Michigan State Spartans: Week 6 Game Predictions

At 5-0, the Michigan State Spartans are on a roll heading into Week 6. But, after an impressive five-game winning streak, will the Spartans handle the Scarlet Knights or get handed a surprise?

Spartan Nation is anticipating another big week as they travel to Piscataway, New Jersey, for a noon kick-off. Game previews show a steady Michigan State Spartans picking up steam, while Rutgers attempts to regroup after two rough weeks in a row. So how should college football betting enthusiasts approach this matchup between two Big Ten programs?

Read on to learn more about what to expect from Michigan State football as they travel to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Michigan State Spartans Football Offense Hitting Their Stride

The Spartan offense seems to be hitting its stride, especially after an impressive 48-31 win in Week 5 against Western Kentucky. There’s plenty for Greg Schiano and his Scarlet Knights to worry about from the Spartan offense.

Michigan State has the third-best offense in the Big Ten so far this season, with an average of 37.8 points per game.

The Spartan offense features the trio of Kenneth Walker III, Jayden Reed, and Jalen Nailor. These three are all capable of taking over a game offensively. Walker, a transfer from Wake Forest, has 680 rushing yards and is an early Heisman candidate.

While some Spartan faithful may have worried about quarterback Payton Thorne, he’s proven himself to be an integral part of the Spartans’ offense. Thorne ranks fifth in the Big Ten in passing yards with 1,236, third in the Big Ten with an average of 9.5 yards per attempt, and is tied for third with eleven touchdown passes.

Michigan State Football’s Defense

Rutgers can’t only focus on the Spartan offense. Michigan State also has a stifling run defense to consider. The Spartans have the fourth-best rushing defense in the Big Ten, averaging 210.8 yards on the ground.

Safety Angelo Grose had a career-high day against Western Kentucky, with sixteen tackles. Coach Mel Tucker’s mantra, “Just keep chopping,” certainly applies to this defense.

What to Expect From Rutgers

Rutgers is 3-2, with an 0-2 record in the Big Ten.

They may face a different kind of game than what they had with Spartans last year. With Mel Tucker at the helm for another year, the Spartans aren’t likely to hand Rutgers the seven turnovers they got from them at their last meeting.

Rutgers hasn’t generated any turnovers in their last three games, while the Spartans have given up only three through the first five games.

Rutgers also is in recovery mode after two weeks of punishing Big Ten games, first losing to Michigan before getting walloped by Ohio State last week.

Look for the Spartans to take advantage of the Scarlet Knights’ struggling run defense, which gives up 131.8 yards per game.

Michigan State Football Odds Against Rutgers

The Spartans want to keep their momentum rolling as they travel to Rutgers this week.

Rutgers might hope for a repeat of last year’s matchup when they surprised the Spartans with a 38-27 win, but it’ll be much harder for them to do this year. Mel Tucker seems to have the Michigan State football program firing on all cylinders, and it would be a significant upset if the Spartans don’t win this game by a large margin.

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