Josh Kelly, Senior Sports Editor – Michigan State 38, Nebraska 20

At this point, nothing can get worse. Another loss won’t surprise Husker Nation.

This is one of the first times where all odds are absolutely against Nebraska. Coach Mike Riley thrived in that situation at Oregon State, and that is why Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst hired him.

Despite a few rocky games, Michigan State is undefeated at 8-0. This is undoubtedly the most important game on the schedule. This is one of the last chances Riley has to prove himself this season.

On Saturday, the Huskers will have more trouble in the secondary as they face one of the most efficient quarterbacks in college football, Connor Cook.

Cook has thrown 17 touchdowns compared to two interceptions. He isn’t mistake-prone at all.

On the first couple drives, the Spartans will convert on well-run drives the Husker staff has been trying to achieve all season long.

They’ll have a comfortable lead early as Nebraska struggles to get anything going. The Huskers have to get a running game going to be able to muster anything. But that’s tough against one of the best rush defenses in college football, which only allows 115.5 yards per game on the ground.

Nebraska loses this game early, making its record 3-7.

Brett Nierengarten, Online Sports Editor – Michigan State 41, Nebraska 17

In its last game, Michigan State beat Indiana 52-26.

The Spartans were off last week, so they had a bye week to prepare for the Huskers. Want to know what happened the last time a team had a bye week to prepare for Nebraska? The Huskers lost to 1-6 Purdue. And although the Spartans were pushed to the brink of defeat by Purdue, they’re not Purdue. They’re much, much better.

Quarterback Connor Cook leads a good Spartan offense into this one. Cook is averaging 258 yards per game through the air and has tossed 17 touchdowns to just two interceptions.

The Huskers continued their trend of letting average, even bad, quarterbacks sling it all over the yard against them by allowing Purdue’s redshirt freshman David Blough to throw it for 274 yards and four touchdowns.

If that’s what a guy starting his sixth career game can do against them, I don’t want to see what a guy like Cook, the best quarterback NU has faced this year, will do.

Don’t expect the Huskers to get blown out early. Maybe it’s a 21-10 game or so at half, but in the second half, Cook and Sparty will be too much for the 3-6 Huskers.

Nick Wilkinson, Print Sports Editor – Michigan State 42, Nebraska 24

Ryker Fyfe is not the guy. He’s not. But who else is there?

There is no timetable on Tommy Armstrong’s return. Purdue grounded the already crumbling Nebraska tradition Saturday with a 55-45 win in West Lafayette. At the beginning of the season, with no expectations of Mike Riley, I thought Bo Pelini’s men on the Nebraska roster could get their redemption with a win over Michigan State in Lincoln. Now, absolutely no way.

I want to say the loss of Armstrong was the reason things went so sour against Purdue. Freshman quarterback David Blough, in only his fifth collegiate start, completed 28 of 43 passes for 274 yards and four touchdowns for the Boilermakers. The loss (and every one before it) is clearly a defensive problem. Mike Riley has too many friends on his staff to say, “Hey, you fix this or you’re out of here.”

An 8-0 Michigan State team has to be grateful for tune-up games in Nebraska and Maryland before taking on Ohio State University. Sparty embarrassed Indiana (4-4) last week 52-26. I would not be surprised if they put up 60 against Nebraska. Riley is on the hot seat and he must know it. Practice won’t be fun this week.

Vanessa Daves, Football Beat Writer – Michigan State 45, Nebraska 21

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did.

Michigan State is undefeated, and Nebraska is, well … not.

Some people – some diehard Husker fans – think we still have a chance. I just don’t. After losing to 1-6 Purdue, Nebraska’s confidence is down. At the press conference after the game, the athletes and coaches were at a loss. Nebraska coach Mike Riley spoke for about a whopping eight minutes. A few players spoke. They all talked in circles, saying some of the same things over and over.

They have to keep their head up. They play a better team next week. They’ve still have to play football for another season.

But how do they keep their heads up, prepare for a better team and play football when they’ve lost six games before November for the first time in the history of the football program?

It’s going to be a rough end to the season for both the athletes and the fans. And this weekend will be the start of that rough ending.

Sure, Nebraska will put up a fight. But Michigan State will inevitably overcome them and walk away winning by a few touchdowns.

Michael Dixon, Football Beat Writer – Nebraska 24, Michigan State 17

It may be really, really bad. But Nebraska’s still Nebraska. And because of who they are, the Huskers will never be scared to play anyone.

Coach Mike Riley’s been in this situation before, too. Coaching a program completely overshadowed by others in the national spotlight, only to occasionally coach his behind off and come up with some pretty substantial upsets?

That’s basically what the guy was known for at Oregon State.

So with all that said, give me Nebraska by a touchdown.

Why?

Because it literally doesn’t make sense. Because that’s been the narrative of 2015.

Michigan State’s sleepwalked its way to an 8-0 record and the possibility of a berth in the College Football Playoff. If the Spartans don’t wake up soon, they’re liable to lose.

Why not Saturday?

Give a team starving for a win some motivation to ruin Sparty’s season, and things could get very, very interesting. Of course, I might be the only one to pick NU this week, and I’ll go down swinging. But if any team in the top 10 is on serious upset alert, it’s MSU. It’ll be a tough test.

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