JN: Three years ago, a young Joey Nowak stood in the rain and watched an average MSU team jump out to a massive lead in front of an insane Spartan Stadium night-game crowd before buckling to a more talented Notre Dame squad. After the game, I barely could speak, walk or blink my eyes out of a combination of pure bewilderment and pneumonia-like symptoms. But it is one of my fondest moments in my MSU athletics memory. I expect to leave Saturday’s game in the same state. But with a different result on the scoreboard.

MSU 24, Iowa 20

MB: This is going to be a doozy. My excitement for this game started the second I finished post-game interviews last week. I am so jacked. This game is going to be the hardest-hitting, most physical game of the season, and because of MSU’s 1-3 start, another must-win game. The crowd has to bring it 100 percent and the student section actually needs to be full at kickoff and for the entire game. Dear students: The team needs you in this one. Don’t let them down.

MSU 23, Iowa 20

CV: The Spartans climbed out of their 1-3 hole and are playing a game with national implications, something I couldn’t imagine three weeks ago. They fumbled (literally) in big games last year and that taste, I’m sure, is still fresh in the players’ mouths. But this year, instead of trying to prove they belong, they still are fighting for respect. The Spartans played must-win football for the last three weeks and the players are jacked for this game and the crowd is, too. A rowdy MSU crowd will be enough to push the Spartans to a victory.

MSU 20, Iowa 17

EL: Was Shonn Greene actually down when Adam Decker tackled him to end last year’s game or not? It sure doesn’t matter now. The Spartans look for a fifth straight win over the Hawkeyes in East Lansing and get it after a heroic effort from Kirk Cousins.

MSU 27, Iowa 24

No.13 Penn State vs. Michigan

3:30 p.m., ABC

JN: Watch out for the Wolverines! Did you hear U-M set a ton of school records last week for points scored before halftime and all sorts of yardage stats? All against a Delaware State team that was picked to finish really high in the … some high school conference somewhere on the East Coast. I’m sure the Nittany Lions are shaking in their boots coming into Tate’s Palace of Pain.

Penn State 63, U-M 6

MB: The Wolverines are in danger of beginning a real skid. Last week’s glorified scrimmage notwithstanding, U-M has lost two real games in a row, both late. After the mind-boggling decisions Rich Rodriguez made against Iowa and now facing a Penn State team that really flexed its muscles against Minnesota, the Wolverines are going to need a big-time performance to win here.

Penn State 31, U-M 17

CV: The Nittany Lions ended a skid against the Wolverines last year in blowout fashion. This year, they come to Michigan Stadium and have been winless in Ann Arbor since 1996. I don’t believe Tate Forcier is as healthy as he says he is and the tough Penn State defense will get its shots on him. Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham said the Wolverines had Penn State last year. Um … sure, Brandon. Graham loves to trash-talk — and he usually plays his best when he does — but the rest of the Wolverines will not be able to back him up.

Penn State 35, U-M 24

EL: Michigan has won five straight at home against the Nittany Lions and four of those when the opponent was ranked No. 15 in polls or higher. Make it six Saturday. Quarterbacks Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson sure look a lot better than Steven Threet did last year.

U-M 31, Penn State 27

Auburn vs. No. 9 LSU

7:30 p.m., ESPN2

JN: In the battle of quarterbacks pitting JaMarcus Russell against Jason Campbell, Russell’s size and athleticism in and around the pocket should give him and his talented offensive line all the breathing room they need against an inferior Auburn team and Campbell’s attack. Oh, neither of those guys are there any more? So who cares? From what I understand, there’s another evening game around here.

MSU 24, Iowa 20

MB: Is John L. Smith coaching Auburn and we just don’t know it? I thought only MSU was allowed to go 5-0 and then begin an epic meltdown. Auburn lost to Kentucky last week. Kentucky. The meltdown only is going to get worse against LSU. The battle of the Tigers will not go Auburn’s way.

LSU 35, Auburn 14

CV: After a surprising 5-0 start, those fans who voiced their displeasure with the hiring of Gene Chizik were hiding. But after back-to-back losses to Arkansas and Kentucky, Auburn is proving not to be the real deal. A trip to Death Valley doesn’t bode well for the Tigers (Auburn Tigers, that is).

LSU 24, Auburn 10

EL: Les “The Mad Hatter” Miles wants to improve his team’s running game and get preseaon All-SEC selection Charles Scott more involved. Expect Saturday in Baton Rouge to be Scott’s kind of game, a week after Auburn’s offense sputtered in a loss at home to Kentucky.

LSU 34, Auburn 17