The #5 Michigan State Spartans (11-2, 7-1 Big Ten) will visit the Western Michigan Broncos (8-5, 6-2 MAC) on Friday, September 4, 2015 at the Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The game will televise at 7 pm ET on ESPNU. The current odds list Michigan State as 17.5 favorites with the over/under set at 58.
Michigan State starts their season off with some key losses in the running back position and the wide receiver spot. Quarterback Connor Cook will return to the team after passing for over 3,000 yards and adding 24 touchdowns in 2014. The other key loss is when they lost their defensive coordinator. The Spartans will most likely split carries between Madre London and Gerald Holmes. I’m sure if one emerges as a top running back, they will not hesitate to sway the carries. Defensively, the Spartans should be able to hold their own. They lost a few good players but they also have some talented backups to replace them.
The Broncos have nine starters returning on offense this year which bodes well for a team that relies on scoring. They scored over 40 points in six games last year. They have one of the more exciting offenses to watch. Zack Terrell will return as quarterback after surpassing 3,000 yards in the air. He has too many weapons in the receiver spot and you can bet there will be some records getting broken with this squad. On defense, they have enough talent to where they should be able to win a good amount of games this year.
My Pick: Western Michigan +17.5
This is too many points for me to pass on. Michigan State is a powerhouse but I love this offense in the Broncos. If they can find a groove early on, I think Western Michigan can stay in this game and keep it close enough to get the cover.