Michigan State football: 5 things I want to see from the Spartans at Maryland

Michigan State is one win away from becoming bowl eligible, which is somewhat astounding considering all the injuries the Spartans have dealt with this season. They travel to Maryland Saturday (Noon ET; TV: ESPN2) for a game with the Terrapins, who have been through much worse this season, but are also just one win away from bowl eligibility.

It will be an interesting environment after the firing of Maryland coach DJ Durkin this week and the campus outrage that followed the Board of Regents’ suggestion that Durkin stay on. It’s been a mess, but now they can look forward.

Here are five things I want to see from the Spartans this weekend against Maryland:

1. Stopping the run is strength vs. strength

Michigan State is back to No. 1 in the country against the run, but the Spartans will have their hands full this week with Maryland. The Terps are No. 11 in rushing in the nation, averaging 246.3 yards per game, good for No. 2 in the Big Ten behind Wisconsin. Part of Maryland’s rushing success comes from the fact that they won’t give up on it, so the Spartans need to be ready for a 60-minute battle up front. It’s an odd measure for Maryland, because they are well aware of how good the Spartans are against the run. They’re going to run it anyway.

2. Forcing Maryland to throw is a win-win situation

If you can get Maryland to throw, then you’ve already won. They are horrible through the air, ranking 125th in the country out of 129 teams, and the only four behind them are option teams (Army, Navy, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern). They pass for only 131 yards per game. Starting quarterback  Kasim Hill  is completing only 52 percent of his passes and he hasn’t even thrown for 1,000 yards yet. Putting them in third-and-long situations is a recipe for success.

3. Don’t let atmosphere affect the outcome

With all that’s gone on at Maryland, this could be a raucous atmosphere on Saturday, which isn’t usually the case in College Park. The fans — the students especially — are glad that Durkin is gone and that people are being held accountable for the summertime death of lineman Jordan McNair. Now the action has been taken, the Terps might respond in kind with a big performance. They did the same thing in their season opener when they upset Texas. Be careful, because it might happen again.

4. Don’t let quarterback uncertainty slow offense

Rocky Lombardi did a great job filling in at quarterback for Brian Lewerke last week during the big win over Purdue. He threw for 318 yards and didn’t look a bit like a kid making his first college start. Lewerke has been back at practice this week, but he’s not doing a lot and his throwing shoulder still isn’t 100 percent. It’s going to be a game-time decision to see who starts, and both might wind up playing a good bit if Lewerke can go. In either case, the offense needs to play at a high level and break some plays on the road, no matter who is behind center.

5. Keep momentum toward a big finish to season

The simple fact that Michigan State can become bowl eligible this week is a testament to Mark Dantonio and his coaching staff. They have kept this team rolling despite a ton of injuries on both sides of the ball. Kudos to the players as well, especially the backups, for stepping in and getting the job done. That needs to continue on Saturday. Winning games on the road is never easy, and this is probably the most difficult weekend ever to be playing at Maryland. They need to overcome a lot of things.  They seem very capable.

Tom Brew

Tom Brew has been a recognized reporter in Big Ten sports for decades. Among other projects, he writes about Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.