2017 First Glance: Week Eight Michigan State Spartans

The Hoosiers will have to get after Michigan State's quarterback again in 2017 if they want to win. Image: Cam Koenig HoosierHuddle.com

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

Hoosier fans should know what the Old Brass Spittoon is now, since it is comfortably back in Bloomington for the first time since 2006. The Spartans and Hoosiers renew their trophy game and try and build a rivalry as the series continues in East Lansing on October 21st. This is a game where a win could swing the Hoosiers' season from good to great. Michigan State is dealing with a lot of turmoil both on and off the field as they try and recover from a 3-9 season and a sexual assault scandal that left several key players dismissed from the team. It's been 16 years since the Hoosiers have won in Spartan Stadium, but 2017 could put an end to that streak. 

Week Eight: Michigan State Spartans

Date & Time: Saturday, October 21st, 3:30 or 4:00 pm

Venue: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan

TV: TBA

Spartans at a Glance

Head Coach: Mark Dantonio  

Entering his 13th year overall and 10th at Michigan State

Overall Record: 108-59

At Michigan State: 90-42

Wolverines Last Season: 3-9

Spartan Returning Leaders

Passing: Brian Lewerke (54.4 pct. 381yards 2 TDs 1 INT)

Rushing: L.J. Scott (184 att. 1,035 yards 5.4YPC 5 TDs)

Receiving: Felton Davis III(12 rec. 150 yards 12.5 YPR 1 TD)

Tackles: LB Chris Frey ( 96 tackles 4 TFL, .5 sack, 7 QBHs 1 FF)

Pre-Season Predictions

Athlon’s: 4th in the Big Ten East

Lindy’s: 4th in the Big Ten East

Street & Smith’s: 4th in The Big Ten East

Phil Steele: 5th in the Big Ten East

Impact Newcomers For The Spartans

1. Hunter Rison, WR- Both professional and college football fans should be familiar with the last name Rison. Hunter’s father, Andre, who starred at Michigan State and later, had a stellar NFL career as he played for seven teams in 12 seasons at wide receiver.

Like his father, Hunter, will be a wide receiver at Michigan State. He was a four-star recruit and should find his way onto the field in 2017 pretty quickly since the Spartans are thin at WR. Although he is not a big receiver, at 5-foot-11, Rison has the ability to impact the game with his hands and speed.

2. Matt Dotson, TE- The Spartans will be needing to replace star tight end Josiah Price and that may have a good one in four-star recruit Matt Dotson. He has very good size to be a factor in both the passing and running game. He made 25 catches for 448 and six touchdowns during his senior season at Archbishop Moeller in Kenwood, Ohio.

3. Kevin Jarvis, OL- Mark Dantonio’s Michigan State teams have been know as tough, hard-nosed run it down your throat to set up the pass type offenses. In order to do that you need a great offensive line. 6-foot-5 335-pound guard Kevin Jarvis could be a major part of brining this unit back up to par.

Why The Spartans Will Win

The Spartans have owned the Hoosiers, especially in Spartan Stadium, since 2001. MSU has taken the last six in East Lansing.

Michigan State lost for the first time in the series since 2006 last season, in route to a very disappointing 3-9 season, a 10 win drop from 2015. So are the Spartans closer to that Big Ten Title team or the uninspired bunch that took the field last year?

They are probably somewhere in the middle. The Spartans return three very solid running backs, including L.J. Scott who has the potential to be a star. Mark Dantonio has turned to redshirt sophomore Brian Lewerke at quarterback. Lewerke has dual-threat capabilities and has a lot of upside despite the limited playing time. The defense has questions, but playing at home should give them a boost and keep the Hoosiers struggles at Spartan Stadium alive.

Why The Hoosiers Will Keep the Spittoon

Indiana is not going to be nervous going into Spartan Stadium in 2017. Michigan State is a program in flux and has questions both on and off the field. The last time here in 2015, MSU needed a huge final eight minutes and a brief down pour to put IU away.

The Hoosiers’ strengths, wide receivers and the back seven on defense, matchup well against the Spartans’ thin secondary and young, unproved quarterback and receiving corps. Tom Allen’s crew has the personnel and the weapons to keep the Spittoon two years in a row and a win may not necessarily be an upset here.

Indiana will need a solid performance from their defense and special teams in order to win on the road. If the Hoosiers can hold Michigan State to fewer than 28 points again. The Spittoon will continue to reside in Bloomington.

Final Analysis

This is one of the key games on the Hoosiers’ schedule that could swing their season from barely scrapping by with six wins to the top of the middle of the pack in the Big Ten East and a warm weather bowl trip. The trip to East Lansing comes at a brutal stretch of games when Indiana has to play three of four conference games on the road (at Penn State, vs. Michigan, at Michigan State, at Maryland). A win here or at Maryland would take a lot of pressure of this team at the end of the season when their schedule gets much easier.

Indiana's offense is a bad matchup for the Michigan State defense, who just couldn't pressure the passer last season and lose stud defensive tackle Malik McDowell. Receivers Simmie Cobbs and Nick Westbrook will be tough to cover with a young, thin secondary and if IU improves their running game, this offense is going to be tough to stop.

On the other side of the ball Michigan State will have a lot to figure out after last year's debacle. They have some nice pieces in quarterback Brian Lewerke and the three-headed monster of L.J. Scott, Madre London, and Gerald Holmes at running back. Lewerke is a work in progress, but has all the tools to be really good and if the running backs put it all together, Lewerke will have a safety net to lean on to get comfortable with his young and inexperienced receivers.

Both coaches will emphasize possession of the Old Brass Spittoon, but I’ll give Michigan State the slight edge since winning on the road in East Lansing is difficult. However this game is going to be close and should help spark a more seasoned rivalry between these two schools.

Hoosier Win Percentage: 45%

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