Saturday's game has history coming in. Last season, Mark Dantonio earned his all-time leading career win to pass Duffy Daugherty in this matchup.

Prior to that game, Northwestern had done a great job of keeping the Spartans in check: a 3OT win in 2017, followed by another victory in 2018. While last year's game was lopsided — MSU won 31-10 at Ryan Field — this game will likely look a lot different.

Key matchup: Payton Ramsey vs. the MSU secondary

Michigan State's defensive backfield showed flashes despite missing Chris Jackson, Tre Person and Kalon Gervin in the game against Indiana.

While it wasn't anything special, Shakur Brown had two interceptions on the second-best quarterback in the Big Ten, which is no small feat for a defense that is definitely the strong suit of the Spartans — albeit, not by much.

MSU statistically won't have its defensive numbers jump off the page, but the unit has been consistently put in bad positions by a lackluster offense that fails to find a run or passing game, or really any identity, on that side of the ball. Most of the offense's woes can be located at the quarterback and offensive line positions, which usually doesn't bode well for any offensive production to occur.

Ramsey is the key in this game. He hasn't completed a pass for farther than 25 yards in five games this season, which is the lowest number in the Big Ten by far.

If MSU is able to force Ramsey to throw the ball deep, NU could run into some problems. And while this Wildcats offense isn't anything to write home about — they only average 25.8 points a game, good for a bottom-five spot in the Big Ten — this team can still put up points.

See a 43-3 win over Maryland to start the season.

That's the key matchup in this game. Ramsey and the MSU secondary could be the difference for both teams.

Northwestern's defense has carried them all season, only giving up 12.6 points a game while tallying 10 sacks and 11 interceptions this season. MSU could struggle in this department with how the offense has played for the Spartans, but Northwestern's only 30+ point outing was against Maryland.

So it could still be low scoring in East Lansing.

What's the word

Mel Tucker, like every week, has immense respect for every opponent. But here's what the coach had to say during his weekly press conference about Northwestern.

"They're fundamentally sound, and they play hard and they play physical," Tucker said on Tuesday. "They play complementary football. They're in the top ten in the country in turnover margin. It's not that they don't give it up because they have turned the ball over in terms of fumbles and interceptions and there is some other turnover worthy plays that I've seen on tape, but they take the ball away. I think they have 15 takeaways in five games and so with them being plus seven or eight, I don't know, in the turnover margin, that's huge. Because that gives you an opportunity to win."

Prediction: Northwestern 24, MSU 7

AP-ranked No. 11 Northwestern is the better football team than the 1-3 Spartans.

It's obvious, and it isn't very close. But the offensive struggles by the Wildcats are a few bad turnovers away from being 3-2. The Wildcats just managed to win against Purdue and Iowa, who are divisional rivals in the conference for Northwestern.

Things don't stay that close in this one. Bad weather probably happens, and MSU continues to struggle against the best linebacking group in the Big Ten who has a scary defensive and offensive line. Northwestern wins ugly but easily in East Lansing.