Dr. Green and White Bad Betting Advice, Week 12: Stayin' Alive

Well, you can tell by the way I use this space that I'm a college football fan and it's time to talk.

As for the Michigan State Spartans, the season is starting to feel like the staff is sweeping the flooring, cleaning up the merchandise, turning off the music and turning off the lights.

There are still two games remaining at Indiana this weekend and versus Penn State at Ford Field in Detroit in two weeks (on Black Friday). While it seems as though this season has gone nowhere, the Spartans are still alive in the race for the postseason (assuming the athletic department would accept a bowl bid with a 5-7 record, which I am not 100% sure would happen given the current uncertainty in the coaching situation).

Yes, the Spartans have been kicked around since this season was born. Now, it's all right and it's OK if Spartans fans prefer to look the other way for the last two weeks of the season. As for me, I plan to keep following the Spartans to the bitter end and to continue to use a little bit of math to help me to understand how the rest of the season might play out.

So, whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother, the show must go on. Let's keep dancing until the music stops.

The Spartans have faced the Indiana Hoosiers 69 times since the series began in 1922. Michigan State has played more games against Indiana than any other team not nicknamed the Wolverines. The Spartans have more wins over the Hoosiers than other team. Michigan State leads the current series 49-18-2.

Despite the overall dominance in the series, the Hoosiers have won two of the past three games and they opened as a five-point favorite this week against the Green and White. This is only the second time since 2002 that Indiana has been favored against the Spartans.

Fortunately, Michigan State historically plays well against Indiana. The Spartans are 16-7 against the spread (ATS) versus the Hoosiers, but I should also note that Michigan State is just 1-3 ATS in the past four games.

As for this year's contest, this is certainly a game that Michigan State can win. Both my computer and ESPN's Football Power Index predict the Spartans will cover, but neither are predicting a Michigan State victory.

Indiana has played well over the past few weeks and will be honoring the team's seniors in the last home game of the season. I expect a close game where a late score from the hometown Hoosiers ices the game.

My official prediction is Indiana 26, Michigan State 22.