gone, who knows. They need a good outing. A solid game will indicate to most that things are slowly but surely getting on track. A 30+ point loss and the sky will be falling once again.
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MSU appears to have the easiest remaining BT schedule of any contenders finishing off with Us, Iowa, IU and NU. If they take care of business, they will end up 7-1 and could be in position to play for the BIG title.

Said that, they could be mentally ready to take a big sigh of relief, leave their game in the locker room and come out flat. If so, our guys need to be ready right, continue their 4th quarter play against the Hogeyes, have some success and manage an early lead.. After that, who knows what could happen. Confidence and emotions can be a huge factor.

But the key is Coach Kill getting the guys ready to play, more good execution and fewer mental errors.
 

MSU has to much in the tank for us. 3 good receivers; probably the best in the Big Ten. Big and small running backs combo. On defense Gholston is a beast at DE. 28 point spread is about right inless weather plays a factor.
 

If Minnesota can play adequate cover two with their safeties this will be a close game.

The MSU OC is absolutely horrendous and has no justification for holding this position. He has failed as an OC at Butler, Northern Illinois and Illinois, and for some reason in all his infinite wisdom Dantonio decided he was his guy after Don Treadwell left to accept the head coaching position at Miami (Ohio).

Don't get me wrong, MSU has some very capable offensive weapons but the OC has squandered it because of his own ineptness.

The defense is solid but hurting. MSU was without their starting weakside linebacker Chris Norman last week due to an injury. His backup, Steve Gardiner was injured in the first quarter and missed the rest of the game and will probably be out this week as well. MSU played with a former walkon Kyler Elsworth who got beat on a wheel route for a score.

MSU's secondary is also limping into this contest. Safeties Isaiah Lewis and Trent Robinson as well as CB Darqueze Dennard are dinged up but will play.
 

One of the surest bets in sports is against a college team going on the road after an emotional home win. MSU did exactly
that after beating Wisky. Now, the Gophers have to do the same. Nothing against Kill & the boys, but if we can stay within 20
we'll be doing well. Its just the way it is with 18-22 year olds.....
 

Where's the faith? I actuall think we can win this game. Like some posters said they have to spent after that October! If we play like we did against USC and Iowa we can win this game or make it a great game!
 

Hopefully, we can catch them napping and strike early. I was lurking on michiganstate.247sports.com, and there is virtually no discussion of the Minnesota - Michigan State game, but a lot of talk about the game against Indiana on the 19th. The little discussion there was about Minnesota was things like "Minnesota doesn't matter" or "It won't show us anything about the Spartans".

I realize that fans overlooking an oponent is a much different thing than the team overlooking the opponent, and just because fans are looking past the opponent doesn't mean that the players are looking past the opponent.
 

We would have to catch them napping, yes. It would be a sensational accomplishment for this coaching staff if the
Gophers show real charged-up intensity in East Lansing, and it would take MSU psychologically cratering after the NU
defeat.

There's a chance, of course. Long odds- true, but a chance.
 

A win is a long shot, but if we can catch them napping, we might be able to get a respectable showing.
 

I think it's all about the start on Saturday, much like it was against Iowa. As much as it is influenced by playing second-stringers and teams letting up because we've been down by so much, our second halves have been much, much better than our first this season. In particular, we've had huge letdowns in the 2nd quarter and failed to get on the board in the first in five of eight games. If we can score in the first (even a field goal) and keep MSU from totally dominating the 2nd quarter, I feel like we have a chance to keep it close.

1st Quarter:
Opponents: 64
Gophers: 17
Average score after 1: 8-2

2nd Quarter:
Opponents: 124
Gophers: 37
Average score after 2: 24-7

3rd Quarter:
Opponents: 54
Gophers: 30
Average score after 3: 30-11

4th Quarter:
Opponents: 30
Gophers: 60
Average score after 4: 34-18
 

MSU will throw for mucho yards and win by 25. push in Vegas
 

I'm expecting a 20 point loss. Worse, I'll be bummed. Less, I'll be convinced the improvement I first detected during the NB game is a full blown trend. A win? I can't say because I'd be speechless.
 

RodentRampage said:
Hopefully, we can catch them napping and strike early. I was lurking on michiganstate.247sports.com, and there is virtually no discussion of the Minnesota - Michigan State game, but a lot of talk about the game against Indiana on the 19th. The little discussion there was about Minnesota was things like "Minnesota doesn't matter" or "It won't show us anything about the Spartans".

I realize that fans overlooking an oponent is a much different thing than the team overlooking the opponent, and just because fans are looking past the opponent doesn't mean that the players are looking past the opponent.
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Interesting there's a lot of talk about the Indiana game. They're worse than we are lol
 

I think most of the talk about Indiana over there is a running joke
 

I would guess a lot of Sparty fans (but not Dantonio or the players) are looking ahead to the Iowa game. Iowa's had their number the past couple years, and beating the Hawkeyes is the last big hurdle in the way of a (potential) divisional title.
 

Focusing on our second half and fourth quarter point differential is misleading, because we have played several games where it was over by half so those numbers are based on our play against the other teams' backups.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
Focusing on our second half and fourth quarter point differential is misleading, because we have played several games where it was over by half so those numbers are based on our play against the other teams' backups.
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Something that Gopher07 noted.
 

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