Michigan State will look to pick up its fourth win of the 2023 season this weekend when the Spartans travel to Bloomington to take on the Indiana Hoosiers.

The Hoosiers are fresh off a 48-45 overtime loss to Illinois last week, while the Spartans fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes by a final score of 38-3.

It will be the Spartans' last true road game of the season as they'll take on the Penn State Nittany Lions next weekend at Ford Field in Detroit.

When: Saturday, Nov.18,12:01 p.m. ET

Where: Memorial Stadium (52,656) | Bloomington, Indiana

TV: BTN | Jason Ross Jr (play-by-play), Anthony Herron (analyst), Meghan McKeown (reporter)

Radio: Spartan Media Network (FIND YOUR LOCAL STATION)

SiriusXM: 380/SiriusXM App

Indiana- Tom Allen (eighth year at Indiana; eighth overall)

- Career Record: 33-47

- Record at Indiana: 33-47

- Record against Michigan State: 2-4

Michigan State- Harlon Barnett (first year at Michigan State; first overall)

- Career Record: 1-7

- Record against Indiana: 0-0

Michigan State has dominated Indiana for much of the history between the two programs with a 49-18-2 record in the battle for the Old Brass Spittoon.

The Spartans have won seven of 10 games since 2011, but the Hoosiers have been able to pull out wins in both 2020 and 2022, defeating the Spartans 39-31 in double overtime last season in East Lansing after MSU blew a 31-14 lead in the second half.

Indiana is a small favorite for Saturday's matchup, being favored by Las Vegas by 3.5 points as of press time. The over/under for the contest is set at 47.5 points.

The Spartans have not been great at covering the spread this season with a 4-5-1 record, while the Hoosiers have been better at beating Vegas' odds with a 6-4 record against the spread. Seven of the Hoosiers's 10 games have also hit the over, including six of their last seven.

Courtesy of the Michigan State Athletic Department:

Michigan State will be looking for its third straight win at Memorial Stadium when the Spartans travel to Bloomington to face Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 12 p.m. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network and streamed live on the FOX Sports app with Jason Ross Jr. (play-by-play), Anthony Herron (analyst) and Meghan McKeown (sidelines) on the call.

• The Spartans (3-7, 1-6 Big Ten) fell at No. 1 Ohio State last Saturday night in Columbus, 38-3, while the Hoosiers (3-7, 1-6 Big Ten) lost in overtime at Illinois, 48-45.

• Saturday’s game marks the 70th meeting between Michigan State and Indiana. The Spartans lead the all-time series against the Hoosiers, 49-18-2, including a 23-10-1 record in Bloomington. MSU has won five out of the last six matchups at Memorial Stadium.

• Since 1950, the winner of the Michigan State-Indiana game has been presented the Old Brass Spittoon. The brass spittoon came from one of Michigan’s earliest trading posts and is widely believed to be more than 200 years old. Legend has it that the spittoon was around when both institutions were founded – Indiana in 1820 and MAC in 1855. The trophy was initiated by the junior and senior classes and student council at Michigan State, and soon accepted by the Indiana Student Senate. Since 1950, Michigan State leads the series, 49-15-1.

• Michigan State’s schedule currently ranks the most difficult in the FBS, according to the NCAA (opponents with a .722 winning percentage; 65-25 record). The Spartans have played three AP Top-10 teams (No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 Washington) and all 10 opponents are either .500 (Central Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska) or have winning records (Richmond, Washington, Maryland, Iowa, Rutgers, Michigan, Ohio State).

• Secondary coach Harlon Barnett, who is in his 15th year overall on the Spartan coaching staff, was named acting head coach by MSU Vice President/Director of Athletics Alan Haller on Sunday, Sept. 10 and has since been appointed interim head coach. Barnett came back to East Lansing in 2020 after spending two seasons (2018-19) as the defensive coordinator at Florida State. He previously spent 11 seasons (2007-17) as the secondary coach at Michigan State, including three seasons as the co-defensive coordinator (2015- 17) and one as the associate head coach (2017), before departing for FSU. Barnett has coached in four New Year’s Six/BCS bowl games with the Spartans (2014 Rose, 2014 Cotton, 2015 CFP Semifinal, 2021 Peach) and has been on staff for three Big Ten Championship teams (2010, 2013, 2015). Barnett recorded his first victory as head coach of the Spartans with a 20-17 win over Nebraska on Nov. 4 in East Lansing.

• Sophomore safety Jaden Mangham ranks tied for third in the Big Ten and tied for ninth in the FBS with four interceptions. Mangham recorded a pick in back-to-back games (at Minnesota, vs. Nebraska), and also had interceptions against Washington and Rutgers. In addition, he has three pass break-ups and ranks tied for sixth on the team with 45 tackles.

• Graduate senior J.D. Duplain, a native of Strongsville, Ohio, has started 40 consecutive games at left guard, the second-longest streak by an offensive lineman in school history (Shane Hannah with 44 from 1991-94). Duplain’s 45 starts overall are also second most in MSU history by an offensive lineman (record: Joel Foreman with 49 from 2008-11). The four-year letterwinner has played in a total of 51 career games for the Spartans from 2019-23; he started five games as a true freshman in 2019, then five more during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Duplain started all 13 games in 2021 and all 12 in 2022. He has earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades the past two seasons. Duplain’s starting streak dates back to Nov. 7, 2020, at Iowa.

