Michigan State Football: Final score predictions vs. Northwestern

Take a look at what our writers believe will be the final score for Michigan State football’s Saturday matchup versus Northwestern.

Another week, another chance for Michigan State football to prove itself against a tough opponent. The Spartans have dropped three straight games and they’ll try to stop the bleeding against the Northwestern Wildcats this weekend.

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Luckily, Michigan State will be hosting Northwestern, but the Spartans have already lost two home games this year. Mark Dantonio will attempt to turn the season around Saturday and improve this team to 3-3.

It’s tough to consider any season under Dantonio a failure, but if this team doesn’t get a win soon, that’s what 2016 will be. Here’s what our writers believe the final score will be on Saturday.

Connor Muldowney: A change at quarterback is much-needed and if Damion Terry plays like he did in the fourth quarter against BYU, minus the interception, the Spartan offense might be looking up. The offensive line needs to improve and some shakeups may have done that this week. The defensive line will step up and finally record a few sacks, taking pressure off the improving secondary. It’ll be another close one for MSU and this one might go down to the wire. I haven’t gotten one right since Week 1, so what do I know?

Prediction: Northwestern 21, Michigan State 24

Daniel Gottschalk: The bleeding has to stop at some point, right? Michigan State has now lost three games in a row for the first time since 2009. The Spartans haven’t lost four in a row, or three in a row in the Big Ten, since John L. Smith’s last year in 2006.

Oct 1, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Donnie Corley (9) catches the ball while Indiana Hoosiers defensive back AShon Riggins (28) tackles him in the second half of the game at Memorial Stadium. Indiana Hoosiers beat the Michigan State Spartans by the score of 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Northwestern might be the anecdote to Michigan State’s ails. They struggled mightily to open the season, starting 0-2, including a 9-7 loss to Illinois State, a team that is in last place in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Wildcats did knock off Iowa, 38-31, last game. But which Northwestern team will show up?

And can Michigan State’s offense recapture its Notre Dame form? Believe it or not, Northwestern actually ranks behind Michigan State in total offense at 350.4 yards per game, ranking 107th in the nation. MSU is just a tad better at 366.2 yards per game, good for 102nd nationally. MSU holds a decided edge in total defense, but is giving up five more points per game and has a tendency to fade late.

Michigan State must be more productive on offense to prevent its defense from gassing in the fourth quarter when the game is on the line. I think Mark Dantonio shakes things up and starts Damion Terry after he provided a spark in the second half of last week’s game, leading the offense on a long touchdown drive.

Hopefully Dave Warner learns how to football again and creates and follows a game plan that gives MSU the best chance to succeed. Even with how dysfunctional the offense has been, I think they’ll pull it together on Homecoming just enough to beat the worst Big Ten team they’ve faced so far.

Prediction: Northwestern 21, Michigan State 24

Michael Briggs: Michigan State’s homecoming game against Northwestern this Saturday marks a strange and unique time for the Spartans. For just the first time since 2006, the year before Mark Dantonio took over as head coach, MSU is on the verge of dropping four straight games — a letdown of major proportions following last season’s Big Ten title campaign.

Northwestern, which looked like an ideal homecoming opponent following home losses to Western Michigan and Illinois State, comes into Spartan Stadium with newfound confidence after defeating Iowa on the road last week. The Wildcats will look to running back Justin Jackson (171 rushing yards against the Hawkeyes) to exploit an MSU defense that has allowed 199.5 rushing yards per game to FBS opponents this season. With the Spartans also ranking 12th in the Big Ten in passing yards allowed per game, you can also expect a heavy dose of WR Austin Carr, who leads the conference with 465 receiving yards.

Predicting how the Spartans will play Saturday on either side of the ball is a challenge. History tells us this program is built on a solid foundation, but the most recent results and the unknowns at major positions (QB, MLB, RB, D-line) makes picking MSU very difficult. If this game was played at the start of the season, I think the Spartans would have won by 10. Given MSU’s free-fall and Northwestern’s better play as of late, I see the Wildcats leaving East Lansing with a key road win. Michigan State falls to 8-2 in homecoming games under Dantonio and leaves Spartan nation panicking that this team will finish the season with a losing record.

Prediction: Northwestern 28, Michigan State 20

Andrew Erdman: Something needs to change with Michigan State and it starts at quarterback. Tyler O’Connor simply hasn’t gotten the job done consistently. Too many drives have been stalling out, throws have been inaccurate and open receivers have been missed. It’s not all on TOC, though, the defense has been less then stellar this season. Will the Spartans finally get on track against Northwestern on Homecoming weekend? I’m not sold.

Prediction: Northwestern 24, Michigan State 13

Stephen Robb: Northwestern comes to East Lansing and it will be another hard-fought game. The Wildcats beat up on Iowa a few weeks ago and seems to have gotten on track after a rough start to their season. They’re well-rested after a bye week while Michigan State hobbles in.

Justin Jackson presents a nightmare matchup for the Spartans, but I do believe this is the game that MSU finally figures out both it’s quarterback and running back conundrums. Damion Terry will most likely be the quarterback standing when the dust settles. The Spartans need his versatility as well as his elusiveness. Gerald Holmes has looked good recently and may put it together in this game.

MSU discovers itself on offense in this game. However, the defense remains lost and the Spartans lose again. The Wildcats are getting their offense rolling and I just cannot see MSU’s defense pulling it together to stop them on third down. Many new Spartans will play and gain valuable experience, but they will come up short.

Prediction: Northwestern 31, Michigan State 27

Colton Wood: The Spartans are coming off their third straight loss and hope to turn that around this Saturday against the Wildcats. MSU is favored to win, but running back Justin Jackson could cause problems to MSU’s secondary. The linebacking position is once again a huge question mark as Spartan linebackers Jon Reschke and Riley Bullough will most likely not play in Saturday’s game.

On offense, the starter for this week has not been made at quarterback. Tyler O’Connor was benched last week for junior Damion Terry and head coach Mark Dantonio said during his press confrence on Tuesday that he wouldn’t know who would start against Northwestern until later in the week. It’s going to be a tough, hard-fought game, but Michigan State will narrowly pull off the win.

Prediction: Northwestern 17, Michigan State 20