Matchup to Watch Week Four: Indiana's Offensive Line vs. Michigan State's Defensive Line

Written by Andrew Walker

Indiana’s got to be elated. The level of excitement that Tom Allen and his team most likely are experiencing has to be through the roof. Beating a Michigan team that hasn’t been beat by your program in more than 30 years is cause for celebration. The players know it. Recruits know it. Allen knows it, Hoosier fans know it.

Something special is brewing in Bloomington for the long run. But, all celebrations must come to an end, because the most important game is always the next one. Indiana football will travel to East Lansing to play the Michigan State Spartans this coming Saturday. MSU, being ranked in the top 25 more often than not, cannot be overlooked even if they’re unranked right now. Much like their state counterparts in Ann Arbor, MSU has had a bit of a rough season so far. Losing to Rutgers in the first game of the year was a bit of a shock for a lot of fans, and the Spartans have been trying to turn it around for a few weeks now. 

As for my matchup to watch, I can’t help but acknowledge how well the offensive line has played in the last game. The Michigan game was an incredible effort by the offensive line to really hold themselves against a tough Michigan defensive front. Michigan State is no different. Their defensive line is among the best in the Big Ten. The stats might not indicate that, but for the Hoosiers, they know that MSU has a good defensive line. Allen, in the press conference on Thursday, said it will certainly be a challenge. “They are big, strong and physical. That has been their mantra. That is how we know them. They have been that way for a long time. It is no different this year, they have a lot of talented football players. They play to those strengths as well. The fundamental levels they play with, the pad level, the physicality that we have talked about. To me, you have to adjust in how you prepare in regards to the look you are going to get each day in the ways that we have our scout teams prepare both sides of the football with what they are going to do. We need to be able to adjust accordingly. Even schematically, you have a plan based on that. They have really good skilled guys around them, too. This is definitely a different style.”

Indiana’s offensive line has looked great so far, but MSU has always been good at rushing the passer. The few mistakes the O line made last week against Michigan will have to be sealed up against the Spartans. MSU’s core players on the defensive front are led by LB Antjuan Simmons. The linebacker commonly plays up front with the defensive line and leads the team in tackles with 26, and tackles for loss with 3.5. 

The result of the battle on the line of scrimmage will be a key part of this game. Can Indiana protect the QB as well as they’ve been the last two games? Or can Michigan State’s strong and talented defensive pass rush get through.