Coming off the 68-65 win over then-No. 3 Purdue on Miles Bridges’ late 3-pointer Saturday, the Spartans are looking for a ninth straight win as they try to keep pace with Ohio State in pursuit of a Big Ten title. To do so, MSU will have to beat a Gophers team that has dropped seven straight and has dealt with a myriad of injuries and off-the-court issues this season.
Source: Spartan Tailgate
There are plenty of reasons to be happy right now. Miles Bridges is an absolute animal. Jaren Jackson really doesn’t seem fair to have on a college basketball team (let’s just forget about that last game). And, really, this has been a fun team to watch. However, with a road game against Minnesota coming up tonight, there are a few more things we want to see from this team.
Source: The Only Colors
While the Spartans have been trending upwards as of late, the Golden Gophers have done just the opposite. A win against No. 2 MSU could salvage Minnesota’s season, and it would also end a seven-game losing streak. The Spartans (24-3, 12-2), however, are off to their best start since 2000-01 — when the team also got off to a 24-3 start — and looking to cut Ohio State’s lead in the conference standings to a half game.
Source: The State News
Michigan State hits the road for three of its final four games of the regular season, starting on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at Minnesota. Tipoff at Williams Arena is slated for 9 p.m. The game will be shown live on ESPN2, with Dave Flemming calling the play-by-play and Dan Dakich serving as the color analyst and Molly McGrath on sidelines.
Rod and Sam preview MSU’s trip to Lake Wobegone, as well as a few other topics
For the first time this season we really got a nice mixed bag of good and bad to take a look at. The Spartans controlled the first three quarters of this game, but they had more than a few struggles in the fourth quarter. We are going to take a couple of good plays and a couple of bad ones. There are definitely some things for them to work on in the next week.
Source: The Only Colors
Michigan State tops Minnesota behind career game from LJ Scott MLive
In another road night game, amid another downpour, Michigan State showed its performance last week was no fluke. But it had to survive a late rally by Minnesota to do so. The No. 21 Spartans topped Minnesota, 30-27, on Saturday night at TCF Bank Stadium behind another strong defensive effort and a resurgent performance in the run game.
Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State’s 30-27 win at Minnesota Lansing State Journal
Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch gives his initial thoughts in the wake of Michigan State’s 30-27 win Saturday night at Minnesota.
Michigan State rides LJ Scott, run game to 30-27 road win at Minnesota Detroit Free Press
A rain delay, a sloppy start and a late fade could not slow Michigan State’s building momentum. Not with a return to form by LJ Scott. The junior running back, who sat out last week’s win at Michigan, returned with a career high 194 yards to pace the 22nd-ranked Spartans’ 30-27 victory over Minnesota on Saturday night at TCF Bank Stadium.
LJ Scott carries Michigan State past Minnesota Detroit News
One week after knocking off its rival, there was no letdown for Michigan State. Playing in another rainstorm, No. 21 Michigan State took advantage of two turnovers while finally getting its running game going to beat Minnesota, 30-27, at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday.
Michigan State 30, Minnesota 27: 5 things we learned Land of 10
No. 21 Michigan State (5-1, 3-0 Big Ten) held off Minnesota (3-3, 0-3) for a 30-27 win on Saturday night in the rain at TCF Bank Stadium. “5-1, we’ll take it,” coach Mark Dantonio said on the TV broadcast, echoing the thoughts of many fans. It wasn’t pretty, but Michigan State got the win. What did we learn about the Spartans in this game?
How it happened: Michigan State beats Minnesota 30-27 Spartan Tailgate
Playing in a game affected by weather for the second week in a row, Michigan State once again came out victorious with a 30-27 win on the road over Minnesota. The Spartans overcame three lost turnovers, including yet another fumble by LJ Scott, to beat the Gophers. While Scott’s fourth-quarter fumble led to Minnesota’s first touchdown of the game, he also ran for a career-high 194 yards and two touchdowns in the win. All three of Michigan State’s touchdowns came on the ground, as MSU averaged 5.5 yards per carry.
