Online sportsbooks favor the Michigan State Spartans by 23 points over the Utah State Aggies. And it’s no wonder. There is a lot of room, as well as lot of potential for improvement on both sides of the ball. The defense finished 7th in the nation in total defense in 2017. And now the secondary has the benefit of experience. “I think it’s very good that we have a lot of experience under our belts,” junior safety David Dowell said. “But I think the most important thing is not getting complacent with that and realizing and focusing on the things we didn’t do right last year and correcting them this year.”
Ditto for the offense. Both the offensive line and the receiving corps were more than a little green. Not to mention then-first-year starting QB Brian Lewerke. “I see us more clicking together,” Lewerke said. “Guys obviously have played a full year together, so everyone knows each other and knows how we play now, and I can definitely see that on the field.”
Betting Utah State
The Aggies are also performing well on the two sides of the ball. At least in their last scrimmage. Sophomore QB Jordan Love went 5 of 10 for 114 yards and one score. Junior wide receiver Chad Artist caught two passes for 35 yards. Junior wide receiver Darwin Thompson had 38 yards on six carries. USU gained 258 yards of total offense. Four quarterbacks combined for 15 of 31 passing for 190 yards and two TDs. Nine rushers had 37 carries for 68 yards and one touchdown.
The secondary allowed three touchdowns and one field goal. Conversely, the defense had five sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss, as well as five pass breakups. Junior linebacker Ofa Luta and sophomore safeties Shaq Bond and Baron Gajkowski had six tackles each. Junior linebacker Mason Tobeck had five stops. Bond and Gajkowski combined for 2.0 tackles for loss. Junior cornerback Cameron Haney had two pass breakups. “I like where this team is at. In the next week, it will be critical in terms of getting some guys back. We’ve got three hard practices coming up and then start prepping for Michigan State in the middle of the week,” head coach Matt Welles said.
Betting Michigan State
Younger Spartans accruing experience is all well and good. But according to Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press, it’s MSU’s seniors who can take the school places. “It’s huge getting everybody back,” senior linebacker Andrew Dowell said. “Us older guys gotta use that to teach the younger guys. And the experience that we have can go a long way this year.” Solari also believes Michigan State wide receivers can “wreak havoc.” And let slip the dogs of war? Lewerke can throw indiscriminately to either Felton Davis III, Darrell Stewart Jr. or Cody White. “We got a ton of talent in the room and are at least three or four deep at every spot,” Davis said. “I feel like all of us can play.”
Michigan State Spartans vs. Utah State Aggies Betting Information
- Date: August 31st.
- Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Venue: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI
Best online sportsbooks odds from InterTops.eu:
- Utah State +23 (-110) 50½ (-110) +1280
- Michigan State -23 (-110) 50½ (-110) -2100
Online sportsbooks betting trends
- USU is 2-3 SU in its last five games.
- USU is 2-3 ATS in its last five games.
- The total has gone over in four of USU’s last seven games.
- MSU is 4-1 SU in its last five games.
- MSU is 3-2 ATS in its last five games.
- The total has gone over in five of MSU’s last eight games.
Our FREE Pick: The 22.5 points might be a tall order, if the Aggies live up to their scrimmage potential. The straight-up win, on the other hand, seems like more than a possibility.
