It’s time to get seriously hungry, Wildcats. We’re on a six-loss slide and have one last chance for bowl eligibility this Saturday against Michigan State. The Spartans stand at the top of the Big 10 Legends ladder, and our lethargic dog days have put us on the bottom rung. More than ever, victory isn’t simply a craving. It’s a necessity.
Each game has been a competitive fight, so it’s hard to define our exact Achilles heel. The last minute Hail Mary defeat by Nebraska and the latest triple overtime loss to the University of Michigan prove we’ve played much stronger than our 4-6 record implies. Maybe we’re not best in show, but we’ve hung in there every game- that is, unfortunately, until the last few seconds.
Michigan State comes to Evanston with a 9-1 overall record and one of the best defensive lines in the country, allowing the fourth fewest number points in the nation. Their offense isn’t as stellar, but seeing as we failed to score a touchdown in regulation last Saturday, neither is ours. There are, however, some key individual picks of the litter to look out for this weekend.
MSU’s quarterback Connor Cook was a redshirt sophomore going into 2013 and has slowly emerged as a game-changer. His style of play mirrors his rise to power this season, often starting shaking and inconsistent and then delivering clutch throws. Cook is strongest when joined by wide receivers Tony Lippett and Bennie Fowler. These two especially have been working in tandem to produce big plays for MSU’s offense. Their catching consistency poses a serious threat.
Another solid Spartan is running back Jeremy Langford, who leads the Big 10 with 13 rushing TDs and is looking to get his sixth 100-yard game in a row.
The Wildcats’ weapons can be just as impressive if they bring their A-game. Chi Chi Ariguzo seems to be the face of our D-line and hopefully he can pull another interception for us. Kain Colter is sure to be fired up for his last home game, but given Michigan State’s defensive strength against a running offense, he won’t likely be in the quarterback position. Trevor Siemian can make an impact as QB only if his passes start getting more accurate. If we can’t accomplish third down conversions, our kicker Jeff Budzien will have to save us again like he did against Michigan.
Nevertheless, we can’t get dog tired as a whole and lose with just seconds remaining. We’ve got to get on the scoreboard before the Spartans- and before the rest of the season officially goes to the dogs. If we don’t want to end the year like Old Yeller, we’re gonna have to play more like Air Bud. We may be the ‘Cats, but we’re also the underdogs.