Michigan looks to keep their undefeated season in tact this Saturday when they head to East Lansing to take on hated instate rival Michigan State.
If Michigan is to keep that undefeated record in tact though, they MUST hit on these keys Saturday afternoon against Michigan State…
Put pressure on Kirk Cousins
It’s no secret that Michigan State’s offensive line is horrible and Kirk Cousins hasn’t had a very good season so far. Michigan’s defensive line needs to put plenty of pressure on Cousins and really take advantage of that weak State O-line.
Keep on taking advantage of that weak offensive line by stopping the running game
Again, Michigan needs to continue taking advantage State’s weak offensive line by stopping the run. Force Cousins to air the ball out since he’s been making plenty of questionable throws all season long.
Try to take advantage of the MSU’s special teams
This may be more of a luxury than anything else but if Michigan can force Michigan State to continue to make mistakes on special teams, the Wolverines should set themselves up nicely to win this game.
Develop a running game outside of Denard Robinson
Michigan State did a very good job at shutting Denard Robinson down last season. It’s a MUST that Vincent Smith and/or Fitz Toussaint get in this game, run well and open things up for Robinson both on the ground and through the air.
Mix things up on offense
Michigan State has one of the best if not thee best defenses in the country. I really like what Brady Hoke did against Minnesota a couple of weeks ago when he got Devon Gardner in the game under center. I would love to see Brady Hoke do the same thing here, keeping the Spartan defense on their toes.
Prevent the big play
Michigan’s defense still isn’t there but Greg Mattison has them going in the right direction. Michigan State’s offense is very capable of the big play considering the way they like to line up in a pro style using two TE’s. Although Michigan won’t completely shut that down, they need to make sure they manage it.
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