Spartans present another test for PSU
EAST LANSING, MICH. » There’s been little time for Penn State to dwell on its loss last weekend at Ohio State.
Another tough matchup looms immediately for the Nittany Lions — maybe the most difficult one they’ll face the rest of the regular season.
No. 7 Penn State plays at No. 24 Michigan State on Saturday in a game that looks a lot more intriguing than it did at the start of the season. Like the Nittany Lions, the Spartans are coming off a loss, and the teams are even in the conference standings as they begin the November stretch run.
“Obviously going on the road again is going to be challenging,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “They’re a hard-nosed Big Ten football program. They play great on defense. They’re built on defense, with a defensive head coach. They’re a smash-mouth offense.”
Penn State (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten, No. 7 CFP) can still hold out hope of making the College Football Playoff, even after a 39-38 loss to Ohio State. All the Nittany Lions can do is win their remaining regular-season games and hope for the best — and after facing Michigan State, they have home games against Rutgers and Nebraska, followed by a trip to Maryland.
So the toughest part of the schedule may be behind them, but the Spartans (6-2, 4-1, No. 24) could pose a stiff challenge. Michigan State is coming off a wild defeat of its own, a 39-31 loss at Northwestern in triple overtime. The Spartans weren’t expected to be much of a threat this season after going 3-9 in 2016, but they’re still in the Big Ten title hunt with games against Penn State and Ohio State coming up in back-toback weeks.
“Opportunities are still in front of us,” Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. “I think that’s exciting for our entire football program, for the Spartan fan base.”