EAST LANSING– Michigan State football begins Big Ten play on Saturday as they travel to College Park, MD. to take on the Maryland Terrapins.
The Spartans have lost the last two matchups against the Terrapins and haven’t won on the road since 2018.
Taulia Tagovailoa has torched Michigan State the last two years, scoring 58 points in two games. Luckily for the Spartans, Tagovailoa is no longer the Terrapins quarterback, after being denied eligibility for a sixth season by the NCAA this offseason.
Maryland head coach Mike Locksley has turned the program around since joining in 2019. He’s led the Terrapins to three straight winning seasons, including their first eight-win season since 2009.
The Terrapins dominated their week-one matchup against UConn, scoring 50 points in a blowout.
Terrapins quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. threw for a career-high 311 passing yards in his third regular-season start of his career. The redshirt junior is also dominant on the ground, rushing for 39 yards last week. The Spartans will have to keep Edwards Jr. in the pocket after allowing 67 yards to Florida Atlantic quarterback Cam Fancher last week.
Michigan State defensive back Angelo Grose had a standout performance in week one with 11 tackles and an interception. He will have to slow down Terrapins wide receiver Tai Felton, who caught seven passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns last week against UConn.
Veteran running back Nate Carter couldn’t get anything going in week one, only running for 2.5 yards per carry. With minimal openings for Carter, the offensive line will need to help get him going as the season progresses.
The leader of the Spartans offense, quarterback Aidan Chiles had a disappointing debut against FAU, but he is looking to bounce back against Maryland. Chiles was inefficient, only completing 42 percent of his passes. Expect him to get more easy completions, instead of looking for the deep threats.
Spartans wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. also needs to rebound in week two, after bobbling a pass that led to an interception and fumbling in the red zone last week.
Expect tight end Jack Velling to be more active, the Oregon State transfer only made one reception for 15 yards against FAU.
The Spartans will be without key players on both sides of the ball for game two. Defensive back Dillon Tatum is expected to be out for most of the season with a lower-body injury. Wide receiver Alante Brown, a bright spot in the season opener, will be out until November with an upper-body injury.
The odds are stacked against the Spartans this week as Maryland is an eight-point favorite. Maryland is 9-1 in their last ten home games favored by more than a touchdown. Head coach Jonathan Smith hasn’t fared well in this spot as he is 2-8 in his last ten games as an underdog of seven or more points.
Michigan State will look to prove themselves against Maryland on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 3:30 p.m. Catch Oscar Henderson and Joe Dez on the call from SECU Stadium on Impact 89FM radio.
