Through 1 Quarter
The Michigan State Spartans are ahead after one, as expected, but they’ll have to keep working the rest of the way. they have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 21-10 after one quarter
The Spartans have been riding high on the performance of WR Jayden Reed, who has caught two passes for one TD and 92 yards. WKU has been relying on QB Bailey Zappe, who has passed for one TD and 162 yards on 15 attempts, and WR Mitchell Tinsley, who has caught two passes for 71 yards.
Who’s Playing
Western Kentucky @ No. 17 Michigan State
Current Records: Western Kentucky 1-2; Michigan State 4-0
What to Know
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers fans better hope the squad plays one heck of a game Saturday as the odds are decidedly against them. They will square off against the Michigan State Spartans at 7:30 p.m. ET at Spartan Stadium. MSU should still be feeling good after a victory, while the Hilltoppers will be looking to get back in the win column.
WKU lost a heartbreaker to the Indiana Hoosiers when they met in September of 2015, and they left with a heavy heart again last week. It was a hard-fought matchup, but WKU had to settle for a 33-31 defeat against IU. A silver lining for WKU was the play of QB Bailey Zappe, who passed for three TDs and 365 yards on 44 attempts.
Speaking of close games: it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but the Spartans ultimately got the result they were hoping for last week with a 23-20 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Special teams collected 11 points for MSU. K Matt Coghlin delivered a perfect 3-for-3 game. Jayden Reed’s 62-yard punt return for touchdown should surely be counted as one of the game’s standout moments.
The Hilltoppers are now 1-2 while MSU sits at 4-0. Two defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: WKU is stumbling into the game with the 228th most rushing touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up nine on the season. The Spartans have experienced some struggles of their own as they are 193rd worst in the nation in passing yards allowed per game, with 265 on average. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
- When: Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Spartan Stadium — East Lansing, Michigan
- TV: Big Ten Network
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $26.82
Odds
The Spartans are a big 10.5-point favorite against the Hilltoppers, according to the latest college football odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Spartans as a 9.5-point favorite.
Over/Under: -110
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Series History
This is the first time these teams have played each other within the last six years.
