Michigan State Spartans at Purdue Boilermakers
On Saturday afternoon, the fifth-ranked Michigan State Spartans will travel to Ross-Ade Stadium to take on the Purdue Boilermakers in a Big Ten Conference matchup. The Spartans are 8-0 (5-0) and are riding momentum after defeating their rival, sixth-ranked Michigan Wolverines, 37-33 at home. Sophomore quarterback Payton Thorne went 19-of-30 for 196 yards with two interceptions. The Boilermakers are 6-3 (2-2) and are coming off a 28-23 road win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Senior quarterback Aidan O’Connell had a good game and went 34-of-45 for 233 yards with two touchdowns.
Michigan State Spartans at Purdue Boilermakers Betting Analysis
On the Michigan State side
Junior running back Kenneth Walker III has been doing very well on the ground this year as he has 175 rushes for 1.194 yards (6.8 yards per carrying) with 14 touchdowns and eight catches for 36 yards (4.5 yards per reception), and a touchdown. In his last game against the Wolverines, Walker ran 23 times for 197 yards (8.6 yards per rush) with five touchdowns and three catches for 11 yards (3.7 yards per reception).
The Michigan State Wolverines have been a solid defensive team since they gave up 20.5 points per game. In their previous game against the Michigan Wolverines, they allowed 33 points on 552 total yards of offense (406 passing, 146 rushings). The Wolverines struggled to convert as they went 8-of-17 on third down and 1-of-3 on fourth down attempts. They also need to limit the number of rushing yards as the Spartans allowed 4.3 rushing yards per game. If they can figure out how to stop the run, they will be a better defense.
On the Purdue side
When it comes to catching the football, few are better than junior wide receiver David Bell. He has 53 catches for 786 yards (14.8 yards per reception) with four touchdowns while also running two times for 32 yards (16 yards per rush). In the last game against the Cornhuskers, Bell finished with nine receptions for 74 yards (8.2 yards per catch) and a six-yard rushing attempt.
The Purdue Boilermakers are a solid defensive program as they are giving up 17.1 points per game this season. In their previous game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, they allowed 23 points on 399 total yards of offense (269 passing, 130 rushings). They were able to get stops as Nebraska went 4-of-10 on third down. Purdue also forced and recovered four fumbles. If the Boilermakers can continue to dominate defensively, it will be a great sign as the season winds down.
Spartans at Boilermakers Prediction
This game is a very short line on the top sportsbooks, and I do not understand why. Both programs have been trying to deal with their injury issues as many skill position players are listed as questionable, with some time in between now and kick-off. The Spartans are 6-0-2 against the spread this season, while the Boilermakers are 4-4-0 against the spread. Aidan O’Connell has struggled in their last five games as he has seven touchdowns compared to six interceptions. Kenneth Walker III has been dominant on the ground and should be able to control the ground. All in all, go with the Michigan State Spartans to cover the spread on the road.