Looking Ahead but Not Overlooking, Michigan State Ready for Season Opener vs. Monmouth

East Lansing, Michigan

The Michigan State Spartans are set to open their 2023 football season on Friday, September 1st, when they host the Monmouth Hawks at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans are coming off a disappointing 5-7 season in 2022, but they are hoping to bounce back with a strong performance this year.

Mel Tucker is entering his fourth season as head coach of the Spartans, and he will be looking to lead the team to its first bowl game since 2019.

Michigan State returns 17 starters from last year's team, including quarterback Payton Thorne, running back Jalen Berger, and wide receiver Jayden Reed. The Spartans also have a talented group of newcomers, led by five-star recruit Dante Moore.

Monmouth is a member of the FCS (Football Championship Series) and is coming off a 6-5 season in 2022. The Hawks are led by head coach Kevin Callahan, who is in his 12th season at the helm.

Monmouth is a well-coached team that will be a challenge for the Spartans. However, Michigan State should be able to win this game if they play to their potential.

Keys to the Game

Here are some of the keys to the game for Michigan State:

• Protect the football. The Spartans turned the ball over 23 times last season, which was tied for the most in the Big Ten. They need to protect the ball if they want to win this game.
• Get the running game going. The Spartans have a talented group of running backs, led by Jalen Berger. They need to get the running game going in order to open up the passing game.
• Pressure the quarterback. Monmouth quarterback Tony Muskett is a good player, but he is not very mobile. The Spartans need to pressure him and make him uncomfortable.
• Win the turnover battle. The Spartans need to win the turnover battle in order to give themselves a chance to win this game.
• Execute the game plan. The Spartans have a good game plan, but they need to execute it in order to win this game.

Prediction

Michigan State should win this game if they play to their potential. The Spartans have more talent than Monmouth, and they are playing at home. However, Monmouth is a well-coached team, and they will be a challenge. I predict that Michigan State will win this game by a score of 27-17.