Last Updated on November 2, 2010 7:27 pm by Anthony Rome
Minnesota vs. Michigan St Preview
EAST LANSING, MI – Michigan State is coming off a lopsided loss which likely dashed its national title hopes.
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Hosting Minnesota may be what the No. 16 Spartans need to get back on track.
The last Big Ten team to lose a conference game faces a squad that has yet to win one Saturday as Michigan State tries to end a three-game losing streak to the Golden Gophers and boost its conference title chances.
Oddsmakers from online sports book BroburySports.com have made Michigan State –24 point spread favorites for Saturday’s game against Minnesota. Current NCAA Public Betting Information shows that 69% of more than 1,181 bets for this game have been placed on Michigan State -24.
The Spartans had climbed to No. 5 in the BCS standings and the AP poll as the Big Ten’s only unbeaten team before falling 37-6 at then-No. 18 Iowa last Saturday. That game appeared to be the last major hurdle for Michigan State (8-1, 4-1), with its final three opponents being unranked with a combined 10-15 record.
“Everybody has been patting us on the backs for quite a few weeks here, so now they will kick us to the curb a little bit,” coach Mark Dantonio said. “We will respond and be ready to play (Saturday) and move forward.”
Dantonio’s team, however, might have blown its chance for a spot in the Bowl Championship Series, let alone a national title. The Spartans fell into a tie atop the Big Ten with Ohio State, and Wisconsin and Iowa also only have one conference loss.
Still, Michigan State has a shot at its first Big Ten championship since 1990, when it finished in a tie with Michigan, Iowa and Illinois.
“We are still an 8-1 team, and that’s something we need to recognize,” Dantonio said.
The Spartans were held to 31 rushing yards last week – far below their season average of 243.5 entering the contest – and hope to rebound against a Minnesota defense which ranks 100th in the nation against the run (201.8 ypg).
The six points were the fewest Michigan State scored since a 17-3 Alamo Bowl loss to Nebraska on Dec. 29, 2003. The Spartans were 4 of 14 on third down, dropping to 10th in the Big Ten with a 36.8 conversion percentage.
Kirk Cousins went 21 for 29 for 198 yards and a touchdown, but he threw three interceptions – one returned for a touchdown – after tossing just four in his first eight games and not committing a turnover in his last three.
Defensive back Chris L. Rucker did not start and played sparingly returning to the lineup after being suspended two games and serving eight days in jail for violating probation. Rucker may return to his starting role Saturday against a Minnesota offense which ranks eighth in conference.
Michigan State also played without standout returner Keshawn Martin, who sat out with an ankle injury suffered Oct. 23 against Northwestern. His status for Saturday is uncertain.
Martin returned a kick 93 yards for score and ran for an 84-yard touchdown when the Spartans faced Minnesota last year on Oct. 31, but the Gophers won 42-34.
Minnesota (1-8, 0-5) has lost all seven of its conference games since that one.
The Gophers have dropped eight straight overall – a stretch which saw coach Tim Brewster get fired Oct. 17 – and are coming off last Saturday’s 52-10 defeat to No. 8 Ohio State.
“I don’t think we had one area that we did well at all,” interim coach Jeff Horton said.
Minnesota allowed 507 total yards and suffered on special teams as the Buckeyes returned a punt for a 70-yard touchdown and blocked another which was run back for a score.
“I think the best thing for us to do is just to kind of get outside of football for a second and just relax instead of getting uptight and everything,” running back DeLeon Eskridge said. “A good thing for us is just to relax and just focus on these last few games and winning.”
Adam Weber went 9 for 20 for 162 yards last Saturday and had his streak of seven straight games of at least two touchdown passes snapped. He also was sacked a season-high five times.
However, one of the best games of Weber’s career came last year against the Spartans, throwing for 416 yards and five touchdowns.
Minnesota has won three straight and six of eight against Michigan State, going 2-1 in East Lansing.
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