Backed by strong running game, MSU squeezes by Minnesota 30-27 State News
There were plenty of mistakes, no doubt about that. The Spartans turned the ball over three different times. The end was a little dicey, having the MSU faithful nervous during Minnesota’s final onside kick. But there would be no hangover, and a win is a win for MSU, downing the Golden Gophers 30-27. The Spartans are still undefeated in the Big Ten, amassing a 3-0 record.
5 things being talked about after Michigan State nips Minnesota 30-27 MLive
Michigan State stayed unbeaten in three Big Ten games while improving its overall record to 5-1 Saturday by jumping ahead early and then holding on for a 30-27 victory over Minnesota after the Golden Gophers’ late rally fell just short. Here are five things people are talking about as the Spartans turn their attention toward next week’s home game vs. Indiana.
LJ Scott turned the corner vs. Minnesota Spartan Avenue
Could you imagine a worse finish to a football game? Probably not, but a win is a win, and Michigan State came out on top despite a nearly epic fourth-quarter collapse against Minnesota on Saturday night.
No. 21 Spartans Use Ground Game To Beat Gophers, 30-27 MSUSpartans.com
Michigan State didn’t let the thrill of beating Michigan last week deter the momentum. Coach Mark Dantonio and his staff weren’t even worried about a letdown at Minnesota. Confidence is high, and so is the ambition.
Overheard outside the Michigan State locker room: Taking the win and an unacceptable defensive finish MLive
Here are some notable quotes from Michigan State following its 30-27 win over Minnesota
LJ Scott, Madre London give MSU run game a spark Detroit News
he rushing numbers looked pretty good for Michigan State through the first five games of the season, however, the Spartans knew they needed to be better. They needed to get more production from their running backs, a group that entered Saturday’s game at Minnesota without a 100-yard game, something that seemed hard to believe considering the production juniors LJ Scott and Madre London, as well as fifth-year senior Gerald Holmes, have had throughout their careers. Scott had gone over 100 yards six times, Holmes twice and London once.
Spartans defense holds tough despite late fade Detroit News
For three quarters on Saturday night Michigan State’s defense was dominant. For one quarter, it looked like it was playing on its heels. The Spartans made enough plays throughout the game to come away with a 30-27 victory over the Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium, however, those final 15 minutes didn’t sit well with sophomore linebacker Joe Bachie.
Michigan State RBs respond, defense holds on in 30-27 win at Minnesota Detroit Free Press
A rain delay, a sloppy start and a late fade could not slow Michigan State’s building momentum. Not with a return to form by LJ Scott. The junior running back returned with a career-high 194 yards along with two touchdowns to pace the 22nd-ranked Spartans’ 30-27 victory over Minnesota on Saturday night at TCF Bank Stadium.
Michigan State grades: Not perfect, but Spartans keep showing growth Detroit Free Press
Chris Solari rates the 22nd-ranked Spartans on a scale of 1 to 10 after their 30-27 win at Minnesota.
Michigan State notes: Spartans’ defense shines early, struggles late, holds off Gophers Detroit Free Press
For a defense that had quickly became one of the nation’s best statistically – and played like it for three quarters Saturday against Minnesota – Michigan State endured a fourth-quarter fade it thought that was left in the past. Yes, the Spartans survived, 30-27. But three touchdowns in the final 12 minutes nearly cost 22nd-ranked MSU when it appeared as if it had the Gophers figured out and shut down.
Coghlin, Heyward are answer men on MSU special teams Detroit News
Michigan State had some questions entering the season with its special teams, but halfway through the season, the Spartans are starting to find some favorable answers. Redshirt freshman Matt Coghlin had three field goals and freshman Connor Heyward had three kickoff returns for 115 yards, including a 55-yarder that set up No. 21 Michigan State’s final touchdown in a 30-27 victory over Minnesota at TCF Bank Stadium.
