This week’s game between the No. 7 University of Oregon Ducks (1-0) and the No. 5 Michigan State University Spartans (1-0) looks to be a key matchup. The game starts at 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sep 12 and will air on ABC.
Michigan State beat Western Michigan 37-24 last week. Madre London had an outstanding performance on the ground in the win, gaining 59 yards and two TDs on 13 carries. Gerald Holmes finished with 54 yards and a TD on nine attempts. Oregon was able to pick up the win last week’s performance, beating Eastern Washington 61-42 in its matchup. Royce Freeman had a big game on the ground for the Ducks, rushing for 180 yards and three TDs on 21 carries. Vernon Adams Jr. had a big game as well, totaling 246 yards and two TDs through the air.
Oddsmakers have deemed the Michigan State and Oregon game as an even matchup and the Over/Under (O/U) is 67 points.
The Spartans start the season cold Against The Spread (ATS) with a 0-1 record, while holding a 1-0 Straight Up (SU) record. The Spartans have a strong passing game with an average of 17.1 yards per pass, good enough for 15th in the country. The Spartans make it hard on their opponents early, averaging 20 points in the first 15 minutes. Don’t anticipate many blunders and oversights from Michigan State. They are one of the least penalized teams in Division I (10th), averaging only three penalties per game.
On the other side, the Ducks have also started the season poorly ATS with a 0-1 record to go along with a 1-0 SU record. Offensively, they are a fun team to watch with an average of 61.0 points per game, the 10th-ranked scoring team in the country. The Ducks usually find their targets in the passing game, owning the 18th-best completion percentage in the nation at 76.0%. Oregon’s defense is one of the best, allowing just 42.0 points per game. There is no feeling-out process to start a game for the Ducks, who average 20 points in the first quarter. Special teams is usually an area of weakness for the Spartans, giving up 225 return yards per game.
Predictions: SU Winner – Oregon, ATS Winner – Oregon, O/U – Under
Notes
Michigan State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Michigan State’s last 16 games.
Michigan State is 15-1 SU in its last 16 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Michigan State’s last 8 games at home.
Both teams are 1-0 SU when leading at the end of the third quarter.
According to overall FBS team rankings, Oregon is rated higher in the ground game on both sides of the ball. Its first-ranked rushing attack will face the fifth-ranked run defense of Michigan State, while its 47th-ranked rush defense will look to contain the 60th-ranked running game of the Spartans.
