Week 7 College Football Predictions: Michigan vs. Michigan State

There are four games between ranked opponents but none should be more interesting and telling than when Michigan takes on Michigan State in East Lansing for the Paul Bunyan Trophy.

Michigan has once again made it through the easy part of their schedule undefeated while Michigan State’s lone loss came against Notre Dame.

Considering that both teams have already played the Irish and one team lost while the other won, this game should favor the Wolverines. However, there are many other things to consider.

First, the game is being played in East Lansing and the Spartan faithful will be screaming their heads off for most of the game.

The next big thing to remember is how this game was played last year. In Ann Arbor, Michigan State came in and dismantled the Wolverines 34-17. They picked off Denard Robinson three times and held him to under 100 yards rushing for the first time all season.

Expect a similar performance because Robinson has already thrown nine interceptions, two shy of his 2010 total, and the Spartan’s defense is allowing an incredible 173 yards total per game.

The biggest key to this game will be Michigan State’s offense against the Wolverine’s defense. Michigan has held their considerably lesser opponents to low point totals but they have yet to prove themselves against a top offense. Thankfully for them, the Spartans are not very good at putting points on the board.

You would think that the combination of Kirk Cousins, Edwin Baker and B.J. Cunningham would do the trick but nothing seems to be clicking. In the two games against opponents allowing less than 28 points per game, Michigan State has only been able to put up a combined 23 points.

If one side of this battle can dominate the other, expect that team to win.

This game could easily come down to the wire and in situations like that, it is usually the better bet to take the home team.

Michigan State – 24

Michigan – 21