Oregon vs. Michigan State: Game Preview

The first major stop on the road to the College Football Playoff takes place in East Lansing, Mich. as the marquee matchup of Week 2 pits No. 5 Michigan State against No. 7 Oregon.

Last season, it was the Ducks who used the same matchup to boost their playoff resume, with Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota proving to be the difference in a contest that was much closer than the 46-27 final score indicated. With the quarterback off to the NFL, however, it will be up to transfer Vernon Adams to keep the Oregon offense going and come out with a win in a tough road environment.

According to Michigan State, the contest will be the first matchup of AP Top 10 teams in Spartan Stadium since the “Game of the Century” took place in 1966 between then-No. 2 MSU and top-ranked Notre Dame. All eyes this year will be on senior quarterback Connor Cook, who will be looking to avenge last year's loss while getting the team motivated after an up-and-down showing in the Spartans' opener against Western Michigan.

It doesn't get much better than this when it comes to nonconference games, and the winner will likely emerge as a favorite to make it to one of the two semifinal games at the end of the season.

Date: Saturday, September 12

Time: 8:14 p.m. ET

Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich.

TV: ABC

Radio: Sirius/XM Ch. 84, Spartan Sports Radio Network, Oregon IMG Radio Network

Line: Michigan State -3.5, according to OddsShark.com

Oregon Keys to Victory

Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

Explosive Plays

In last season's matchup in Eugene, Oregon managed to rack up 12 plays of 20 or more yards against a tough Michigan State defense that used a number of different looks to create confusion up front. Those explosion plays proved be the difference in what was otherwise a close game for three quarters.

If the Ducks want to have any chance of returning to the College Football Playoff, they'll have to continue to find ways to convert big plays down the field. Mark Dantonio's defense is retooling a bit in the secondary and gave up 365 yards through the air to Western Michigan's Zach Terrell.

Quarterback Vernon Adams produced some big plays in his debut and will need to keep that up against the toughest defense he's faced in college.

Fix the Pass Defense

UO is breaking in a pair of new starters on the back end, and you could tell in the team's opener after Eastern Washington was able to exploit the Ducks secondary for several big gains. It wasn't just the coverage, either, as tackling proved to be quite the issue in the open field. It didn't help that the defensive line failed to generate much pressure, either.

Facing an experienced quarterback like Connor Cook, Oregon better be prepared for a downfield passing attack and hope that the issues in the opener are corrected by kickoff in East Lansing if they want a chance to win.

Win the Battle in the Trenches

Offensive tackle Tyler Johnstone returned to action after missing all of last year with a knee injury. His veteran presence should help a unit that has been reconfigured following the offseason departures of a number of players who protected Mariota last season. While Johnstone's play improved as the game went on against Eastern Washington in Week 1, there were plenty of areas where he and his teammates can improve on heading on the road.

Factor in the fact that both Michigan State defensive linemen Shilique Calhoun and Lawrence Thomas are already being watched closely by NFL scouts, and this week presents a tough test for Oregon in the trenches.

Likewise, defensive leader DeForest Buckner and his fellow Ducks defenders will need to improve upon their performances in the opener in order to help clog MSU's running lanes and slow down a quality offense.

Michigan State Keys to Victory

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Make Oregon One-Dimensional

When the Spartans have shut down the run and made opponents abandon any hope of staying balanced, they typically win the football game. Pass-happy offenses simply don't fare too well when facing a Mark Dantonio defense (ask Baylor in last year's Cotton Bowl) when they're not able to run the ball, and that's going to be a key part of the game plan to slow down Oregon's fast-paced offense.

If a tough defensive line and shut down running lanes and win the war in the trenches, MSU has a chance to mix things up on the back end and cause enough pressure to create turnovers. 

Establish the Run

Michigan State is taking a running back-by-committee approach to replace Jeremy Langford, and the early returns from the opener were solid but not spectacular. Gerald Holmes and Madre London both had some nice runs in their season debuts and true freshman LJ Scott led the team in rushing against Western Michigan. Neither has really created a huge gap between the others so it will be important for the team as a whole to really get things going on the ground in order to keep the clock moving.

