Arguably the most exciting game of the week, Michigan State and Oregon will face off Saturday night. It is a critical non-conference game for both teams because of the likelihood that they could see each other again in the post season. For Michigan State, it’s an opportunity to cement their status as an elite top-15 team and stay ahead of their biggest conference rival (Ohio State) in the hunt for playoffs.
Tomorrow night’s marquee matchup has Marcus Mariota’s name all over it. It’s to be expected that the junior quarterback would be a central topic of discussion when it comes to predictions for this weekend. Last season, he was nearly perfect with only two bad games, and an insane 31:4 touchdown to interception ratio. If Mariota continues to pass near perfection, Saturday’s game will turn into a quarterback duel between himself and Michigan State’s Connor Cook.
Cook is in the spotlight as well after a monster game against Jacksonville State last week. Going 12 for 13 for 285 yards, and three touchdowns, he was almost flawless in his season debut. He currently holds the highest QBR rating in the nation with a 99.98 rating, and is a foreseeable threat to break down Oregon’s defense. With Tony Lippett and Nick Hill as offensive weapons, Michigan has the speed to if not outmuscle, outrun Oregon’s defense.
Something that the Spartans will have to do early is score. Offensively, MSU isn’t at a loss (especially not with Lippett’s speed) and if Cook can get comfortable in the pocket, they can make big plays and challenge Oregon in a shootout. Cook looks comfortable leading the offense and has experience gained from big end-of-season games and a post-season run last year.
Conversely, if Oregon’s defense can put the pressure on the Spartan offense they will have a better shot at winning the game, since their main weakness is lack of physicality, a flaw that a team like the Spartans will try and exploit. Their offense is also one that is the biggest threat to MSU’s shot at playoffs: with lightning-fast players like Byron Marshall (who had eight receptions for 138 yards) and Thomas Tyner (11 carries for 64 yards), Oregon has both the manpower and speed to stop the Spartans short from creating an effective passing game and defensive stop on the field.
Overall, this game is the one to watch this weekend, whether you are a college football fanatic or just a casual watcher. What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Find out tomorrow night when Oregon hosts Michigan State.
*Section Photo credit to Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports; Featured Photo (above) credit to Otto Greule Jr., Getty Images
