What the Numbers Say About Michigan State's Matchup Against Iowa
Michigan State is coming off a much-needed bye week and will look to get back on the right track Saturday at home.
The Spartans are currently on a three-game skid. They return to the field this weekend to face Iowa, a game they must win to avoid a fourth consecutive loss.
Mary Omatiga of NBC Sports believes the Spartans will have their work cut out for them at home against the Hawkeyes.
“It’s homecoming weekend at Michigan State, and the Spartans are looking to snap their three-game-losing streak and turn their season around,” Omatiga said. “Their last two losses came against top-ranked opponents Ohio State and Oregon, where they scored a combined total of just 17 points, highlighting their ongoing scoring struggles this season.
Omatiga noted that the Spartans’ offensive struggles could come into play again, as they have had difficulty moving the ball and scoring this season. Statistically, Michigan State is one of the worst teams at scoring, averaging under 20 points per game.
Michigan State’s offense also performs worse in the red zone than any other team in the conference. This could make matters especially difficult against a respectable Iowa defense. To make matters worse for the Spartans, they are one of the worst teams in the country at protecting the football.
“The Spartans are currently ranked 118th in the FBS in scoring, averaging 19.8 points per game, and have the lowest red-zone scoring percentage in the Big Ten at 66.7 percent,” Omatiga said. “Additionally, the team has struggled to protect the ball, tying for the 6th most turnovers in the FBS this season with a total of 14.
“Michigan State’s new head coach, Jonathan Smith, hired last November, faces a challenging task but has a proven track record of successful turnarounds. During his six seasons at Oregon State (2018-2023), Smith revitalized a struggling program that had finished 1-11 in 2017. By his fifth season, in 2022, Oregon State achieved a 10-3 record and ranked in the top 20.”
This season has been all about proving people wrong for Michigan State. They started the season with many not expecting much from them, only to start the season 3-0 with an upset win over Maryland. The Spartans must return to the team they were in the first three weeks of the season if they hope to pull off another upset victory.
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Ezekiel is a former Sports Editor from the Western Herald and former Atlanta Falcons beat writer.