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Michigan State football heads out West for its introduction to one of the Big Ten newcomers, Oregon, in a Friday night game (9 p.m., Fox) that’s also a throwback to when the Spartans annually challenged the might of the Pac-12 in its pursuit of national glory.
It’s also a throwback for MSU head coach Jonathan Smith, in his first year in East Lansing after running his alma mater — and Oregon rival — Oregon State for six seasons.
Michigan State Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith walks the sidelines during the fourth quarter the NCAA football game against Ohio State University at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. Buckeyes won 38-7.
Smith and the Beavers went 2-4 against the Ducks during his time as head coach; will he be able to repeat that success Friday night? Five Free Press sports writers have some thoughts:
SCOUTING THE GAME: Ducks ready to fly together vs. Spartans
Carlos Monarrez
The Spartans are massive underdogs, with their only hope being that the No. 6 Ducks get caught looking ahead to next week’s game against Ohio State and that Aidan Chiles plays the game of his life. Oregon has offensive line issues, but that didn’t stop quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a sixth-year Oklahoma transfer, and the Ducks from scoring a combined 83 points on the road in their past two games against Oregon State and UCLA. The pick: Oregon 39, MSU 16
Rainer Sabin
For a prolonged stretch last week against Ohio State, the Spartans showed they could hang with a top-ten team, repeatedly moving the ball into the red zone. But they also demonstrated that they have had trouble finishing, blowing three golden opportunities to put points on the board.
The Spartans were often their own worst enemy in the first month of the season, turning the ball over 13 times — tied for the third-highest total in the Football Bowl…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-football-picks-vs-100649840.html
Author : Detroit Free Press
Publish date : 2024-10-04 10:06:49
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