Michigan State at Northwestern NCAA Football Betting Tips 9/21/2019

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Ryan Field

Brian Lewerke and the Michigan State Spartans head to Ryan Field on Saturday where they'll take on the Northwestern Wildcats. Northwestern opens this matchup as 6.5-point underdogs. The total is set at 37.5. The Spartans are 1-2-0 ATS and 1-2-0 when betting on the total. The Wildcats are 0-2-0 when wagering on the over/under and 0-2-0 against the spread.

Key Michigan State Spartans Injuries

09/15/19 WR Cam Chambers Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Northwestern
09/15/19 WR Jalen Nailor Leg is questionable Saturday vs Northwestern
09/10/19 T Cole Chewins Back is out indefinitely

Key Northwestern Wildcats Injuries

09/15/19 RB Isaiah Bowser Knee is questionable Saturday vs Michigan State
09/15/19 RB Jesse Brown Undisclosed left last game, is questionable Saturday vs Michigan State
09/06/19 QB TJ Green Foot is out for season

In the last game they played, the Michigan State Spartans went up against the Arizona State Sun Devils and took the defeat by a score of 10-7. Elijah Collins paced the team in rushing for the game. He had a long run of 16 yards and he tallied 1 touchdown for the game. He rushed for 72 yards via 19 carries which meant he was running for 3.8 yards per run. Darrell Stewart Jr. led the team in receiving yardage with a tally of 121 yards on 9 catches. He averaged 13.4 yards per reception for the game. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Spartans was Brian Lewerke who went 24/38 with 291 yards through the air but didn't get a passing TD in the game. He finished this contest without throwing a pick. The Michigan State Spartans ran the football 35 times and totaled 113 yards which gave them an average of 3.2 yards per carry. On the day, they finished with a total of 74 plays which gave them a total of 404 yards. In the game, the Spartans earned 23 first downs and they had a total of 10 penalties for 91 yards telling us that this team was extremely undisciplined. In terms of defense, Michigan State conceded 15 completions on 26 tries for a total of 140 yards, and a completion percentage of 57.7%. Against the run, the Spartans conceded 76 yards on 26 tries which gave the opponent an average of 2.9 yards per rushing attempt allowed. On the day, they conceded a total of 216 yards and forced 0 turnovers.

The Spartans head into this matchup 2-1 for 2019. They are in the middle of the pack in regard to scoring in the nation with an average of 28.7 points per contest, ranking them 73rd in the country. As a unit, they have an average of 157.3 yards on the ground per game which is 10th in the Big Ten. For total yardage, they rank 4th in the Big Ten and 41st in the country with 1,289 yards. The Spartans have one of the best defenses in the nation, allowing 11.3 points per game ranking them 5th in the conference. In regard to yards rushing, Michigan State is giving up 23.3 yards per contest which has them at 1st in the conference and 1st in the country. Opposing teams are running for an average of 0.9 yards per rush which has them at 1st in the Big Ten and 1st in Division 1 overall. Overall, they have conceded 70 yards rushing through 3 games. When it comes to yards through the air, the Spartans have conceded 817 yards. Opponents are completing 61.7% of the passes they throw against them and averaging 6.2 yards per attempt.

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In their last game, the Northwestern Wildcats took on the UNLV Runnin' Rebels and ended up getting the victory by a score of 30-14. Drake Anderson paced the team in rushing in the game. His longest run of the day went for 13 yards and he notched 1 touchdown for the game. He racked up a total of 141 yards via 26 carries which meant he averaged 5.4 yards per carry. JJ Jefferson led the team in receiving yardage by racking up 61 yards on 2 receptions. He notched an average of 30.5 yards per catch in the game. Running the show from under center for the Wildcats was Hunter Johnson who went 12/25 with 165 yards through the air and added 1 TD. He threw 1 interception on the day. The Northwestern Wildcats ran the ball 50 times and totaled 276 yards giving them an average of 5.5 yards per run. In the game, they totaled 75 plays which added up to 441 yards. In the game, the Wildcats earned a total of 26 first downs and they had 8 penalties for 78 yards telling us that this team had an undisciplined week of practice. When it comes to their defensive performance, Northwestern allowed 16 catches on 26 throws totaling 120 yards, and a completion percentage of 61.5%. For this contest, they gave up a total of 330 yards and forced 3 takeaways. Against the run, the Wildcats allowed 210 yards on 36 carries which gave the opponent an average of 5.8 yards per carry allowed.

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The Wildcats come into this matchup with a record of 1-1. In discussing the offensive production, the Wildcats have one of the worst offenses in college football. Northwestern has built a respectable ground game this year by averaging 184.5 yards on the ground per contest, ranking them 51st in Division 1. As a team, they have a total of 369 rushing yards through 2 games, so they will want to continue to try to improve on the run game so opponents will have to respect all facets of the game. The Wildcats average 325.5 yards per contest overall which has them at 110th in the country and 14th in the Big Ten. The Wildcats are giving up 15.5 points per contest ranking them 7th in the Big Ten and 30th in the nation. When talking about points given up, they have allowed 31 total points. When it comes to yards rushing, they are allowing 171 yards per contest ranking them 89th in Division 1 and 12th in the Big Ten Conference. For this season, they have conceded a total of 342 yards on the ground and 2 rushing TDs. Their pass defense is one of the best groups in D-1. They are conceding 176.5 passing yards per game. For passing yards allowed per game, the Wildcats are ranked 3rd in the Big Ten Conference.

Who will win tonight's Spartans/Wildcats college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Spartans -6.5

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