Michigan State at Northwestern Odds: Spartans’ QB Battle Undecided Before Opener

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As the college football season commences, Michigan State fans are in for a treat with a taste of Friday Night Lights as the Spartans kick off their campaign against Northwestern this weekend.

This week marks the start of the three-month main course after a delightful appetizer last weekend.

This is a breakdown of the upcoming Big Ten battle involving MSU.

How to watch: Michigan State Spartans at Northwestern Wildcats

• Matchup: Michigan State (0-0) visiting Northwestern (0-0)
• The time is 9 p.m. ET on Friday.
• The location is Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois.
• Television channel: ESPN
• ESPN+ offers online livestreaming services.
• The radio network for Michigan State Football is known as the Over-the-air Radio.
• Sirius Channel 195 (MSU) and Channel 83 (Northwestern) are the designated satellite radio stations.

Northwestern a slight home favorite

Both teams have numerous uncertainties going into Friday’s opener. Nevertheless, the home team has been slightly favored by oddsmakers.

At the beginning of game week, the majority of Michigan sportsbooks designated Northwestern as the favored team, giving them a 3-point advantage in their home game against MSU.

As of Monday, the Wildcats were favored with odds ranging from -155 to -160 on the moneyline, while the Spartans were considered underdogs with odds around +135 to +140.

The range for the over/under total points was from 45 to 45.5, with the latter being initially offered at BetMGM Sportsbook. You can monitor the most favorable live lines for the game using our widget below.

During the 2020 season, Northwestern boasted a 7-2 record when it came to covering the spread, while the under bet turned out successful in seven instances. Contrarily, Michigan State struggled with a 2-5 record against the spread, and the over bet prevailed in five games.

In the history of their matchups, MSU has claimed victory over Northwestern 39 times, while Northwestern has won 20 times. Specifically, in the previous season’s game held in East Lansing, the Spartans achieved a 29-20 triumph.

Will roster overhaul help MSU?

Coach Mel Tucker has made significant changes to the Spartan roster for the upcoming 2021 season following a disappointing 2-5 record in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

In a bid to rapidly enhance their talent pool, MSU has acquired nearly 20 new team members from the transfer portal this season.

The Spartans are in dire need of improvement in the quarterback position, and they have taken steps to address this issue by bringing in Anthony Russo, a transfer from Temple, to compete with sophomore Payton Thorne for the starting role.

Last year, Thorne was involved in some intense gameplay, where he showcased his skills by throwing for 582 yards, managing to secure three touchdowns and three interceptions. On the other hand, Russo, over the course of three years with the Owls, accumulated an impressive tally of more than 6,000 yards and 44 touchdowns.

Tucker has not yet announced a starter for Friday’s game, and the competition between the candidates is currently too close to call.

With a fresh offensive line, MSU welcomes Kenneth Walker from Wake Forest to their backfield. Walker, who scored an impressive 13 rushing touchdowns in 2020, is set to make a significant impact.

Last season, MSU’s offensive performance was underwhelming, averaging a mere 18 points, while their defensive efforts struggled as well, allowing an average of 35.1 points per game. As a result, there is ample room for improvement on both sides of the ball for the Spartans.

Wildcats coming off strong 2020

In 2020, Northwestern proved to be an astonishing revelation.

The Big Ten West Division was conquered by the Wildcats as they finished the year with an impressive 7-2 record. Although they faced defeat against Ohio State in the conference championship and experienced an unexpected upset by the Spartans following a strong 5-0 start, they managed to bounce back and emerge victorious against Auburn in the Camping World Bowl.

Although the Wildcats had a strong 2020, there is no certainty that they will be able to carry that success into 2021.

In terms of skill positions, the offense faces significant losses. Peyton Ramsey, the quarterback, has graduated, and Cam Porter, the leading rusher, is sidelined for the entire season due to an injury sustained in training camp.

This fall, Hunter Johnson has been announced as the starting quarterback. Although he has had limited playing time in previous years with Clemson in 2017 and the Wildcats in 2019, he did not have any game appearances in 2020.

Due to the departure of all four receivers with double-digit receptions and a minimum of 200 receiving yards, Johnson is faced with the task of training new receivers at Northwestern.

The Wildcats displayed exceptional defensive skills last season, ranking among the top teams in the nation. With an impressive record of only allowing 15.9 points per game, they secured the fifth position in the country.

Brandon Joseph, the sophomore safety, is garnering significant preseason attention due to his impressive performance in the 2020 season, where he recorded six interceptions and 52 tackles.

After recording 78 tackles in 2020, Chris Bergin returns to lead the front seven. Unfortunately, Northwestern’s roster no longer includes their top two tacklers from the previous year.

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