FootballSaturday, October 7. 2017
6

Breakdown: Michigan State

Three. That’s how many 

times football has been played 
under the lights at Michigan 
Stadium.

On 
Saturday 
night, 
that 

number will go up to four.

At 7:30 p.m., the No. 7 

Michigan football team will 
take on Michigan State in the 
110th edition of the in-state 
rivalry.

The Wolverines (1-0, Big 

Ten, 4-0 overall) will face the 
Spartans (1-0, 3-1) at Michigan 
Stadium for the first time since 
an 
infamous 
botched 
punt 

cost them a certain victory 
in 
2015. 
While 
Michigan 

exacted revenge with a 32-23 
win last year in East Lansing, 
Michigan State’s 2-5 record 
at the time somewhat marred 
its significance. Though the 
Spartans are still unranked, 
it won’t be hard to see the 
significance 
of 
the 
game 

Saturday.

Here’s how the two teams 

match up:

Michigan pass offense vs 

Michigan State pass defense

For 
the 
first 
time 
this 

season, 
fifth-year 
senior 

quarterback John O’Korn will 
be leading the Wolverines out 
of the tunnel and onto the field 
at Michigan Stadium.

O’Korn has been handed 

the 
keys 
to 
the 
offense 

after redshirt junior Wilton 
Speight’s 
injury 
against 

Purdue, 
and 
he 
has 
been 

lauded for his attitude both on 
and off the field. He completed 
18 of 26 passes for 270 yards 
and a touchdown to topple the 
Boilermakers on the road, and 
he has had the bye week to 
prepare for Michigan State.

The Spartans will provide 

a stiff challenge in his first 
start, though, as they rank 
fifth 
nationally 
in 
passing 

efficiency defense and ninth in 
passing yards allowed. While 
O’Korn’s chemistry with his 
receivers looked solid against 
Purdue, Michigan State could 
throw the unit for a loop.

Edge: Michigan State
Michigan run offense vs 

Michigan State run defense

After falling behind fifth-

year senior Ty Isaac and junior 
Karan 
Higdon, 
sophomore 

running back Chris Evans had 
his breakout game against the 

Boilermakers, gaining 99 yards 
on 14 carries and scoring two 
touchdowns.

While Isaac is still expected 

to be the starting back — he 
leads the trio with an average 
of 89 yards per game — Evans 
will likely receive more carries 
than he has in recent weeks. 
The rotation has worked well 
for Michigan a third of the 
way through its season, so all 
three backs should play a role 
against Michigan State.

Though 
impressive, 
the 

Spartans’ rush defense, which 
ranks 16th nationally, isn’t 
quite as strong as its pass 
defense. 
Linebackers 
Chris 

Frey and Joe Bachie will head 
Michigan State’s efforts to 
stop the Wolverines’ staunch 
trio. But with three reliable 
backs, Michigan should be able 
to gain the advantage.

Edge: Michigan
Michigan 
State 
pass 

offense vs Michigan pass 
defense

When 
it 
comes 
to 
the 

offense, 
quarterback 
Brian 

Lewerke belongs in both of 
the next two sections. On the 
passing side, he has thrown 
for 963 yards with a 63.2 

completion 
percentage 
and 

eight touchdowns.

His main target, receiver 

Felton Davis, has caught 21 
passes for 256 yards and four 
touchdowns. No other wideout 
has more than one score. Davis 
will be expected to maintain 
that trend, as Michigan State’s 
passing game has the edge over 
its run game.

For 
Michigan, 
the 
rush 

defense is the star of the show, 
but the pass defense still 
performs admirably. While the 
secondary will face a unique 
challenge against Lewerke’s 
dual-threat nature, it seems 
prepared to handle it.

Edge: Michigan
Michigan State run offense 

vs Michigan run defense

Lewerke is the single player 

most important to Michigan 
State’s success, and not just

For in-game updates
Follow @Kevin_M_Santo, @tedjanes7, 
@orion_sang and @betelhem_ashame 
on Twitter during
Saturday’s game.

T E A M S T A T S

MICH
OPP

Points/Game
31.5
13.5

First Downs/Game
19
11.5

Rush Yards/Game
184.3
69.3

 Yards/Rush
4.3
2.2

 Rushing TDs
5
1

Passing Yards/Game
223
134

 Completion %
58.7
41.0

 Yards/Pass
8.2
5.1

 Passing TDs
4
3

 Interceptions
3
3

Offensive Plays/Game
70.3
57.5

Total Offense
407.3
203.3

3rd-down Conversions
35.5%
19.3%

4th-down Conversions
100%
50%

Sacks/Game
4.5
3.0

Kick return average
17.6
15.9

Punt return average
13.5
2.8

Punting average
37.6
41.6

Field Goals-Attempts
11-13
4-7

Fumbles/Lost
6/4
10/4

Penalty Yards/Game
63
46.5

Time of Poss
33:18
26:42

I N D I V I D U A L S

PASSING

Player
Cmp
Att
Yds
TD
INT

Speight
44
81
581
3
2

O’Korn
19
27
307
1
1

TOTALS
29
55
439
3
2

RUSHING

Player
Att
Yds
Avg
Lg
TD

Isaac
57
356
6.2
53
1

Evans
47
220
4.7
49
2

Peoples-Jones
1
44
44
44
0

Higdon
33
136
4.1
36
2

Hill
4
10
2.5
4
0

McDoom
3
10
3.3
5
0

RECEIVING

Player
No.
Yds
Avg
Lg
TD

Perry
13
163
12.5
33
1

Black
11
149
13.6
46
1

Crawford
7
99
14.1
43
1

Eubanks
2
61
30.5
48
0

Gentry
6
119
19.8
36
1

McKeon
10
120
12.0
30
0

Wheatley
1
7
7.0
7
0

DEFENSE

Player
Solo Ast
Tot
TFL
SK
PBU

Kinnel
12
7
19
2.5
1.0
2

Bush
20
13
33
5.5
4.5
4

Hudson
8
9
17
3.5
2.5
3

McCray
13
13
26
4.5
2.5
1

Hurst
6
10
16
2.0
-
-

Gary
5
11
16
2.5
1.0
-

Metellus
7
7
14
-
-
1

Winovich
11
13
24
7.5
5.5
-

Hill
6
2
8
2.0
-
3

Furbush
2
8
10
0.5
-
1

Thomas
3
1
4
0.5
-
-

Schoenle
3
1
4
-
-
-

Solomon
1
3
4
0.5
-
-

Watson
1
2
3
0.5
-
3

Uche
2
-
2
1.0
1.0
-

Marshall
1
1
2
-
-
-

Kemp
1
-
1
-
-
-

Long
3
4
7
1.0
-
1.0

St-Juste
1
-
1
-
-
-

Glasgow
-
1
1
-
-
1.0

Gil
-
1
1
-
-
-

Mason
1
-
1
-
-
-

Wroblewski
2
2
4
-
-
-

A P T O P 2 5 P O L L

1. Alabama
14. USC

2. Clemson
15. Oklahoma State

3. Oklahoma
16. Virginia Tech

4. Penn State
17. Louisville

5. Georgia
18. South Florida

6.Washington
19. San Diego State

7. Michigan
20. Utah

8. TCU
21. Florida

9. Wisconsin
21. Notre Dame

10.Ohio State
23.West Virginia

11. Washington State
24. NC State

12. Auburn
25. Central Florida

13. Miami
KATELYN MULCAHY/Daily

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is facing Michigan State for the third time in his career, and this year’s matchup will mark the first night game in the rivalry’s history.

See BREAKDOWN, Page 7

BETELHEM ASHAME

Managing Sports Editor

