Penn State vs. Michigan State football preview

Nittany Lions host Spartans with eyes on the Rose Bowl

BY THE NUMBERS: #8 Penn State Hosts #15 Michigan State

Date: Saturday, November 22nd
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Location: Beaver Stadium / State College, PA

Following an unimpressive 34-7 win against Indiana last weekend, Penn State welcomes the 9-2 (6-1) Michigan State Spartans to Happy Valley this Saturday. Theoretically, this matchup is one of the biggest in Beaver Stadium history as the Nittany Lions can earn a spot in the Rose Bowl with a victory. Not only is this (potentially) Joe Paterno’s last regular season game, but also Penn State has never clinched the Big Ten championship on their home field.

On the other hand, Michigan State has a lot to play for this weekend as well. The Spartans can win the Big Ten title with a win against Penn State and an Ohio State loss to Michigan. Coming off a bye week, expect head coach Mark Dantonio to have his team ready to play and hungry for a 10-win season.

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For more on this weekend’s matchup, let’s take a closer look at the numbers:

• 1,548 - Michigan State ’s offense starts and ends with running back Javon Ringer. He has amassed 1,548 rushing yards (3 rd in nation) including 20 touchdowns through 11 games this season. But, Ringer will face his most difficult test on Saturday against Penn State’s 10 th ranked rushing defense.
• 11.9 - Penn State ranks 5 th in the nation, allowing only 11.9 points per game, while Michigan State ranks 25 th in the nation, allowing 19.5 points per game. The outcome this weekend will depend heavily on these two units.
• 157.2 - The Nittany Lions defense has been terrific against the pass this season. Opponents are averaging only 157.2 passing yards per game, which ranks the Penn State defense 4 th nationally. This bodes well for the Lions as Spartans’ quarterback Brian Hoyer has completed only 49 percent of his passes this season.
• 116.5 - In a game that could come down to the play of the quarterbacks, it appears that Penn State has a slight advantage. The Lions’ signal-caller, Daryll Clark, has a 137.5 passing efficiency rating, which ranks in the top 35 in the country. Meanwhile, the Spartans’ Brian Hoyer has thrown for more than 2,000 yards but with a 116.5 passing efficiency rating, which ranks him 74 th in the nation.

Notes: Michigan State has never beaten Penn State in Happy Valley… The Spartans have lost 10 straight games against ranked opponents… Penn State has not played in the Rose Bowl since 1995… Michigan State has not played in the Rose Bowl since 1988… The forecast for Saturday’s game includes a high of 29 degrees and a 30 percent chance of snow or rain.

Prediction: Penn State 24 - Michigan State 17

by Chris Goodrich
BigTen-fans.com Penn State Correspondent

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