How Michigan State Can Upset Michigan in Ann Arbor

The Spartans and Wolverines are preparing for an all-time battle. This will be the 120th matchup in the series, with Michigan holding a commanding all-time lead of 75 wins, 38 losses and five ties against Michigan State.

The Spartans are dragging a limp body to the finish line, continuing to take hit after hit week after week. Michigan State's injury report is longer than a CVS receipt, giving even the most die-hard Spartans fans a reason to doubt.

However, even with a depleted roster, the Spartans will surely enter this game with the utmost confidence, energy and will to win. Rivalry games have a way of bringing out a fire in players they might not even realize they have.

In life, a rivalry forces you to dig deeper than ever before, mentally psyching yourself up and rising to the challenge. Football is no different. Despite entering this game without nearly half of their original starters on offense and defense, the Spartans will bring everything they have and empty the tank in an attempt to earn their first conference victory of the season.

If the Spartans are truly going to pull off the upset, it will start with a freakishly smart and disciplined defensive performance.

The Wolverines benched starting quarterback Bryce Underwood after a lackluster start to the season, turning to Carr, who has stepped in and played well. He has demonstrated smart quarterback play, rarely forcing the ball into poor windows. Instead, Carr uses his legs and dynamic arm to take what the defense gives him.

The Spartans will be without their top defensive lineman, Ben Roberts, who has been an anchor on the defensive front. If Michigan State wants to pull this off, it will need to control the running game, as Michigan will most likely try to run the ball down the Spartans' throats with one of their best run defenders missing.

Michigan State is also without its top linebacker, Jordan Hall, who has missed quite a few games this season with lingering injuries, as well as its top two cornerbacks. That could give Carr the impression that he has the upper hand through the air. However, if safeties Devin Vaught and Nikai Martinez can jump a couple of routes, there could be some big turnovers.

That will only happen if the Spartans can contain Michigan's rushing attack and force Carr into uncomfortable situations, potentially pressuring him to push the ball downfield, something he rarely does.

Offensively, the Spartans are without their top three running backs and their top pass catcher, tight end Jayden Savoury. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic has been listed as questionable throughout the week after missing the game two weeks ago. Following the bye week over Halloween weekend, his status remains a game-time decision.

If the Spartans want to win, they will need Milivojevic on the field. Without him, they will once again have to lean on third-string and fourth-string quarterbacks Kayd Coffman and Leo Hannan.

The two played well against a top-10-ranked UCLA team on the road in Los Angeles. However, having their second game action come on the road again, this time in a rivalry matchup at the Big House, might be one of the worst situations imaginable after facing a top-10 opponent on the West Coast.

It would be too much of an uphill battle. However, if Milivojevic plays, he can help keep the safeties deep and potentially open up running lanes for Kenneth Williams, who should lead the way out of the backfield as the fourth-string running back.

Michigan's defense is a wall that will be tough to knock down, but the Wolverines could have their hands full with Milivojevic, who has the ability to push the ball downfield and give the Spartans a chance to make some plays.

It's going to be a tough one for Michigan State, but uphill battles are what fuel Pat Fitzgerald and his team. The question now is whether the Spartans can dig deep enough to pull off the upset and reclaim the Paul Bunyan Trophy, or if the injury bug will simply be too much to overcome, resulting in a fifth consecutive loss to the Wolverines.

We will find out tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET.