Skip to content

Western Michigan vs Michigan State Predictions, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds & Picks

Spartans Heavily Favored to Extend Streak Against Broncos

Michigan State Top-Heavy Favorite

The Michigan State Spartans kick off their 2022 NCAA football season as a massive 23-point favorite over the Western Michigan Broncos. We can’t blame the college football odds as MSU has never lost to WMU since they began facing each other in 1980. The Spartans also return most of their key players while Western Michigan will debut a new quarterback.

Let’s check the latest NCAAF picks, stats, injury reports and NCAAF odds for Western Michigan vs Michigan State. We’ve plenty of NCAAF predictions.

Western Michigan vs Michigan State Predictions, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds & Picks

New Start For Broncos

Kaleb Eleby and Skyy Moore are both gone. That’s two of the Broncos’ biggest stars on offense as the quarterback and receiver tandem left to go pro. The duties will fall on junior Jack Salopek, who has not played any snaps since 2021 where he made five passing attempts.

 

“He had a great spring, great summer, and I’ve told everybody, the race just began today, but he’s in the pole position,” coach Tim Lester said of Salopek as training camp started.

Salopek will have plenty with which to work, beginning with the running back tandem of Sean Tyler and La’Darius Jefferson. Corey Crooms could be his main target at receiver while the defense returns several starters, led by linebackers in Corvin Moment and Zaire Barnes. As far as enigmas go, the Broncos could tempt some bets online with their long lines.

Pressure on for Highly Ranked Spartans

Ranked 15th in the preseason AP poll, this will be the highest the Spartans are ranked since 2016. Coach Mel Tucker has turned the program around as MSU finished strong in 2021 and were ranked ninth in the postseason poll. However, the Spartans will have to do it without their best offensive player, Kenneth Walker III.

The first-team All-Big Ten running back left for the NFL, leaving a void in MSU’s running game. But the Spartans will return mostly everyone else, including the quarterback-receiver tandem of Payton Thorne and Jayden Reed. The defense also gets eight starters back as it figures to improve from giving up the most yards in the conference.

MSU has big hopes this season as they look to make a run at the Big Ten title despite the stacked division. This team closed 2021 by going 7-2 against the spread (ATS). Let’s see if they can the streak going on the online sportsbook.

 

Western Michigan vs Michigan State Head-to-Head

The Spartans are 11-0 all-time against Western Michigan. They have won games by an average of 21.4 points, which is around where the spread is this Friday. However, the Broncos have covered two of the last four spreads against MSU.

Western Michigan vs Michigan State Game Information

  • Game: Western Michigan (8-5 (4-4), 2021) vs Michigan State (11-2 (7-2), 2021)
  • Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich.
  • Day/Time: Friday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m. ET
  • Broncos vs Spartans Live Stream: ESPN

Western Michigan vs Michigan State Betting Lines


Western Michigan vs Michigan State Prediction

The Spartans have a lot more consistency on their team so they should pick up where they left off. The Broncos could be in for a rough start as Salopek gets a taste of life as a starter. Still, we’re not that confident in MSU’s defense, even if it will be theoretically better. As such, the 23-point line on the college football spreads is too much to bet.

We’re rolling with the underdog Broncos here. The team got annihilated 51-17 in 2019, which is the last time MSU debuted as a ranked program. It was also Mark Dantonio’s last stint with the team and the Spartans were very much different then.

Western Michigan vs Michigan State Edge

Western Michigan vs Michigan State Results

Western Michigan vs Michigan State Game Injuries

Western Michigan vs Michigan State Game Summary

Did you find this article interesting?

Comments (0)

Featured Picks

Related News