Matchup Against Iowa Gives MSU a Chance to Prove First 3 Weeks Were No Fluke
The season’s first six games were about two different Michigan State teams.
The Spartans started 3-0 with wins over Florida Atlantic, Maryland, and Prairie View A&M. While their wins against Florida Atlantic and Prairie View A&M were solid, those were two inferior opponents that Michigan State beat. The Spartans’ upset win over Maryland in their Big Ten opener was the win that made many people believe Michigan State could be better than expected this season.
Michigan State also entered the season with one of the country's most challenging schedules. The schedule would not get more difficult for the Spartans until the fourth game of the season when they traveled east to face Boston College. Michigan State would play that game, missing some of its most critical players, and still nearly beat the Eagles.
The Spartans’ next two games were far from close, as Ohio State and Oregon would outmatch them in consecutive weeks. After starting season 3-0, which nearly matches last year’s win total, the Spartans are now 3-3 and are coming off their bye week.
Michigan State’s next game is against a formidable Iowa team that has won three of its last four games. Their only loss in that span was against Ohio State, in which the Hawkeyes lost, similar to how the Spartans lost to Ohio State.
Still, Michigan State’s 3-0 start included two wins over helpless football teams that Michigan State was better than. The Spartans’ win over Maryland was impressive, but they beat a Maryland team that is one of the few teams in the Big Ten that is unquestionably worse than them.
All of Michigan State’s wins were against subpar opponents, and all of its losses were against quality opponents. Iowa qualifies as a quality opponent, and Michigan State gets to play them in East Lansing. This is huge, as it gives Michigan State an advantage it sorely needs when playing quality opponents.
While the Spartans will have their hands full against a difficult Iowa team, their matchup with the Hawkeyes gives them a chance to prove their 3-0 start was not only because they were playing subpar talent. A win over Iowa would be the best win of Coach Jonathan Smith’s tenure to this point in the season.
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Ezekiel is a former Sports Editor from the Western Herald and former Atlanta Falcons beat writer.