Air Force vs. Michigan State
Time: NOON, Saturday, Sept 19, 2015
Spread: MSU -24.5
Total: 54
Betting odds courtesy of Bovada
The Michigan State Spartans are coming off a huge 31-28 victory over then No. 7 Oregon, to improve to 2-0 on the season after knocking off Western Michigan 37-24 in Week 1. The Spartans will host Air Force on ABC at Noon in a game college football oddsmakers are favoring the Spartans by 24.5 points. The Over/under at Bovada is set at 54.
Air Force is also 2-0. It obliterated Morgan State in Week 1 and defeated San Jose State 37-16 last week. The Spartans are ranked No. 4 in the nation, and will be Air Force’s premier test of the 2015 season. D.J. Johnson has rushed for 185 yards on 32 carries while scoring four TDs and Jacobi Owens, Garrett Brown and QB Nate Romine all have over 100 yards rushing on the season for the Falcons who have scored 10 rushing TDs on the season.
Michigan State Spartan QB Connor Cook has thrown for 448 yards on a 55.6 percent completion clip. He’s thrown four TDs and just one INT on the season while posting a passer rating of 133.1. Madre London and LJ Scott have both rushed for over 300 yards combined and four TDs between them. Kicker Michael Geiger is 2 of 3 having missed in short range already this season.
In the victory over Oregon, Connor Cook threw 20 of 32 for 192 yards with two TDs and one INT. London rushed for 103 yards on 18 carries, including a long rush of 62 yards while Scott contributed another 76 yards on 11 carries. Aaron Burbridge caught for 101 yards on eight receptions including a TD and there were 12 other MSU receptions, including Josiah Price’s 23 yards and a TD.
Connor Cook is in his senior year now and he is coming off a very strong 2014 which saw him throw for 3,214 yards with a 58.1 percent completion ratio. He has been slightly off that mark thus far this year, but Cook appears to be winding up for a great topper to his career at Michigan State.
Last year he posted a 149.4 passer rating and a raw QB rating of 76.0. Expect Cook to be the the difference marker in getting Michigan State off to a quick start against an overmatched Air Force team.
Air Force has had few problems generating offense against Morgan State and San Jose State, but the Spartans are going to pose different problems for the Falcons. Expect the Spartans to win this contest by at least 20, as Cook will get the MSU receivers going early in this one. London will certainly attack the weak Air Force ‘D’ and he could strike with a few rushing TDs in a breakout week.
