5 key matchups for Minnesota’s Week 10 clash against Michigan State

The Gophers host Michigan State at Huntington Bank Stadium this Saturday. At 0-5 in conference play, the Spartans have been one of the most disappointing teams in the Big Ten, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still dangerous. Here are five key matchups for this week’s game.

Marsh has a strong argument for being the best player on Michigan State. Listed at 6-foot-3, 203 pounds, he has 46 catches for 479 yards and five touchdowns, which are all team highs. The Gophers’ cornerbacks struggled against California, Rutgers and Ohio State, but they’ve responded against Purdue, Nebraska and Iowa over the last three weeks. With John Nestor’s status up in the air, Za’Quan Bryan and the rest of Minnesota’s corners will need to step up.

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Over the last two weeks, Minnesota has faced No. 2 and No. 8 pass defenses in the country. Lindsey has completed 66.6% of his passes for 131 yards per game with two total touchdowns and three interceptions. He has a great opportunity to get back on track this week against Michigan State’s 87th-ranked unit, which has allowed 230.8 yards per game through the air. With Darius Taylor’s status up in the air, Lindsey might need to have a big game.

Michigan State’s starting quarterback, Aidan Chiles, struggled last week, completing 50% of his passes for only 130 yards and one rushing touchdown. He has been pretty up and down all season, and there haven’t been any signs that imply that the Spartans would make a change at the position, but they’re 0-5 in conference play. If they make a move, it would likely be for freshman Alessio Milivojevic, who has looked good in garbage time. This could be something that completely changes the game if Michigan State makes a surprise decision.

After a breakthrough performance against Nebraska, Minnesota’s offensive line reverted to its old ways against the Hawkeyes. They will face a far less daunting Michigan State defensive front this week. The Spartans’ 14 sacks rank 88th-best as a team, and their 149.4 rushing yards per game rank 76th-best. The Gophers have an opportunity on Saturday to get their confidence back.

The Gophers haven’t lost back-to-back games all season, but they might face their toughest challenge to avoid that happening this week against the Spartans. It’s hard to find many things on paper where Michigan State has a huge advantage over Minnesota, which makes this game even more sneaky. The Gophers badly need to respond emotionally after last week’s beatdown in Iowa City.