Couch: 3 quick takes from Michigan State's 14-10 win over Michigan

Lansing State Journal

Michigan State running back Madre London takes off for a 50-yard gain in the first half Saturday night at Michigan.

Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch gives his initial thoughts on the Spartans’ 14-10 win over the Wolverines Saturday night in Ann Arbor.

Michigan State looks the part

After you exhale — a couple times, maybe — expectations for this Michigan State football team should change.

This is why polls early in the college football season are so ridiculous — after about eight plays, MSU was the better football team in the first half. No fluke. No gimmick plays. Just a better quarterback and a defense that was better than Michigan’s offense, whatever that’s worth.

If the Wolverines are indeed the No. 7 team in the country, the Spartans are, at worst, No. 6. Neither deserves to be in the top 10, but how we see MSU this season should be recalculated. You can tell pretty quickly when there’s a mismatch. MSU held its own right away, beginning with stellar play from its defensive backs at the end of the Wolverines’ first drive, forcing them to settle for a field goal. That was all they’d get until the weather intervened.

MSU was able to run the football in bursts — including a 50-yarder from London and a 14-yard TD scramble by Lewerke, who dove into the end zone against two Michigan defenders, confirming the Spartans were in this fight. I didn’t think that would happen against Michigan. MSU didn’t panic in the weather when the ground game was going nowhere. The Spartans trusted their defense and got just enough on the ground at the end.

MSU’s defense was disruptive and salty (and sound enough at the end), with four sacks and five takeaways — including a Joe Bachie forced fumble that turned the game early and three interceptions (two by Dowell, one by Bachie), which helped the Spartans survive the weather.

Brian Lewerke took another significant step

MSU’s sophomore QB showed neither the stage nor the Wolverine’s defense was enough to keep him from controlling the game (the weather is another matter). He’s so quick-footed that once he decides to run, he runs out of should-be sacks regularly. On MSU’s first scoring drive, he did so twice, including on the touchdown run. And when MSU needed one last first down, he picked the ball off the turf and found a way, rolling over offensive lineman Brian Allen.

His arm is strong enough to throw into the wind and he’s not afraid to take a chance and let his guys make plays. For the most part, they are — and did Saturday. It’ll be interesting to see how he begins to be regarded nationally from here.

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The weather hurt the Spartans early in the second half

MSU couldn’t get out of its own end until it had already surrendered a touchdown. At one point, amid fierce wind, the American flag and the flags just below it on the goal posts were flying in opposite directions.

Once MSU finally flipped the field, thanks to a 42-yard Jake Hartbarger punt, the Spartans were able to keep the lead, with both teams struggling to move the ball. The rain started about 10 p.m. and it got nasty for a while.

The weather didn't change the outcome, I don't think. We'll never know for sure. But MSU was the better team when it was dry and the wind was manageable. It played smart enough in a gusty monsoon to be rewarded for it.

That’s eight wins for MSU over Michigan in the last decade, twice over Jim Harbaugh, both times at Michigan Stadium. Enjoy the water cooler this Monday, MSU fans.

Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Graham_Couch.