The Michigan State Spartans have had a ton of off-the-field distractions to start the season with the firing of Mel Tucker and many are wondering how long before the team completely falls apart while despite being blown out against the Penn State Nittany Lions the Iowa Hawkeyes are still one of the favorites to win the Big Ten West this year. Will the Spartans keep the game close or will the Hawkeyes bounce back with a win at home after being shut out last week? Let’s take a deeper dive into how these teams are performing this season.

The Michigan State Spartans enter this game with a record of 2-2 following a 9-31 loss at home against the Maryland Terrapins while failing to cover the 7-point spread as a home underdog in week 4 of the college football season. Michigan State scored 9 points while compiling a total of 376 yards offensively which included 274 passing yards and 102 rushing yards while allowing 31 points and 362 total yards defensively which included 223 passing yards and 139 rushing yards. Noah Kim led the team in passing, completing 18 of 33 attempts for 190 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions while rushing for six yards. Nate Carter led the team in rushing with 19 carries for 97 yards while adding five receptions for 23 yards. Montorie Foster Jr. led the team in receiving, catching six of ten targets for 67 yards.

Iowa enters this game with a record of 3-1 following a 0-31 loss on the road against the Penn State Nittany Lions while failing to cover the 14-point spread as a road underdog in week 4 of the college football season. The Hawkeyes failed to score a point while compiling a total of 76 yards offensively which included 56 passing yards and 20 rushing yards while allowing 31 points and 397 total yards defensively which included 182 passing yards and 215 rushing yards. Cade McNamara led the team in passing, completing 5 of 14 attempts for 42 yards. Kamari Moulton led the team in rushing with six carries for 18 yards. Erick All led the team in receiving, catching three of six targets for 35 yards.

BookMaker has the Iowa Hawkeyes listed as 11-point favorites at home against the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday night in week 5 of the college football season. The teams have split the last ten games in the series while the Spartans have won two of the last three games, however, the Hawkeyes are 6-3-1 ATS in the last ten games in the series. Michigan State is 2-2 ATS overall, 0-2 ATS as an underdog, and 0-1 ATS in conference games this season while the Iowa Hawkeyes are 2-2 ATS overall, 1-1 ATS at home, 2-1 ATS as a favorite, and 0-1 ATS in conference games on the year.

Michigan State has been the better team most recently in the series, winning two of the last three games, however, Iowa is the more talented team this year. The Hawkeyes are 2-1 ATS as a favorite while the Spartans are 0-2 ATS as an underdog this year. I look for that trend to continue which is why I am taking the Iowa Hawkeyes -11 on BookMaker for this matchup on Saturday night.