Cook Plays Perfectly

Last season in Eugene, Cook threw a season-high two interceptions but generally played well against an attacking Oregon defense. If MSU is to capture a win at home with a number of new faces on offense, the veteran quarterback will need to come through and play close to perfectly. He missed some throws in the season opener and will simply have to be sharper on downfield throws if the Spartans are to keep pace in what should be a high-scoring affair.

Oregon Players to Watch

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QB Vernon Adams

The man replacing Heisman winner Marcus Mariota looked good in his debut and will certainly be the one the cameras are on at all times on Saturday given his role as trigger man for the Ducks' uptempo attack.

He's faced some tough defenses at the FBS level before, but nothing like what the Spartans will throw at him. Plus, this is the most difficult road environment he's ever played in. Seeing how the FCS transfer from Eastern Washington handles things early in the game could determine Oregon's success.

RB Royce Freeman

While Adams (and Mariota last year) is the trigger man, "Rolls" Royce Freeman is the key cog that makes the Oregon offense go. Equally adept at running between the tackles as he is bursting into the open field after hitting the edge, Freeman has a great blend of size, speed and power. He led the team in rushing and scored twice in last season's matchup so the Spartans are well aware of what he brings to the table.

DL DeForest Buckner

Former teammate Arik Armstead got a lot of the press last season on his way to becoming a first-round NFL draft pick, but Buckner was right at the same level for the defense during last year's run to the national title. Long and powerful, he's a load for any opposing offensive lineman, and his ability to shoot the gap to get into the backfield can create plenty of havoc when he's told to get upfield. 

Michigan State Players to Watch

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QB Connor Cook

One of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten since emerging as a starter, Cook has been the steady hand that guides a quality offense and turned himself into a potential first-round pick after the season. He's got a strong arm that can find open receivers down the field and is surprisingly mobile for a pocket passer. Being able to figure out Oregon's defense and make adjustments will be key in this game.

DL Shilique Calhoun

Calhoun enters Saturday's contest as one of the most decorated defensive linemen in the Big Ten, and it's not hard to figure out why as soon as he makes his presence known in the backfield. Nobody on the Spartans roster has started as long as he has, and that experience will be key in facing the top-tier tackles Oregon will bring to East Lansing. Calhoun's size allows him to set the edge against the run, but his pass-rushing skills will likely be what he needs to rely on most for this game.

WR Aaron Burbridge

The Spartans have a fairly deep receiving corps, but it's Burbridge who is the veteran of the group and senior leader. Though he's not the tallest wideout for somebody who plays on the outside, he is nevertheless a load for opposing cornerbacks to handle. Whether it's near the goal line or racking up yards after the catch, Burbridge will be a key target in the passing game as he looks to sync up with Cook early and often.

Prediction

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Last season's matchup between the Pac-12's best and the budding Big Ten power seemed to shape the early opinions for each league when it came to both national perception and the College Football Playoff. Expect that to be the case once again this year given the ramifications for both squads heading into Saturday night's showdown.

In a game that surely means more to the Spartans, the green and white will surely be looking to avenge the 2014 loss and keep their program pointed firmly at a spot in the final four. East Lansing hasn't seen a clash of titans like this in nearly 50 years and the team's faithful fans will no doubt make the atmosphere one to remember.

Given that both squads struggled defensively in Week 1 when trying to stop the passing game, that would tend to suggest that Oregon has an edge based on the sheer amount of playmakers they can put out on the field to make explosion plays happen. This promises to be a close game that looks essentially like a pick 'em so things will likely come down to a big play or two.

Even though the Ducks are without their Heisman winner at quarterback, they still have enough fire power to go on the road and capture a huge early season victory. Michigan State will make things close but in the end it just might not be enough to keep pace with the athletes on the other side of the ball.