Michigan State vs. Eastern Michigan: Spread and Over/Under Prediction
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Last Week
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- Michigan State -10 — PUSH
- Over 46.5 — CORRECT
- Season Overall: 1-0-1
It was a great Week 1 to start the season.
We pushed the spread with Michigan State adding a late field goal to take a 30-20 lead, which ended up being the final score. That gave us 50 total points, easily pushing the game over the 46.5-point total.
The over actually hit earlier in the game after Rodney Bullard's two-point conversion gave the Spartans a 27-20 lead.
This Week
Now, Michigan State stays home for Week 2, but this time the Spartans will host an in-state opponent from Ypsilanti, Michigan.
The Michigan State Spartans will square off against the Eastern Michigan Eagles in Week 2.
The Eagles are notorious for having one of the most unique entrances in college football. When playing at home, Eastern Michigan players emerge from the tunnel and use sledgehammers to break through a brick wall before taking the field.
It doesn't always go according to plan, either.
In Week 1, one Eastern Michigan player lost control of his sledgehammer and sent it into a teammate's leg before the two eventually resorted to simply kicking over the wall.
Luckily for the Eagles, they won't have to worry about breaking through a wall this week.
Instead, the flock heads to East Lansing to take on a Michigan State team coming off a dramatic comeback victory over Toledo.
Week 1 was a reminder that MAC opponents aren't afraid of Big Ten competition. Several MAC teams gave Big Ten programs all they could handle, including Toledo against Michigan State and teams like Michigan, which needed a last-second Hail Mary to escape with a victory.
This week, the Spartans stay in the MAC but face a familiar face at quarterback.
Noah Kim Returns to East Lansing
Eastern Michigan will be starting former Michigan State quarterback Noah Kim, adding an interesting wrinkle to this matchup.
Kim transferred out of East Lansing two years ago, joining Coastal Carolina, where he played in seven games. He then entered the transfer portal again and joined Eastern Michigan last season.
With the Eagles, Kim played in all 12 games and threw for 2,817 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Now, he'll get his chance at a bit of a revenge game against the program where his college career began.
Kim spent his first two seasons at Michigan State, appearing in 10 games and throwing for nine touchdowns and six interceptions.
The Spartans won't just be dealing with an Eastern Michigan team coming off a 27-21 loss and looking to get its season back on track. They'll also be facing a quarterback who knows the program, knows the environment and will undoubtedly have some extra motivation playing against his former team.
Michigan State's Week 1 Performance
The Spartans looked very good offensively in Week 1 — at least until they reached the red zone.
Michigan State scored a touchdown on its opening drive before the offense stalled near the goal line, resulting in four consecutive field goals as the Spartans struggled to consistently finish drives.
Fortunately, the Spartans eventually found the end zone when they needed to, scoring late in the fourth quarter to retake the lead and ultimately secure the 30-20 victory.
Defensively, Michigan State was stout for most of the night.
The biggest concern was a handful of massive lapses that allowed Toledo to remain within striking distance. The Rockets broke off touchdown plays of 60 and 71 yards, providing the biggest blemishes on what was otherwise a strong defensive performance.
Against Eastern Michigan, the Spartans will need to eliminate those explosive plays.
Offensively, Michigan State also appeared to keep things relatively tame in Week 1. The Spartans didn't show too many tricks up their sleeve, which could be intentional as the coaching staff continues to ease into the season.
I expect more of the same in Week 2.
Michigan State vs. Eastern Michigan Betting Prediction
The Spartans are the better football team, and I expect them to win this game.
I'll have an actual score prediction later this week, so make sure to subscribe to Michigan State coverage at Roundtable Sports for all the latest updates.
For now, though, we're focusing on the spread and over/under so you can get your bets in before the lines potentially move.
My Predictions:
Michigan State -17.5 (-105)
Under 49.5
I believe the Spartans handle this game with a bit more ease than they did against Toledo.
Eastern Michigan is a good football team, and the Eagles have an interesting revenge angle with Kim returning to East Lansing. But Michigan State is the more dominant team in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and that's where I expect this game to be decided.
I also expect the Spartans' defense to clean up the lapses that allowed Toledo to hit a pair of explosive touchdowns, while the offense should execute better once it gets inside the red zone.
Give me Michigan State to cover the -17.5 spread, but I'll keep the game under 49.5 total points.
Prediction: Michigan State -17.5 and Under 49.5.