Jonathan Smith on first taste of Michigan rivalry: ‘I will not forget that thing’
Jonathan Smith on Oct. 28, 2024 said the Michigan State-Michigan football rivalry “crystalized for him” after his first taste of the game.
Michigan State athletics
Michigan State football is looking to play spoiler Saturday, as the Spartans take on the surging Indiana Hoosiers.
In Curt Cignetti’s first year in Bloomington, Indiana is 8-0 (5-0 Big Ten) and has elevated its sights to the Big Ten championship and College Football Playoffs. Michigan State, meanwhile, is still finding its sea legs under Jonathan Smith but trending in the right direction. Now 4-4 (2-3 Big Ten), Michigan State is still two wins away from bowl eligibility. Its games after Indiana will be against Illinois, Purdue, and Rutgers.
The Spartans are coming off a loss against Michigan last week, but there were good things to take away from the 24-17 defeat. Aidan Chiles completed 17-of-23 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown, while Nathan Carter rushed for over 100 yards. The Spartans outgained Michigan, but ultimately came up just short.
For the Hoosiers, Kurtis Rourke will be back at quarterback after missing last week’s game against Washington.
Watch MSU-Indiana live on Peacock
Can the Spartans upset one of the country’s biggest surprises so far this year? It will have to start with slowing down the Hoosiers’ high-powered offense. Follow below for live updates.
This section will be updated when the game begins.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
INDIANA | X | X | X | X | — |
MICHIGAN STATE | X | X | X | X | — |
The Spartans and Hoosiers will play each other Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET in East Lansing, Michigan at Spartan Stadium.
Michigan State and Indiana will not be on a TV channel, instead airing on NBC’s streaming service Peacock as the Big Ten game of the week. Paul Burmeister, Colt McCoy, and Zora Stephenson will be on the call.
Graham Couch, Lansing State Journal:
Indiana and MSU have taken different paths in their first eight games under new coaches. Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti was, without question, an outstanding hire. But MSU also would have gotten to at least 6-0 had it played the Hoosiers schedule. The last two weeks – impressive Indiana wins over Nebraska and Washington – are evidence of something more. This is an Indiana team brimming with confidence and with plenty of talent. The Spartans, meanwhile, have arrived at 4-4 with road games at Boston College, Oregon and Michigan, by facing Ohio State and Oregon six days apart. MSU knows all of its flaws and warts and it’s had to earn everything. In the long run, that might prove to be the better to way to build something. But it has not made for a better season. Indiana is no fluke and the Hoosiers are rolling.
Make it: Indiana 34, MSU 27
Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Saturday:
The weather in East Lansing is expected to be temperate Saturday. At the 3:30 kickoff, it is expected to be in the low 50s and sunny.
Here’s a look at Michigan State’s schedule for 2024.
All times Eastern
Here’s a look at Indiana’s schedule in 2024:
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