When: 4:00 p.m.

Where: Spartan Stadium.

Weather: Estimated 73 degrees at kickoff, according to Weather Underground.

TV: Fox.

Radio: Spartan Sports Network: (WJR-AM 760 in Detroit, WMMQ-FM 94.9 in Lansing. Full local listings here).

Spread: -14.5 Michigan State, O/U 41.5.

Michigan State players to watch: running back Elijah Collins, quarterback Brian Lewerke, wide receiver Darrell Stewart Jr.

Arizona State players to watch: running back Eno Benjamin, quarterback Jayden Daniels, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Storylines:

Mark Dantonio: The moments that molded a milestone

Elijah Collins staying grounded after breakout performance

Arizona State wide receivers still present challenge without first-round threat

Scouting the Sun Devils: How Michigan State plans to stop Eno Benjamin and Jayden Daniels

Mark Dantonio reflects on the past as he looks forward to the future

Offense looking to build

What a difference an offensive explosion can have on the mood surrounding a football team. MSU scored 51 points against Western Michigan, and all of a sudden the light at the end of the tunnel seems a lot brighter.

Quarterback Brian Lewerke looked sharp, especially down the field as he threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns. The Spartans also found a running back in the form of redshirt freshman Elijah Collins, who exploded for nearly 200 yards in his first-career start. MSU's offensive line also had a much-improved week after the opening-week win against Tulsa, moving to more zone blocking schemes to help counteract their struggles.

"Well, first of all, I think when your quarterback is playing well, good things happen. He's played well both games and he needs to continue to play well," Head Coach Mark Dantonio said during his Tuesday press conference. "As far as everybody else, we ran the ball much more effectively and got what we wanted out of that, threw the ball, as well, a lot of production. The penalties, with the zero sacks, no penalties, those are great things as well. You can point to those things. If those things happen you're going to be productive because you don't put yourself behind the 8-ball."

WMU is no slouch of a "group of five" football program. But, it will be important for MSU to keep up its offensive progression against a team that can compete in the Pac-12.

"Now, it becomes consistency and performance much like I said on Sunday night," Dantonio said. "We have to continue to do that and get better and better and better. I thought our offensive line played well, as well, but they will be challenged this week with a lot of different looks and some pretty good players up front, as well. So it will be interesting to watch and see how the game unfolds."

Defense expects challenge against young ASU quarterback

Numerous ASU offensive players were on the Sun Devil Stadium field last year when the home squad pulled off the last-second upset on a 27-yard field goal from Brandon Ruiz.

But the newest addition to ASU's offense, true freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels, will be making his first-career road collegiate start when the Sun Devils travel to East Lansing. Despite Daniels' inexperience, MSU's defense expects the opposition to utilize the weapons around him to move the ball downfield.

“The quarterback is young but he's talented," Secondary coach Paul Haynes said. "They don’t ask him to do a lot. They can get the ball out of his hands quick to get it to playmakers. He’s running it pretty good so far.” 

There won't be a first-round talent in wide receiver N'Keal Harry lining up on the outside of every snap for ASU, but the Sun Devils' offense will still provide a stronger challenge to the stout Spartan defense.

Predictions:

Justin Frommer: 31-14, Michigan State

Amanda Poole: 24-10, Michigan State