Preview of Ohio State Game

I shouldn't call it a preview because, as you may have noticed, my MSU blogging is almost nonexistent this season, and consequently, this post is about to be as inadequate as a Michigan road. Still, I got two cents about this game I gotta get off my chest. 

Basically, there are two things that worry me about Ohio State. The firs concern is that OSU is a dangerous offensively explosive team that can put up points in a hurry. MSU will have to keep the foot on the gas the whole game, and unfortunately, as we've seen, MSU has had a tough time doing that this year. They played a complete game against Michigan, but I would not be shocked if they suffer another letdown against OSU. And this time, I think it could cost them.

So for me, one of the keys to this game is whether MSU can keep the pedal to the metal the entire game. If not, there is great danger.

The second concern I have is with the MSU secondary. They have a lot of talent, but they have allowed several big plays all season long. They have had blown coverages in every game. Lucky for them, most teams, including UM, have not been able to take much advantage of those mistakes. But OSU has the talent and ability to do so.

OSU loves to create blown coverages by overloading one side of the field with several receivers. Last year, the Spartans handled that strategy pretty well. I'm nervous that they won't handle it so well this year. That's one thing I would definitely focus on in practice. The young secondary guys have to know how to deal with those kinds of strategies or OSU is going to look a lot like Oregon.

Anyway, if MSU can address those two concerns, they should have a great shot at winning and even dominating the game. If not, there is a strong possibility of heartbreak. Steel yourselves...

Preview of UM Game: at My Signal, Unleash Hell

The gap between these two rivals has never been so much in favor of MSU as it is this year.
If MSU recognizes that you never take a rival lightly, if it comes out focused and intense, if it "unleashes hell" on UM, the Spartans will comfortably win this one and complete the task of establishing themselves as the dominant program in the state.  If MSU comes out unfocused and takes UM lightly, they could easily suffer one of the greatest losses in program history. Apart from the humiliation it would bring to MSU, a loss would also give UM some footing, something to build on.

The Spectre of Complacency

I think the Nebraska game confirmed the full arrival of MSU's next big challenge: complacency. We saw that the Oregon game was not a fluke, that this team has a hard time finishing games. And I think a lot of that has to do with complacency.

Don't blame the players and coaches. Clearly, the rest of Spartan Nation is also infected. The fans who left early felt it. I felt it. My stress levels were way down at the start of the 4th quarter. I just could not imagine how Nebraska could get back into this one. And yet, they came within inches of giving the Spartans what would have been one of the worst losses...ever!

And lest you think it's easy to get rid of complacency, ask yourself this: "aren't you already anticipating an easy MSU victory over Purdue?" I am. I can't get myself pumped up. And if I can't get myself pumped up, I imagine the coaches and players are having a more difficult time than usual.

I guess when you're climbing to the top, it's easier to stay hungry, to want to prove yourself. When you get to the top, you really start to believe that all you have to do is show up. It doesn't help when you look so dominant through 3 quarters. Through 3 quarters, we have seen that this team is a championship team. But once you take that foot off the gas, it looks like MSU is really struggling to get that foot back on the gas.

I don't know how you deal with complacency, but the Spartans must find some answers quickly. In the short term, it could cost them a game that they should win this season. In the long run, complacency is likely to get worse as MSU's recruiting continues to improve.