• Redshirt sophomore running back Nathan Carter ranks tied for fifth in the Big Ten rushing, averaging 71.1 yards per game (711 total). He also ranks second in the conference in carries (167) and 11th in all-purpose yards (809; 80.9 ypg), and leads the team with four rushing touchdowns. According to PFF, Carter has rushed for 442 yards after contact (62 percent), which ranks fourth most in the Big Ten. Carter has rushed for 1,694 yards on 357 carries in his 26-game collegiate career (16 at UConn from 2021-22; 10 at MSU in 2023), including seven rushing touchdowns.

• Redshirt freshman punter Ryan Eckley ranks third in the Big Ten and 22nd in the FBS in punting, averaging 44.9 yards per punt. Eckley also ranks third in the conference with 15 punts of 50-plus yards and 18 punts inside the 20.

►A QUICK GLANCE AT INDIANA (3-7, 1-6 BIG TEN)

• The Hoosiers have a 3-7 overall and 1-6 Big Ten Conference ledger after a high scoring back-and-forth battle at Illinois last Saturday before falling 48-45 in OT.

• IU had a 27-12 lead in the second quarter, but Illinois stormed back to take a 39-27 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Illini took a 42-34 lead with 5:04 left, but the Hoosiers scored a TD with 28 seconds left on a 26-yard pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Brendan Sorsby to senior wide receiver Dequece Carter and then Sorsby connected with senior wide receiver E.J. Williams Jr. for the 2-point conversion to tie it up and send the game to overtime. Indiana had the ball first and redshirt junior placekicker Chris Freeman made a 41-yard field goal, but Illinois scored a 21-yard TD pass for the 48-45 OT win.

• Indiana had 451 yards of total offense with 289 yards passing and three TDs, along with 162 yards rushing, also with three TDs. Illinois amassed 662 yards of total offense, with 507 yards through the air with four scores, and 155 yards on the ground with two TDs.

• Indiana is 10th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (21.4 ppg) and 13th in scoring defense (30.0 ppg). The Hoosiers are eighth in the conference in total offense (324.3 ypg), ranking sixth in passing offense (213.0 ypg) and 12th in rushing offense (111.3 ypg). The IU defense is 14th in total defense (391.1 ypg), ranking 11th in passing yards allowed (230.2 ypg) and 14th in rushing defense (160.9 ypg).

• Redshirt freshman quarterback Brendan Sorsby is sixth in the Big Ten in both passing yards/completion (11.76) and passing efficiency (131.3), while ranking eighth in both passing yards/game (145.5) and passing TDs (10). He is also ranked tied for 10th in the conference in rushing TDs (4) and tied for 14th in rushing yards per carry (2.24), to rank seventh in the league in points responsible for per game (10.8). Sorsby is 99-of-172 passing for 1,164 yards (145.5 ypg), with 10 TDs and two INTs, along with 84 rushing attempts for 188 yards (2.2 ypc/23.5 ypg) with four TDs.

• Junior wide receiver Donaven McCulley is seventh in the Big Ten in receiving TDs (5), eighth in the league in receptions/game (4.0), along with 12th in receiving yards/game (52.4). He has 40 catches for 524 yards (13.1 ypc/52.4 ypg) with five TDs, with a long of 69 yards. He had 11 catches on 13 targets, for 137 yards and two TDs, last Saturday at Illinois.

• IU's leading rusher is sophomore Jaylin Lucas with 65 carries for 265 yards (4.1 ypc/26.5 ypg) with two TDs. He also is second on the team in receiving with 33 catches for 235 yards (7.1 ypc/23.5 ypg) with two TDs. Lucas is also second in the Big Ten and 26th in the FBS in kickoff returns (22.6 ypr), on 17 returns with a long of 56 yards.

• Redshirt senior linebacker Aaron Casey spearheads the Hoosier defense to the tune of also leading the Big Ten and ranking ninth in the FBS in tackles for loss per game (1.4) with 14.5 total TFL, which also tops the league and ranks tied for 11th in the nation. He averages 8.6 tackles/game, which ranks fifth in the Big Ten and 37th in the FBS, also ranking fifth in the conference in total tackles with 86 stops. Casey also is tied for sixth in the league in both sacks (5.5) and sacks/game (0.55), adding three pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and one QB hurry. Casey was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in Week 10 for his 4.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks with nine total tackles in Indiana's win over Wisconsin.

• Senior linebacker Lanell Carr Jr. is tied for eighth in the Big Ten in sacks (5.0) and tied for 10th in the conference in tackles for loss (7.5).

• Junior punter James Evans is second in the Big Ten and 12th in the FBS in punting (45.9 ypp) on 46 punts, with a long of 70 yards, one of 18 punts of 50+ yards, with 12 inside the 20 and six touchbacks, including 14 fair catches.

• Chris Freeman is sixth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.818), making 9-of-11, with a long of 50 yards, adding 22-of-23 PATs. He also has 40 kickoffs for a 61.2 ypk average with 22 touchbacks.

• Indiana head coach Tom Allen is in his seventh year at the helm of the Hoosiers and as a collegiate head coach, posting a 33-47 record.

►PREVIOUS MATCHUP

• The Hoosiers rallied from a 17-point third-quarter deficit to win in double overtime, 39-31, last season in Spartan Stadium. MSU won the last meeting in Bloomington, 20-15, on Oct. 16, 2021.

According to Accuweather, Saturday will be a chillier day in Bloomington with a high of 50 degrees and a low of 30 degrees. There isn't expected to be much cloud coverage throughout the day or participation. Wind should be minimal, staying under 10 miles per hour for the most part.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Join the discussion on this article in our premium forums by clicking here.

You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, and Instagram.

For video content, including our Red Cedar Radar podcast, find us on YouTube and consider subscribing.