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Published Sep 15, 2023
Staff Picks: Washington versus Michigan State
Zachary Manning  •  Spartans Illustrated
Staff Writer

Michigan State is 2-0 to begin the 2023 season, but the road gets tougher schedule wise beginning this week. The Washington Huskies are currently ranked No. 8 in the nation and boast perhaps the best passing offense in the country, leading the FBS in passing yards per game (472) through two games.

Add in all that has happened over the last week regarding Mel Tucker, and you have an interesting game for the Spartans. The team could come out unified and ready to battle, or it could be a three-score victory for the Huskies as the spread suggests.

With Harlon Barnett and Mark Dantonio leading the program now, our Spartans Illustrated team gives some insight on this week's matchup.

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Staff Picks: 

David Harns

Washington 30, Michigan State 27  

Not many prognosticators expected Michigan State to beat Washington before Mel Tucker was suspended. Fewer of them expect it now. But there's something about a group of guys who are being told they can't do something. Is the Dantonio-era disrespect underdog mantra going to overcome the difficulty of stopping the Huskies' offense? Maybe. But my official prediction says no.

Ryan O'Bleness

Washington 38, Michigan State 31

It's been an intense week. It is easy to forget that Michigan State will still play football on Saturday. With Mel Tucker suspended amidst harassment allegations, MSU will be lead by acting head coach Harlon Barnett.

Are the players going to rally around Barnett and each other and stun the No. 8-ranked Washington Huskies? Or are they understandably distracted and emotionally drained? By all accounts, it's the former, but will that actually translate to the field against a top-10 opponent with the most potent passing offense in the country (472 passing yards per game?). We'll find out Saturday.

My prediction is going to be that MSU comes out fast, motivated and focused, and is able to keep up with UW for much of the game. The crowd should be loud and electric. However, at the end of the day, while the secondary seems to be improved in 2023, I still feel as if Washington's passing attack has the huge advantage against Michigan State's young defensive backs. This is the Spartans' first true test of the season.

The Spartans give an incredible effort, especially under the circumstances, but the Huskies ultimately win the game by a more narrow margin than most people expect.

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Kevin Knight

Washington 42, Michigan State 35

Michigan State has plenty of distractions and question marks heading into its first true test of the season as No. 8 Washington visits Saturday. While the game start time does no favors for body clock advantages against the Huskies, there are still home-field advantages and MSU has yet to lose to UW in East Lansing thus far. Still, overcoming that offensive attack is too high a bar for the Spartans, falling 42-35 in a thriller.

Paul Fanson

Washington 33, Michigan State 23

This game will likely go one of two way: 1.) the events of the week weigh heavily on the hearts of the Spartans and they come out flat and disorganized. The Spartan get rolled by 20-plus points and the new alcohol vendors in Spartan Stadium make ridiculous profits. 2.) The Spartans come out sharp, focused, and a little angry.

The game is very competitive as Washington is the team that looks a half-step slow and perhaps a little jet lagged. The game goes into deep into the fourth quarter and is won on the final possession. As for my official prediction, I let my computer make the call, and it is essentially the average of those two scenarios. Stupid math.

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Zach Manning

Washington 38, Michigan State 10

I want to believe MSU will come out energized and ready to play with a top-10 team in town. However, with everything that has happened over the last week, I think this one will get ugly in a hurry.

Washington will certainly have no sympathy for MSU, and the Huskies' potent offensive attack will help them get out in front early. Once trailing by a couple scores, I'm not sure the Spartans will be able to get themselves back into the game.

Nathan Carter does find the end zone for the third-straight game, but MSU just isn't quite ready to hang with the top teams in the country.

Brendan Moore

Washington 34, Michigan State 21

The key in this game is Michigan State’s defense. Can the Spartans get to Michael Penix Jr. with a four-man rush? Can the linebackers play well in coverage against an elite receiving unit? I still think the secondary is a weakness of the MSU defense and Washington will put up points.

The Spartans will have success on the ground with Nate Carter and will hang around for the first half. However, Washington will pull away in the fourth quarter with a couple of late scores.

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Verbosedutch

Washington 45, Michigan State 27  

I feel the Spartans will show a lot of passion and come out fast for the first time this season, perhaps even lead by the end of the first quarter. However, the Huskies likely have the most explosive passing game in college football and containing a group of future NFL players will prove too difficult a task.

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