No. 10 MSU (9-2 overall , 6-1 Big Ten ) cruised to a 45-3 victory over Rutgers (6-5 overall , 2-5 Big Ten ) on Saturday in the Green and White's final game of the season at Spartan Stadium. From position changes to a big time injury, Saturday’s matchup was full of surprises for the Spartans. Here are four takeaways from this week’s MSU win.
Lippett in secondary?
Senior Tony Lippett saw action on both sides of the ball this past week, and it looks like it could continue for the rest of the season.
Lippett started at his regular position of wide receiver and also saw a number of reps in the secondary at cornerback. Lippett recorded one tackle and two pass breakups against Rutgers and apparently has earned the opportunity to continue playing on that side of the ball.
Following the game, head coach Mark Dantonio said MSU will continue to give Lippett reps in the secondary to help relieve some of the pressure that struggling sophomore cornerback Darian Hicks has felt as of late.
“The bottom line is being efficient out there and getting the job done,” Dantonio said during his weekly Sunday teleconference. “And so, whether you’re a quarterback or whatever it is ... if we feel that you begin to struggle a little bit, we need to take some pressure off you.”
Jackson injury
For a second straight week, one of the areas of concern for MSU is an injury to senior offensive lineman and team captain Travis Jackson.
The fifth-year senior went down with what appeared to be a left leg or foot injury early on in Saturday’s game and never returned to action. During the second half, he was on crutches in street clothes.
Dantonio didn’t rule out Jackson for the rest of the season and said the coaching and medical staff will monitor him this week in practice.
B1G newcomers not good yet
Not a lot of people at the beginning of the season expected both Maryland and Rutgers to qualify for a bowl game, so it’s fair to say both have exceeded expectations this season.
But that doesn’t mean they are ready to be considered true contenders or even challenging opponents in this league. MSU rolled in its back-to-back weeks against the Big Ten newbies, outscoring the duo 82-18. And it’s safe to say MSU left points off the board in both of those games.
Both Maryland and Rutgers have the potential to be something in the Big Ten down the road, but after watching Saturday’s game that road is quite lengthy.
Next Up
MSU is officially removed from Big Ten Championship contention with Ohio State clinching the East Division over the weekend. The Spartans return to the field this Saturday in its final game of the regular season and while there is no championship on the line in Happy Valley, MSU is still playing for quite a bit.
With a win against Penn State this weekend, MSU will finish the season 10-2 and most likely in the top 10 in the College Football Playoff rankings. That would also most likely secure a spot in one of the selection committee bowl games — Chck-fil-A Peach, Orange, Cotton and Fiesta Bowl.
