Turnovers To Play Dividends Between Michigan State, Michigan
The biggest factor of Saturday's in-state rivalry showdown between the Michigan State Spartans and Michigan Wolverines will not come down to the 107,000 screaming fans, with a large majority of them cheering against the Spartans. Iinstead, it will be controlling the football and winning the turnover battle.
In these games, ball security and time of possession can be crucial, especially if this game comes down to the wire. With that, the Spartans' defense will have to find ways to get off the field and let their offense go to work. So far this season the Spartans have found ways to force turnovers and get off the field.
Through seven games this season, the Spartans have forced 11 turnovers. Eight of those turnovers have come from intercepting opposing teams' quarterbacks. The eight interceptions have the Spartans tied for third in the Big Ten only trailing Maryland and Minnesota.
Charles Brantley has a team-high in interceptions with three as Nikai Martinez is right behind with two this season. Angelo Grose, Jordan Turner and Malik Spencer have a lone pick on their season stat line and hope to add another one for their defense on Saturday as well.
Forcing fumbles is another great way this defense can get off the field and flip field possession to benefit the team. Michigan State is tied at the 12 spots within the Big Ten for forcing three, but that is one more than Michigan has forced which ranks at the bottom of the conference. The Spartans will look to punch, tug, twist, and all other elements in order to find ways to force that ball free and, most importantly, having a player wearing Green and White there to recover it.
It is important for the defense to take away possession and provide the offense with as many opportunities on Saturday, but to repay the favor the offense must control and execute when their phase of the game is out on the playing field.
The Spartans have fumbled ten times this season and lost six of them. They have also thrown nine interceptions, all thrown by Aidan Chiles.
Saturday night will be a loud environment, with so much on the line between these two schools whoever can control the ball and execute will have the upper hand and those results should present a positive outcome when that clock strikes zero and happy celebration with the Paul Bunyan Trophy.
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