Michigan (3-4, 1-2 Big Ten) stopped the bleeding the last time it took the field by beating Penn State 18-13 under the lights at home. But now it faces a more ferocious and talented opponent in Michigan State (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten).
Over the course of the rivalry, Michigan sometimes could complain that the Spartans had bent the rules (or the clock) to win, but those times are in the past. Michigan State is now the pre-eminent football power in the state and put a vicious beating on the Wolverines the last two times the teams met in East Lansing.
Both programs have a lot riding on this year’s game. Because of a scheduling quirk, the teams meet for the second consecutive season in East Lansing, and the timing couldn’t be worse for Brady Hoke. The Spartans are competing for a spot in the new national championship playoffs and are looking not just to win but to make a statement for the national polls, while Hoke is fighting for his job.
A victory for Michigan would give Hoke some much-needed ammunition to stave off critics who are calling for his job, but a loss would probably seal his fate.
Date: Saturday, October 18, 2014
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Place: Spartan Stadium (75,005), East Lansing, Michigan
Series vs. Michigan State: Michigan leads 35-24-2
Television: ABC
Radio: Michigan Sports Network, Sirius (113), XM (195)
Spread: MSU by 15.5 via Odds Shark
Live Stats: MGoBlue.com GameTracker
Last Meeting vs. Michigan State: Michigan’s 29-6 loss in East Lansing last year was the beginning of a brutal slide that sunk the team’s Big Ten title hopes. The Spartans manhandled the Wolverines, limiting them to minus-48 yards rushing (the lowest total in school history) and sacking Devin Gardner seven times.