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After two games on the road, the Indiana Hoosiers are heading back home. Their week off comes to an end as they meet up with the Michigan State Spartans at noon ET at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. MSU should still be riding high after a win, while the Hoosiers will be looking to regain their footing.
IU found themselves the reluctant recipients of an unfortunate 24 to nothing punch to the gut against the Penn State Nittany Lions two weeks ago. IU was down 21 to nothing at the end of the third quarter, which was just too much to recover from. One thing working slightly against IU was the run-of-the-mill game of their most targeted running back, RB Stephen Carr, who rushed for 50 yards on 15 carries.
Meanwhile, MSU turned the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights into a track meet and took the gold after outgaining them 589 yards to 377. The Spartans captured a comfortable 31-13 victory last week. They relied on the efforts of RB Kenneth Walker III, who rushed for one TD and 233 yards on 29 carries, and WR Jalen Nailor, who caught five passes for three TDs and 221 yards. That touchdown -- a 94-yard rush in the third quarter -- was one of the highlights of the contest.
MSU's defense was a presence as well, as it got past RU's offensive line to sack the quarterback five times for a total loss of 41 yards. It was a group effort with six guys contributing.
IU is expected to lose this next one by 4.5. Those betting on them against the spread shouldn't have high expectations for them since the team is 0-3 ATS when expected to lose.
IU is now 2-3 while MSU sits at 6-0. Two defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: The Hoosiers are stumbling into the game with the 184th most touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up 15 on the season. The Spartans have experienced some struggles of their own as they are 225th worst in the nation in passing yards allowed per game, with 302.5 on average. It's possible one of these Achilles' heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
