Michigan State Spartans 2009 College Football Predictions, Picks & Odds: Third-year head coach Mark Dantonio, with an improving defense and good talent to replenish the quarterback and running back positions. Michigan State is poised to earn a New Year’s Day bowl bid for the second straight year, something the Spartans have not done since 1987-88. That has the green and white faithful excited about the future. The future might have to wait if the Spartans replacements at running back and quarterback don’t play well early. Odds makers at Sportsbook.com have the Michigan State Spartans at 100-1 odds to win the BSC 2010 National Championship.
The MSU offense last season was pretty much handing the ball to running back Javon Ringer and letting him do his thing. On the year Ringer tallied an incredible 390 carries. Now he is gone and the Spartans will have to diversify their offense. Senior A.J. Jimmerson is the likely candidate to replace Ringer, but Andre Anderson had a quality freshman campaign in 2008 and could be the go-to-guy in 2009. Gifted sophomores Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol will take their constructive quarterback competition deep into September, with a two-quarterback system likely for at least part of the season.
The Spartans did not have the greatest defense in the Big Ten, but with eight starters returning, the unit could be even better. The strength is in the middle with linebackers Greg Jones, Adam Decker and Eric Gordon. Jones led the team with 127 tackles and that was just as a sophomore. Now that he is an upperclassman, he is ready to emerge as the leader of a talented defense. Sportsbook.com has college football picks on the MSU Spartans to win the Big 10 Conference at a +500 odds.
Pair of second-team All-Big Ten selections returns in placekicker Brett Swenson and punter Aaron Bates. Swenson was 22-of-28 on field goals last year, with a long of 50. Bates averaged 42.0 yards per punt and is terrific at killing punts inside the 20.
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