Iowa
Iowa football 2023 early opponent preview: Michigan State
Spartans look to return to 2021 form after disappointing 2022 season
Editor’s note: This is fifth in a 12-part series previewing Iowa’s 2023 football opponents.
IOWA CITY — Someone who saw the 2021 Michigan State Spartans might not have recognized the 2022 Spartans.
The last two seasons have brought much different results in East Lansing, Mich.
Mel Tucker led the Spartans to an 11-2 season in 2021 that ended with a Peach Bowl win and top-10 finishes in the Associated Press and College Football Playoff polls.
But 2022 was far less fortunate for Michigan State, which went 3-6 in Big Ten play and 5-7 overall. The Spartans missed a bowl game for just the third time in the last 16 seasons.
The 2022 Spartans had some bright spots, including a road win at then-No. 14 Illinois. But they also suffered losses to Maryland and Indiana.
The 2023 team Tucker takes to Kinnick Stadium to face Iowa on Sept. 30 will have a different look from the 2022 group that struggled.
Quarterback Payton Thorne and wide receiver Keon Coleman transferred. Coleman was Michigan State’s top receiver last year. MSU’s No. 2 receiver, Jayden Reed, is now in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers.
Ace punter Bryce Baringer and cornerback Ameer Speed also were drafted.
Michigan State’s quarterback options for 2023 include junior Noah Kim and redshirt freshman Katin Houser. Kim went 14-of-19 with three touchdowns and no interceptions in four games last year. He had not seen game action before 2022.
Houser played six snaps in 2022, completing 1-of-2 passes for a gain of 2 yards and rushing for 13 yards against Akron.
Running back Jalen Berger is returning after rushing for 683 yards and averaging 4.6 yards per carry last season.
With Coleman and Reed gone, Tre Mosley is expected to be the Spartans’ top receiver. Mosley had 35 catches for 359 yards and four touchdowns last year.
Cal Haladay, the 2021 Peach Bowl defensive MVP, highlights the list of returning players on the other side of the ball. Haladay was the Big Ten’s leader in tackles per game last season.
Linebacker/defensive end Jacoby Windmon showed promise in his first season with the Spartans in 2022 after transferring from UNLV. He forced an FBS-high six fumbles through eight games.
However, Windmon was suspended for the final four games for his role in the postgame fight between Michigan and Michigan State players in the Michigan Stadium tunnel.
Iowa vs. Michigan State: 3 things to watch
- How much traction can Jalen Berger gain against Iowa’s defensive front? Stopping Berger, who averaged 4.6 yards per carry last year, would force Michigan State to rely heavily on an aerial attack that is lacking in experience.
- Does Iowa win the turnover margin? While not unique to this particular game, it will be a key against a Michigan State team that was 1-4 last year when losing the turnover battle.
- The return of Terry Roberts to Iowa City. The former Iowa defensive back will be returning to the stadium he called home from 2018-22 after leaving via the transfer portal twice — first to Miami (Fla.) and then to Michigan State.
2023 prognosis
Overlook the Spartans at one’s own risk — Illinois learned that the hard way last year — but this should certainly be a winnable game for the Hawkeyes.
Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com