Indiana Football Double-Digit Underdog Against Michigan State in Week 12

Indiana football (3-7) travels to East Lansing, Mich. to battle the Michigan State Spartans (5-5) in the Old Brass Spittoon rivalry game. The Spartans opened at 13-point favorites, but that number has since dropped.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football will play its final road game of the 2022 season on Saturday at Noon ET at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich. 

After a 3-0 start to the year, the Hoosiers have lost seven games in a row, most recently a 56-14 loss at No. 2 Ohio State. Indiana coach Tom Allen benched nine-game starter Connor Bazelak for redshirt sophomore Dexter Williams II, who appeared in his second career game at the college level.

Allen will not name a starter heading into Saturday's game against Michigan State, a rivalry that dates back to 1922.

"Great opportunity for us to play for the Brass Spittoon, a trophy we've had twice since I've been here and they have it now, so much, much to play for with our guys," Allen said. "Set that tone [on Monday] in our team meeting with them regarding that, and it will be the whole tone and focus for the week to be able to get our guys ready to play our best football on Saturday in East Lansing."

Michigan State opened as a 13-point favorite in this game, but the line has since dropped to 10.5, according to the SI Sportsbook on Tuesday. The over/under for this matchup is set at 48 points.

Michigan State entered the 2022 season ranked No. 15 in the nation after an 11-2 campaign in 2021, which included wins over Miami (FL), Michigan, Penn State and Pittsburgh in the Peach Bowl. Coach Mel Tucker, who inked a nine-year, $95 million contract last year, hasn't lived up to those high expectations, though, holding a 5-5 record this season.

Michigan State started the year with dominant wins over Western Michigan and Akron, which was followed by a four-game skid with losses to Washington, Minnesota, Maryland and Ohio State. The Spartans lost each of these games by 11 or more points, including a 27-point loss at home to Minnesota. 

Tucker began to turn things around in Week 7 with a double-overtime win over Wisconsin heading into the bye week. The Spartans lost by 22 points at home to Michigan, but responded with wins over Illinois and Rutgers to keep bowl-eligibility hopes alive. 

ESPN's matchup predictor gives Michigan State an 83.8 percent chance of beating Indiana, which would extend the Spartans' season by one more game. 

Related stories on Indiana football:

• WEEK 12 DEPTH CHART, INJURY UPDATE: Indiana football released its depth chart for a Week 12 road trip to Michigan State, and coach Tom Allen provided an update on a few injured players at Monday's press conference. CLICK HERE 
• THE CASE FOR STARTING DEXTER WILLIAMS: Dexter Williams II has a long way to go to become a polished passer, but he has a skillset no other Indiana quarterback provides. Indiana should use the final two games to develop him. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA-OHIO STATE GAME STORY: The Indiana defense had couldn't stop CJ Stroud and the explosive Ohio State offense, allowing 662 total yards in a 56-14 loss on Saturday at Ohio Stadium. CLICK HERE
• DEXTER WILLIAMS REACTS TO LOSS AT OHIO STATE: Indiana sophomore quarterback Dexter Williams II took over for Connor Bazelak in the Hoosiers' 56-14 loss to Ohio State on Saturday. Read Williams' full postgame interview transcript, or just watch the attached video. CLICK HERE