The No. 15 Spartans (6-2, 3-1) have looked really bad twice this season and lost both times. One of those was in a big one at Nebraska last week, a 24-3 Huskers win. Spartans QB Kirk Cousins went 11 of 27 for only 86 yards, was sacked four times and threw an interception in that one. Cousins finished the game with a passer rating of 60.1, the worst of his Michigan State career. But MSU probably was spent after playing Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin – all Big Ten contenders – in the previous three games.

Minnesota (2-6, 1-3) was battling Indiana for the moniker of Big Ten’s worst team, but the Gophers shocked Iowa 22-21 last week – a Hawkeyes win would have had them also in a tie for first in the Legends Division. QB Marquis Gray went 11 for 17 for 193 yards and a touchdown passing and ran 11 times for 62 yards and the go-ahead score for the Gophers, who lost their first three Big Ten games by an average margin of 38. Minnesota was down 11 midway through the fourth quarter vs. Iowa. It was the first Big Ten Conference win for new coach Jerry Kill.

The Spartans are 15-6 at home all-time vs. Minnesota and has won 20 of the past 26 meetings overall. Last year, MSU won 31-8 in East Lansing as RB Edwin Baker had a career-high four rushing touchdowns and rushed for 179 yards on 27 carries. However, Minnesota has covered in the past four meetings.

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