No. 10 MSU got a much-needed bounce back victory Saturday, topping the Maryland Terrapins, 37-15 , from Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium . The Spartans used a stifling defensive performance and powerful rushing attack to bulldoze to another road conference win.
Here are four takeaways from this past weekend’s matchup between MSU and Maryland.
Defense Bounces Back
After one of the worst showings in the head coach Mark Dantonio era, MSU’s defense returned to its normal dominance Saturday to hold Maryland to only 252 total yards . That included only six yards on the ground for the Terrapins.
On top of keeping Maryland from moving the ball, MSU forced four turnovers, including a defensive touchdown on an interception by junior strong safety RJ Williamson.
Saturday’s performance was the one MSU’s defense needed and helped regain some confidence after the previous lackluster showing against the Buckeyes.
Run Game Carries Offense
MSU continued its traditional “pound-green-pound” motto on Saturday, compiling 242 yards on the ground.
Senior running back Jeremy Langford extended his 100-plus yards streak to 14 straight games against Big Ten opponents , finishing the evening with 138 yards and two touchdowns . The depth of MSU’s backfield also provided a boost, with senior Nick Hill racking up 58 yards on six carries and sophomore Delton Williams recording 34 yards on six carries .
“On the offensive side of the ball, (we) ran the ball very effectively, especially in the second half,” Dantonio said during his Sunday night teleconference. “Sort of took over the game in the second half, but especially in the fourth quarter with two scores, two big runs.”
Slowing Down Lippett
It appears teams are starting to find a way to slow down senior wide receiver Tony Lippett .
After breaking onto the scene like gangbusters, Lippett has been held to only nine receptions for 110 yards and no touchdowns over the past two weeks. Even the week before that against Michigan he was held to only three receptions.
Earlier in the season Lippett said he started to notice more double team coverage, and it’s apparently starting to have an effect. Lippett still has put up incredible numbers — now only one yard shy of the 1,000 yard mark — but some other guys will need to come on in the final two weeks to help with the workload.
Playing for Second Place
Any remote chance of sneaking into the Big Ten championship game can be officially ruled out. Well, it might as well be official.
No. 7 Ohio State was able to hold onto a big road victory at previous top 25 foe Minnesota over the weekend to remain unbeaten in conference play. The Buckeyes now have only two games remaining against Indiana and U-M, both at home.
The only way MSU could win the Big Ten East Division now is if OSU loses out and MSU wins out. So with that being said, it’s time to cancel your hotel reservations in Indianapolis for the weekend of Dec. 6 if you haven’t already.
