Opponent Preview: Michigan State

Defending Big Ten champion Michigan State begins defense of its title on Saturday, when the Spartans open conference play by hosting Nebraska. Michigan State, which has won 18 of its last 20 games, has won 10 consecutive games against Big Ten opponents, all by double digits. The Spartans have also won 10 straight at home.

As has been its trademark, Michigan State again possesses one of the nation’s top defenses. MSU ranks fourth nationally in rushing defense, allowing only 78.3 yards per game. The Spartans are 11th in total defense, surrendering just 289.0 yards per game, and MSU ranks second in the Big Ten and in the top 15 nationally in sacks.

While the defense has been stout, Michigan State’s offense has also been one of the top units in the country. Led by quarterback Connor Cook, the Spartans rank in the top 50 nationally in both passing and rushing, helping MSU rank 18th nationally in total offense with an average of 515.0 yards per game. Michigan State leads the Big Ten and is third nationally in scoring, averaging 50.3 points per game.

Cook has thrown for 837 yards and nine touchdowns in 2014, while completing 69 percent of his passes. He ranks fifth nationally in passing yards per attempt, third in passing efficiency, 14th in passing yards per completion and 14th in completion percentage. His top target is Tony Lippett, who has hauled in 22 passes for 421 yards and six touchdowns. Lippett is second in the country in receiving touchdowns, while ranking 13th in receiving yards per game.

Jeremy Langford is the Spartans’ leading rusher with 340 yards and three touchdowns.
Michigan State also excels in the details. The Spartans have forced 12 turnovers this season, the seventh-highest total nationally. MSU, which has not lost a fumble, leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally with only three turnovers this fall. Overall, the Spartans boast the nation’s third-best turnover margin. MSU also has been penalized only 20 times this season, and the Spartans leads the nation in time of possession by more than a minute.

Series History
Nebraska has won seven of the eight all-time meetings against Michigan State, after the 14th-ranked Spartans earned their first victory with a 41-28 win last year in Lincoln. Saturday’s game marks the second meeting where both teams are ranked. In 2011, No. 13 NU handed No. 9 Michigan State its only conference loss with a 24-3 win in Lincoln.

Nebraska is 2-1 against the Spartans since joining the Big Ten. NU is also 3-0 all-time in East Lansing, including a 28-24 victory in 2012, when Nebraska scored the game-winning touchdown with six seconds remaining. Bo Pelini is 3-1 against Michigan State, including a 17-3 victory in the 2003 Alamo Bowl when Pelini was NU’s interim coach.

Michigan State Head Coach Mark Dantonio
Mark Dantonio owns an 85-47 record in 11 seasons as a head coach, including a 67-30 mark in eight years at Michigan State. Dantonio has led MSU to 18 wins in its last 20 games, including 10 consecutive victories over Big Ten opponents. Under Dantonio, MSU has played in two of the last three Big Ten Championship Games, defeating No. 2 Ohio State to win the 2013 title.

Michigan State finished 13-1 in 2013 and capped the year with a 24-20 win over Stanford in the Rose Bowl. The Spartans went undefeated in league play, becoming the first team in Big Ten history to win all eight of their conference games by double digits. MSU finished with a No. 3 ranking in 2013, the program’s highest ranking since 1966.

Dantonio has led Michigan State to four consecutive winning seasons, including three years with 11 or more wins. Since the 2010 season, Dantonio has guided MSU to a 45-13 record. The only coach to lead Michigan State to multiple double-digit win seasons, Dantonio has guided MSU to a school-record three consecutive bowl victories.

Before coming to Michigan State, Dantonio led Cincinnati to an 18-17 record and a pair of bowl appearances in three seasons as the Bearcats’ head coach. Prior to becoming a head coach, Dantonio spent more than 20 seasons as a collegiate assisant. He served as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator from 2001 to 2003, after spending six seasons on the defensive staff at Michigan State from 1995 to 2000. He went 0-4 against Nebraska while coaching the secondary at Kansas from 1991 to 1994. Dantonio also boasts experience at the FCS level after serving as the defensive coordinator at Youngstown State for five seasons and as Akron’s secondary coach in 1985.