Michigan State pleased with 5-1 first half but knows it will be defined by second half MLive
The first half of Michigan State’s season went better than nearly every analyst outside the program predicted. The Spartans went 5-1 in its first six games, with its only loss coming on a turnover-filled night against Notre Dame. It notched two non-conference wins, then a solid home win over Iowa followed by a road upset of Michigan last week.
Overheard: What Michigan State football players, coaches said after beating Minnesota Detroit Free Press
Here’s what Michigan State players and coaches had to say about their 30-27 victory over Minnesota on Saturday night at TCF Bank Stadium
Michigan State gets its run game going and reestablishes its identity vs. Minnesota MLive
Michigan State’s running backs came to TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday night keenly aware of their drought in 100-yard games. The Spartans hadn’t had a running back rush for 100 yards since the Ohio State game last year. In the six games since then, Michigan State’s running backs had all been held to double digits in every game.
Couch: LJ Scott can be Le’Veon Bell and carry Michigan State, if he doesn’t drop the ball Lansing State Journal
When the ball is bouncing on the turf, it’s easy to forget what LJ Scott can be. He can be Le’Veon Bell. He was Saturday night — a beautiful downhill runner, a thoroughbred at full speed in traffic, patient, powerful and quick, a master of the slight change of direction in a phone booth, keeping defenders off balance. Except for that fumble. There’s always a fumble, it seems. Bell didn’t fumble.
Three questions: Is Michigan State’s late-game defense anything to worry about? Lansing State Journal
Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch answers three key questions after the Spartans’ 30-27 win Saturday night at Minnesota.
The Michigan State Spartans are coming off of an emotional victory on the road against heated rival Michigan last week. How will the team respond? The Spartans travel to Minneapolis for a Week 7 matchup against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, a Big Ten West opponent. This will be the second consecutive night game for Michigan State, and already the third prime-time contest of the season.
Source: The Only Colors
Andy Greder, who covers Minnesota for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, breaks down the Golden Gophers for The Detroit News answering five questions heading into today’s Minnesota-Michigan State game.
Source: Detroit News
Michigan State is coming in soaring, and Minnesota is coming in reeling. The Spartans (4-1, 2-0) head to Minneapolis after its upset win at then-No. 7 Michigan on Saturday. They’ll look to stay unbeaten in the Big Ten. The Gophers, meanwhile, have lost two straight Big Ten games after a 3-0 start to the season in their first year under former Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck.
Source: MLive.com
Sam Metry, Souichi Terada, and Colton Wood are back to talk Spartan Football as they break down the Spartans upcoming matchup with the Golden Gophers. Later in the show, they make their Big Ten Picks and talk about whether or not the term “trap game” has been killed.
To better understand how the Minnesota Golden Gophers have looked thus far, The State News interviewed Jack Warrick, football beat writer for The Minnesota Daily, and asked him five questions about the team.
Source: The State News
Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch breaks down the Spartans’ matchup with the Gophers this Saturday night in Minneapolis.
Source: Lansing State Journal
Michigan State heads back on the road for a second straight week as the Spartans take on Minnesota Saturday, Oct. 14 in Minneapolis at 8 p.m. The game will be broadcast on BTN and BTN2Go.
MSU’s defense has been exceptional, ranking fourth in the nation allowing just 258.6 yards per game this season. The Spartans are coming off a dominant performance against Michigan in which they forced a season-high five turnovers and had six sacks.
Source: Detroit Free Press
This week Michigan State hits the road again only this time they face Minnesota. Chris Hachfeld from The Daily Gopher joins us this week to give us the scouting report on the Spartans next opponent.
Source: The Only Colors
Michigan State beat writers Matt Wenzel and Kyle Austin break down the Spartans’ Saturday game at Minnesota (8 p.m., BTN).
Source: MLive.com
If the Spartans want to show that their defense is back they’ve got a great chance to prove it this week against Minnesota on the road, a team that has allowed just one sack on the year and is averaging 0.2 sacks per game.
Source: The State News