The Akron Zips take on the Michigan State Spartans. Check out our college football odds series for our Akron Michigan State prediction and pick.
Joe Moorhead spent the past two years with Mario Cristobal at Oregon. He helped the Ducks reach the Fiesta Bowl in the 2020 season, and he enabled Oregon to reach the Pac-12 Championship Game last season. However, Moorhead missed a few games in 2021 due to health problems. He made the choice to be closer to his family in the Upper Midwest. He was willing to leave the world of cutthroat competition and take the head coaching position at Akron. Moorhead is well-known as the offensive coordinator who saved coach James Franklin's job at Penn State. The Nittany Lions were going nowhere until Moorhead arrived and managed to get the most out of Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley. Moorhead helped Franklin win a Big Ten championship in 2016 and reach the Rose Bowl. Penn State then won the Fiesta Bowl in the 2017 season. Those were Franklin's two best years by far in Happy Valley. When Moorhead left to take the head coaching job at Mississippi State, Franklin had to find a replacement. PSU has not been as good since then.
Moorhead knows he has his work cut out for him at Akron. The Zips barely beat Saint Francis (Pennsylvania) in overtime to start their season. It could be Week 1 rust, but that's a game no upper-tier MAC team should win by fewer than 20 to 24 points. It seems that Akron is bound to have a very difficult year. If the Zips want to change the narrative, they'll put up a decent fight against Michigan State.
Few coaches transformed their reputation or boosted their stock value last year more than Mel Tucker did. Michigan State had a rough 2020 season, but in 2021, the Spartans won 11 games, reached a New Year's Six bowl, and won that game, defeating ACC champion Pittsburgh in the Peach Bowl. Tucker uses the transfer portal a lot more than most of his peers. Restocking his roster with talent from all over the country is an approach that works for him. Tucker has tried to build a very physically imposing roster for 2022. He knows Michigan State has to overpower Michigan and especially Ohio State in the trenches if it is to win against those teams. Ohio State blew away Michigan State with its speed last year. MSU has to be a lot more powerful in order to cancel out the Buckeyes' skill. You therefore did not see Michigan State race Western Michigan out of the building in Week 1. However, the 35-13 win certainly featured a rugged and brawny style of play which, Tucker hopes, will pay dividends later this year.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Akron-Michigan State College Football odds.
College Football Odds: Akron-Michigan State Odds
Akron Zips: +34.5 (-110)
Michigan State: -34.5 (-110)
Over: 55.5 (-110)
Under: 55.5 (-110)
Why Akron Could Cover the Spread
Michigan State has a plodding offense which did not light up the scoreboard all that much in Week 1. Michigan State scoring 35 against Western Michigan is not particularly impressive. If the Spartans score 42 points in this game, Akron can cover by scoring eight. That's attainable.
Why Michigan State Could Cover the Spread
After a less than dynamic offensive showing in Week 1 against Western Michigan, expect Michigan State to be more fluid, more aggressive, and more successful with downfield strikes against a very weak Akron team which had to battle and scrap for a narrow overtime win over Saint Francis. This could get ugly.
Final Akron-Michigan State Prediction & Pick
Akron looks like a team which is about to get thrown around Spartan Stadium like a rag doll. This is going to be a complete physical mismatch. Michigan State will win by at least 40.
Final Akron-Michigan State Prediction & Pick: Michigan State -34.5
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