Sep 4, 2015; Kalamazoo, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Connor Cook (18) attempts to throw the ball against the Western Michigan Broncos prior to a game at Waldo Stadium. (Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports)
KICKOFF: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET
GAMEDATE: 9/12/15
SITE: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan
TV: ABC
SERIES: Oregon has won three of five meetings with Michigan State, including a 46-27 win last year in Eugene.
RANKINGS: Oregon 7th, Michigan State 5th
KEYS TO THE GAME
The question mark for Oregon on defense entering the season was in the secondary and the Ducks did not get the answers they were looking for against Eastern Washington.
The Eagles, an FCS school whose starting quarterback last year transferred to Oregon, had two quarterbacks combine to throw for 438 yards Saturday when the Ducks defeated Eastern Washington 61-42 at Autzen Stadium.
Oregon faces a better quarterback this week in Connor Cook of Michigan State and the Ducks know that allowing more than 400 passing yards to the Spartans will not likely result in a victory.
Oregon defensive backs coach John Neal praised his young secondary during fall camp and hopes the lessons learned against Eastern Washington will pay off against Michigan State.
“I think maybe in some ways, getting exposed the way we did is going to make us a lot better,” Neal said. “We have to figure out some things to do to help our guys so I am kind of anxious to move forward after I watch the film.”
Oregon graduated three starters in the secondary from last season. Reggie Daniels is the lone returning starter at safety while safety Tyree Robinson and cornerbacks Chris Seisay and Arrion Springs combined for four starts entering the season.
Eastern Washington receiver Cooper Kupp took advantage of the Ducks’ youth and set Autzen Stadium records with 15 catches for 246 yards, including three touchdowns.
“With the inexperience we have in the secondary right now, I am trying to get them to understand our basic defense and (Kupp) was just better than we were the whole game,” Neal said.
The experience the Spartans are calling in is the sour taste left from a lopsided loss at Oregon last year that took Michigan State out of the national title picture.
It will be the first time the teams have met since the Ducks’ 46-27 win last season in Eugene. The Spartans started fast and led 27-18 in the third quarter before the Ducks exploded for 28 straight points.
That performance was a huge motivator this off-season.
“That loss last year stunk and it stuck with us,” said senior quarterback Connor Cook, who threw for 343 yards and two touchdowns last season at Oregon. “Looking back, just how close we were, playing so great in the first half and coming out and not doing so well in second half, stuff like that sticks with you. What hurt even more was to see them make the playoffs and the national championship game and play Ohio State, another team we lost to. Seeing those two teams playing for the national championship wasn’t the best thing.
“So we emphasized that the whole off-season, the losses to Oregon and Ohio State. Doing stuff in the weight room whether it was one more rep or another workout, dedicating that stuff to the loss last year when it was so close. The whole off-season — spring ball, summer, whatever — we definitely referred back to those games and we have done a little extra just to prepare for those games.”
The Spartans say they’re better prepared – particularly for the tempo of Oregon’s offense — this time around and learned valuable lessons from last season’s losses.
“We gotta finish. We gotta finish,” Cook said. “I just need to have that in the back of my mind and keep thinking about it this week and emphasize it all through practice and throughout the week. If that means watching more film with the guys, staying after practice and getting more reps — just constantly emphasizing that and making that the focal point of the week — finishing.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ducks
–RB Royce Freeman ran for a career-high 180 yards on 21 carries against Eastern Washington, an average of 8.6 yards per carry that was limited by three short scoring runs. He scored three touchdowns and now has multiple scores in half of his 16 career games. Freeman also had two catches for 18 yards.
–RB Kani Benoit, who had just 98 yards on 23 carries as a freshman last season, ran 11 times for 83 yards and a touchdown against Eastern Washington. Benoit moved up to second on the depth chart behind Freeman when running back Thomas Tyner had season-ending shoulder surgery before the season started.
–CB Chris Seisay led Oregon with nine tackles in his fourth career start against EWU. Seisay also had one tackle for loss and his first career interception. The redshirt sophomore is the only cornerback on Oregon’s roster who started a game before this season.
Michigan State
–S RJ Williamson had his share of problems last season in Michigan State’s loss at Oregon, getting beaten deep several times in the second half as the Ducks scored 28 unanswered points to rally from a nine-point deficit for the victory. Williamson lost his starting spot at one point last season but has refocused and is back as the leader of the secondary. His play last season has motivated him and expect a better showing this time around from the fifth-year senior.
–Junior LB Riley Bullough started his first game in the middle in the opener and he was all over the field. The brother of former Spartan Max Bullough had nine tackles and led Michigan State with three sacks. He won’t likely be racking up those sorts of sack numbers this week but getting the defense aligned properly will be key while he uses his speed to attempt to reign in Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams.
–RB LJ Scott was the only MSU running back not to score last week, but the true freshman might have been the hardest runner. He led the Spartans with 77 yards on 13 carries and when the game was still in the balance in the fourth quarter it was Scott on the field and not Madre London or Gerald Holmes. MSU will ride the hot back each week, but it appears likely that Scott could end up being the go-to guy at some point this season.
